Here's What Critics AND Swifties Get WRONG About Tortured Poets
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well it's been a week so I think we're due for a vibe check....as I said in this video: THIS IS NOT AN ALBUM REVIEW!!! I am merely using the reviews and the general swiftie discussions as a thought starter for this conversation today about Taylor Swift's brand new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which has been received in a very mixed way. much more so than midnights! which genuinely surprised me. in this video, I unpack why critics aren't getting it and how swifties are making release weeks insufferable. enjoy :) \
REVIEWS REFERENCED IN THIS VIDEO:
Lindsay Zoladz, NYT: www.nytimes.com/2024/04/19/ar...
Jon Pareles, Ben Sisario, Lindsay Zoladz and Caryn Ganz, NYT: www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/ar...
Olivia Horn, Pitchfork: pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/...
Anonymous Loser, Paste Magazine: www.pastemagazine.com/music/t...
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone: www.rollingstone.com/music/mu...
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker: www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
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Ttý😊
I agree with most of what you have said here BUT I was so happy that Aaron Dessner worked on this album with her since my favorite album is Evermore. Thank you Aaron. "I can kiss him on the mouth with tongue" as Madeleine said. Also, I have the feeling that this album along with her Era's tour finishing up this year, will be the last for a while (besides Rep and Taylor Swift remakes). I can see her winding down to try and lead a so called "normal life". She is now contracted to make at least one movie so she may be taking a break for awhile from her music? We'll see.
"I won't even address the gaylors, because I don't negotiate with terrorists" I'M FLYING
💀
LITERALLY
Someone needs to give an envelope about them to the FBI 🕵🏻👮🏻
I KEEP SEEING THEM CLUTCHING AT STRAWS
That was a good one Zach.
you literally can't find this type of content and work elsewhere online, the most clear, centered and objective analysis on taylor and her work all whilst balancing being a swiftie and a reasonable critic
Zach is a literal gem.
no exactly. i’ve genuinely learned so much about how to look at her music both as a fan and objectively from watching zach’s videos lol
exactly! it feels so rare to find someone that loves her work but isn't afraid to criticize her (fairly)
Being a swiftie and being a reasonable critic are like night and day. The cracks show.
Yes. I wish more people would watch his videos to see plenty of swifties aren't crazy cult members.
Critics completely misunderstood Red and Rep as well and those are fan favorites. I think TTPD is going to become a classic for Swifties.
Those are two of my favorite swift albums haha
Seriously. Even as a whole, each of the albums says something intentional about writing (hence the title of the album). The first is about raw emotion and being “in it” and making raw, gut-punching work. The second part is about getting some distance and using experiences as inspiration and healing. The albums are “during” and “after” and how that lends itself to creativity, reflection, meaning. It’s brilliant. Everything is intentional at this point, even the lyrics on the title track, Taylor has just gotten so good that she has the capacity for that level of intentionality in that many lyrics.
And like Rep and Cruel Summer, these songs may be more widely appreciated a few years from now. Especially "Who's afraid of little old me", I get it and it is a very liberating experience.
Probably only for swifites tho. That’s because we love the lore. The Matty healy plot twist had us all gagged. We’re going to remember that. If Matty responds with another album just as juicy, we’re all going to be losing our minds too.
Rep is my favorite
It’s funny because they said the same thing about red and now red is considered one of her best albums
Red was my favorite from the start and I’m just now finding out people didn’t like it as much?? And that critics didn’t find it cohesive? How?? Some of her best most fun songs IMO.
Red не скучно унылая овердраматизация
Red is one her best albums with the every other song being a different genre than the last. But people don’t appreciate for what it is because they understand that that’s what made Taylor Swift Taylor Swift. And what also makes me sad is that people don’t talk about the non-singles on the album like State of Grace, Treacherous, etc.
@@reby93it's not cohesive but that is the point of the album. She explained that it resembled a heartbroken person, a mosaic of different emotions so it makes sense
Girl RED was a GENRE shift. This is a boring album.
The criticism to TTPD to me is really wild because imo it’s stronger than Midnights, both lyrically and instrumentally. Midnights’ lyrics were so vague and lacked true confessional songwriting that Taylor is know for (probably to not invite gossip into her and Joe’s troubled relationship) while TTPD harkens back to Fearless and Red’s very emotional and diaristic writing, as well as having strong unique Western and Country genre shifts. I just don’t get the criticism it’s very solid to me.
Absolutely it's stronger musically. This is some of my favourite work that Jack Antonoff, in particular, has done with her
Yes exactly! Midnights did not feel like vintage Taylor swift where as this album totally does. A return to form. Her being slightly unhinged and extremely vulnerable plus giving us soo much references to piece together
this album is MILES better than midnights and it’s astonishing to see people disagree. the writing is objectively so much stronger and it brings back that storytelling aspect that taylor is so well known for
This album is overwhelming and this can make the first few listens difficult for Swifties (not to mention non-Swifties). I keep appreciating the album more and more. Some of this may not have been possible if I were not such a huge fan. I have no doubt non Swifties would have a more difficult time relating to the music and getting it.
@@tjc4085yes!! especially with the western sounding songs
I respect your ability to differentiate between your feelings and opinions as a fan and as a critic SO MUCH, it’s something I need to work on myself and think a lot of other swifties would benefit from tbh
Same❤❤
I agree! His critical thinking skills is what makes him interesting to listen to. I can't deal with the delusion, projection and defensiveness from most of the other TS critics.
For real! I feel like in twitter everything is black and white. but i have learned with him more about being critic and objective, and i think that makes me a better fan:)
One thing that’s really pissing me off is everyone complaining that she’s swearing. Don’t like the swearing? Easy solution - listen to the clean version!!! Like my god people just complain about anything.
facts
The clean version of I can do it with a broken heart is so much better than the OG. The clean version of Down Bad is almost better if it wasn't for the sloppy gap in the replaced lines. Taylor's lack of swearing and ability to articulate emotion without it was a USP. Sad that she gave that up but oh well!
Oh - also the Bolter! Many lives >>> fucking lives. Especially. In. This. Song - it's so innocent and country, the swearing simply doesn't fit the aesthetic.
And she's grown up! Can't she swear like chill. When Ariana, Demi, Cardi and Nicki does.. that's okay?
They literally, but they (whiners and moaners) literally have never read a Romantism poetry book EVER, like, they were so dirty plants grew on them
I agree with you 95% of the time but hard disagree on who’s afraid of little old me? It’s VERY clear to me. It’s dripping in sarcasm used as a coping mechanism. The overall feel and message to me is, “look this is the person I’ve had to become because life has molded me into this but it’s not how I see myself. I’m trying to balance being on the offense to protect myself but not so much that it plays into the lies people say about me” The “but what if it is?” And “but what if they did?” I think plays into the “I don’t want to be this way but this is what I’ve become.” Anxious, biting, paranoid- and for good reason. I don’t think she has to say more than that. We all know everything is about her and people constantly try to hurt her. So people telling her not to feel that way seems like gaslighting, honestly. What in her power is to try not care about those things being true. Which I cannot imagine how difficult that would be. The mixed metaphors are a general call to the various ways people treat her and/or she feels like a monster (explicitly stated back in Anti-Hero). Also, a witch is jumping from the gallows and scaring people only happens because she was PUT in the gallows to begin with. A tiger has lost its teeth in the circus because it was PUT into the circus. Both examples are the consequences of a situation they didn’t ask to be in. This is not me going against the “but she chose her life” comments, yea she did. I’m not saying you say that, but plenty of people do. But she chose it as a child. I imagine being truly famous is like becoming a parent. You see other people doing it everyday and think you understand, but you never will until it happens to you and there’s no true way to prepare for it no matter how hard you try. And once you’re in it, you’re in it. There’s no going back to who you were before. I also personally don’t think it’s too long. I think the dynamics are perfect and move the song along and keep me interested and entertained. But ANYHOO, love your channel!!!!!
Agreed
agree. I love Who’s Afraid. I also think it’s universal in a strange way. It’s about female rage. I think about my super conservative family who drove me insane then looked at me like I was a monster for leaving. Like yeah bitch you should be afraid of me. Boo.
Agree - Swiftologist's turn-around on WAOLOM (he correctly named it a "career highlight" in the reaction video) has baffled me. It's extremely clear and cogent in message and execution.
I've been reading a lot and listening to a lot of songs about female rage and I feel a lot of it in this song. There is so much anxiety and paranoia here and it fits well with other art made on this topic. The emotions are raw, and its set to this fantastical, witchy production that makes it seem like a theatre production. Like her pain is all on show. I also think the lines "they say they didn't do it to hurt me, but what if they did" and "they say its not all about me, but what if it is" as a woman, and a mother being judged by others, I have felt similarly to this before.
As a over 50 swiftie, i picked up on the intentional use of OLD me as opposed to the usual 'ol me. She is personifying the VAMPIRE that olivia rod called her. Leaping and levitating...she paved the way for the youngsters like olivia, etc with her bare hands. She addresses her suing for stepping on her lawn (had to give writing cred for 'stealing' cruel summer sound) & then cried boo hoo feels bad. @@andrewtilsley
Might sound unrelated, but stick with me here: I work in the TV space and TV writing specifically and there is an interesting thing that happens when watching people write TV for network and TV for streaming. When you write for a show like The Office or Seinfeld, you only get 22 minutes and you can’t say everything you wanna say (re: cursing, sexual language, etc). And so as a result, you have to chop off some really funny shit to make sure you fit those 22 minutes and executive criteria. But what happens with Netflix or HBO Max shows is that there aren’t those time constraints and you can kinda just say or show anything, and boy does it show. Writers get so excited that they can say and write as much as their writer hearts desire, that the end result is a bit messy to say the least. If you ever watch the Office Fan Edition it’s basically just The Office episodes with deleted (often worse) scenes. Fans eat it up, cause isn’t it so cool to get more content from your favorite show, but man, if that’s what The Office was putting out in 2006, it would not have the reputation and legecy it has now. So, I agree with your assessment of her hyper productivity. I think she must be a little resentful and bitter about the restraints of her first 6 albums, especially cause she had a falling out with the main guy in charge, and she can be mad at Scott Bourchetta but that doesn’t mean she has to also disregard all his methods. She started swinging the pendulum the other way as early as with Lover, when we see her in the board room saying she wants this to be a long 18-20 song album. She then felt the gradification and vindication of putting out more through the re-recordings. She must have had a real “I told you so” moment when All 10 Well and Is It Over Now went #1. But that shouldn’t be her sign to throw spaghetti (no matter how yummy the spaghetti is) at the wall. I would love her next album to be a super tight Melodrama type album. 11-12 songs, one sound, tight as hell tracklist, one story, maybe even an interlude. She can clearly make great songs, but she has it in her to make a great album, which is arguably harder.
This is exactly how I feel about this album! I think she still has some great ideas and good lines but they all get so watered down with bland production and plainly bad lyrics... I was super disappointed tbh. Yeah, it might've felt cathartic for her to write this, but that doesn't mean it's gonna be a great product. And sure, she's big enough to not care I guess but that doesn't mean we need to be delusional about the quality of her work. If you need to have a master's degree in swiftology to "get" an album, maybe the album just isn't good at conveying a message and having an impact. I hope she takes her time with the next album to truly work out the good stuff.
Absolutely love this take! Totally makes sense why so much TV just isn't as good as what we got 10+ years ago
Exactly, like someone else said, “Taylor felt that she needed to write this album (as a form of therapy) but did we, the fans, really NEED to hear every single thing she wrote?” No…
I never thought about it that way. What a cool perspective. The funny thing is, Taylor's got a movie script in the works. It'll be exciting to see if the constraints of a limited runtime will make her a better screenwriter
@@SWINDISA literally cannot wait to see what she'll cook up. Maybe she'll have 3 versions, 10 remixes of the soundtrack, be 3 hours long, with her as the writer, director, lead actress, editor, cinematographer, wardrobe consultant, hair and make up person. lol. Our girl likes to do everything.
Every time I say that I love this album someone always says, “doesn’t she say that lyric about wanting to be in the 1800’s without racists or something?” Everyone just wants to intentionally miss the point of the album and it drives me INSANEEEE
This is some of the frustrating part about being a fan right now. Non fans want to give their hot take about how she’s soooo problematic without even knowing what is being spoken about. Like no one is going to give you a medal for being the most empathetic thoughtful person because you have a half baked opinion on a song you haven’t heard!
It’s not like it’s a great lyric to begin with
@@dotcom3015 The point is that people take a lyric out of context to bash her. It's extremely odd to say to least as some people love to use that lyric to hate on Taylor for "trying too hard to be poetic" and then they bring up the So High School GTA lyric to hate on her for being childish. She can't win with these people. Media literacy has died and the entire discourse around her lyricism shows. She literally says how she would've hated the 1830s if she were there and how nostalgia is bullshit in the very next line
@@bad_revecula she can’t win cause it’s a mid album. Can you blame people for misinterpreting her when they probably lost consciousness when they got to that lyric? There’s no interesting production keeping people awake, so they need to create drama to engage with all these filler songs.
@@dotcom3015 yes, you can blame people for interpreting something in bad faith without listening to the whole thing first. Sure, you can find the song/album boring, but it's just dumb to draw conclusions without looking at the entirety of the thing. It shows lack of critical thinking.
I actually love all the alien stuff in down bad. She’s using it as a metaphor for love bombing and the juxtaposition of the unreality to the reality is kind of the point. You feel swept up and otherworldly when you’re being treated like the chosen one but then you come crashing down and realize it was never true. I love how unbiased and critical you and be of our HBIC though ❤
Yes! The verse where she talks about being left naked in a field and saying people will say she’s nuts if she tried to talk about “the existence of you” kills me because it’s just like that in a lot of those situations. The person who hurt you (usually) has a reputation for being kind and charming, so a lot of people don’t believe they would ever be so hurtful, so you must just be nuts. They don’t believe that you experienced what you experienced. It’s such a layered song.
Yes, the contrast between a glittering spaceship and sweaty gym is jarring, but I feel like that’s the point. It feels out of place because she’s describing feeling out of place after a sudden and intense life event. The songs could use some editing for sure, but I like that Down Bad is all over the place, because that’s what it feels like in that situation.
I will say though, it’s extremely difficult to understand on first listen because of the way it’s structured. The most obvious parts of the metaphor are at the beginning so if you missed it, the rest doesn’t work. It makes sense that casual listeners and critics don’t tend to get it.
As an old married lady of 21 years, I actually also feel like this song is even relatable in a long term relationship. There are times you’re doing so well together and then something can come up to make you be on two different pages and it’s that same feeling. Maybe not as intense a feeling, not as devastating obviously, but still. In a relationship that is stable and includes kids, jobs, a house, pets, & all kind of responsibilities, you might have a weekend away that feels magical and then… you’re back to your real life. You get in a stupid fight and then wonder where did that cosmic love feeling go?
I feel like she had to go to the alien route. Because the only other thing to reference is fairy tales. And if she did that, the criticism would be oh another fairy tale song?
i‘m also so annoyed by some people who just joined the fandom at midnights…because it shows. not saying that you had to be fan forever in order to understand the album but i just can’t stand people searching for songs about travis, being bored by her adapting her folklore/evermore writing style again (especially for the anthology) and being bored by her just being honest about her feelings and giving us an insight on a topic we may not have expected (the ratty situation) or the worst thing - not accepting any other criticism you can still be fan even if you criticise her - may i say you’re maybe even more of a fan if you’re honest and reflect on her work instead of always praising it?
I’ve been a fan since 1989, and I highly disagree that this album is her folklore/evermore writing style... Taylor and I are the same age, I was also born in 1989. I was afraid that I’d grown out of her music after Lover came out, but then Folklore/Evermore turned it around for me. I thought her writing was finally maturing along with her, I really enjoyed those albums. I loved some songs on Midnights. But this album felt like a huge step backwards in writing skills for Taylor. I feel like she had better written songs on her first 3 albums, and I wasn’t a huge fan of those. The only way I could see The Anthology being compared to Folklore/Evermore, is if you’re referring to the slower tempo songs. That’s about where the similarities end.
I actually been here just since midnights and I still love and understand the view in this album
I don't even think it's because of the recent fandoms. It's because the production on this album just does not hit for a lot of people. In fact, I think people who like midnights are not the ones who dislike this album. Midnight's production was sparse imo.TTPD is much more interesting, but I feel like the production caters to the aesthetic of the album at the expense of musicality.
I'm annoyed by people who tell other people how to be fans.
I just joined at her relationship with Travis... I seen all the hate and the hype and went down that rabbit hole and came out 🕳️ a fan of Taylor. I am a survivor of abuse from a relationship with a narcissist and I have never felt more seen then with this album... this album I needed 6 years ago when I left him ❤️🩹 not all new fans. The sad thing about how people are taking apart her lyrics and making them about a dude instead of processing this album as she is in pain emotionally and psychologically. She needs swifties to see this and just say we are here for you. It's like they didn't listen to Down Bad or I can do it with a broken heart 💔
The 1830s controversy is soooo strange and weird…
People with much more free time than comprehension skills strike again.
I think that’s 90% people who just saw the line cut out of context without the whole “you made it not fun, it wasn’t fun even then” thing
yeah and they dislike taylor swift enough to take it seriously and assume this is what she means instead of bothering to do any research and use their brains 😭
Seriously! I do love that it has opened a conversation around critical thinking!
critiquing a previously pretty- politically silent pop star for a lyric evoking the time of American Slavery in a romantic sense, on an album largely about Matty...an AntiBlack racist is certainly something i'd say is fair. Honestly.
Thank you SO MUCH for bringing up Paste Magazine. As a former journalism student and Swiftie, I was incredulous at their hit piece under the guise of an album review. It was infuriating.
I agree but 'Sylvia Plath didn't stick her head in the oven for this' is hilarious
@@mrj8644I💀💀💀
@@mrj8644real
The entire Paste article was an absolute circus. It was clearly pre-written and they added in a few sentences about the lyrics last minute. So much of it was objectively false, and the rest was targeting Taylor personally and her fans strictly to get attention. It was pure bait -- the tweet alone about why they didn't include a byline proves it -- and so many other media outlets ate it up. There are plenty of objective critical takes on the album, but this was not one.
Swifties get a taste, a droplet of what gagas experienced her entire career and yall cant handle 😅
I do feel like the chorus of down bad sounding more realistic is an obvious reference to now they left her behind the aliens dropped her back down and she wants them to come pick her back up again. so those parts are down to earth and realistic because she's literally down bad as in they dropped her back down to earth.
i know you already broke down ttpd in your podcast but id love for you to do a more produced and traditional breakdown. the podcast just feels like two friends talking about ttpd which i love but honestly i prefer a video in the standard style with just you, your camera and your mic
def on the list when i've had more time with the record!
Happy to read this comment. Absolutely agreed. I appreciate the off the bat reaction but I’d love your commentary in a month or later, when this album has sat with us for a while
I’m hoping we get one as well. The other person on his podcast cuts him off so frequently and she can be louder when Zach is more quiet so I end up turning up and turning down the volume so often and this is just me personally but I don’t like how much she swears and so I can’t consume their podcast much but I like his individual break downs and hope we get a more TTPD break down as time goes on❤❤
@@kkrb1212I so agree with you. I love listening to Zach. She surely is a nice person I just don’t like her part in the podcast, it’s so exhausting listening to her. She doesn’t make the podcast better and I would prefer if she would just be a guest from time to time.
@@theswiftologist I will def be interested to hear if any of your views shifted after having the songs around for longer! :D I know even this past week and a half mine have!
Peter was arguably the best song on both albums. (In my opinion) Peter is about Matty Healy “you said you’d come get me but you were 25” they met when he was 25, also at the end she changes the chorus from “you said you were gonna grow up, then you were gonna come find me” to just “you said you were gonna grow up”…. As in he came back but did not grow up, so to me, that makes sense to be on this album. Also with the Peter losing Wendy line from cardigan & her doing that weird ass “this is about you” thing before it on the Eras tour the same way he did… leaves me to think MAYBE he was also the muse for Cardigan. Idk, just some food for thought and why i definitely see Peter as a great song on this album.
EXACTLY! Peter is a great song and is one of my favorites
Yes! The Peter Pan theme linked between Cardigan and Peter... makes Peter so necessary I think. Matty you never grew up to love your Wendy 😢
I think you're spot on but also that makes her guilty as sin.
Time? people nowadays have the attention span of a gerbil. I am taking my time with this album. Love your content and your calm discourse about this new project. Social media is a train wreck of histrionics and over reactions about everything.
YEP this
💯💯💯
Yes it's slowly growing on me daily when I first listened I couldn't get on board I think this is one that I'll fall in love slowly I hated Rep for years then fell in love with it a few years ago I think it could happen the same way.
I agree and that’s what I love about finding so many thoughtful creators in the midst of so much ridiculousness. I actually think it might make us better as a society over all in the end, because the people who want more nuance will become even more intentional about finding each other ❤
I am older than Taylor and I confess I had difficulty connecting with her earlier music although I do appreciate it. This album reflects a more mature attitude, and her unvarnished thoughts on the double-edged sword of fame are a refreshing departure. The Prophecy in particular is a song I connect with. Beautifully written and relatable. I think this critical reception may be a bit of overexposure backlash, but this does not diminish the merit of the work.
I’m gonna 100% agree with this. I’m younger than Taylor, but not my much, and I’ve been listening to her since justttt before Fearless came out. I loved her albums in real time, but the older I get, I’m realizing that I, too, am struggling to connect with many songs pre-Red anymore. They’re beautiful and classics, of course, but I grew up and can’t closely relate anymore to the girl I was when I resonated with her older music back in the day. That’s the whole reason why I appreciate and adore the raw honesty from this album. It’s not vague like Midnights. It’s so honest. And you can feel her maturity progression in these songs, even if I also agree some of it is over saturated. It doesn’t take away the deep connection I feel to what she’s feeling today. The only reason it took a few listens for me to “get it” is because I also agree that the production and sound are lacking something new and refreshing.
@@jenniferschoewe9078 That's where I am too - I like her older songs but I never go out of my way to listen to them because I just can't relate anymore
I'm 10 years younger than Taylor and I still can connect to Red (as Taylor was only a few years younger back then than me right now) but I can't really connect to the albums before that anymore. I think it'll be interesting to see how that changes for me as I get older. I love her first albums but I listen to them for nostalgia and not really to connect with the lyrics. And I really admire how I can still connect with the lyrics on TTPD even though I never experienced most of it (as probably not many people have since a lot of it is about fame). The lyrics are sometimes very obviously about fame but at some points still vague enough to apply them to different situations (and I think most people can connect to the love songs on different levels).
I’m 41 and agree 100%
As a historic Taylor swift fan, most of the fun about her new albums is speculating about meanings, discussing how there can be more than one meaning depending on what lenses you apply, and then settling on the meaning you enjoy, which allows you to feel the songs in a more personal way according to how you’ve landed on this. I agree that some of these songs are very clear about their muse(s), some less so. The aggressive messaging since a lot of younger and newer fans have joined is the problem. Not all fans, but the toxic social media type in particular. It no longer feels like the open minded discussion amongst fans who share a mutual love of someone they’ve grown with over the years. I’m in my 30s and it all feels like an immature speculative fandom since the shift during folkmore.
Yes, my dad introduced me to Taylor in my early 30’s, well now, I’ve been a Swifty for well over a decade and I see the evolution and how the world has changed. And yes, the young swiftifties grew up with smart phones in their hands and not enough life experience yet, not to mention real time (not online from the past) knowledge of Taylor’s life and art.
I believe the muses can be a feeling aswell, something you felt in more than one relationship. Therefor it gets messy when you try and pin it down to one person or muse. No, Harry Styles wasn't 25 when he was going out with Taylor but nor has Matty Healy had it easier than Taylor. I have concluded Peter is to her "lost boys", plural.
mark my words, TTPD will age like fine wine✨
Yes I said this too. There’s already been an “oops I was big wrong” reviewer article, it was CNN I believe
I agree! in a couple hundred years when people are reading or listening to her work in a critical historical sense, there are some timeless pieces of master level poetry in this album 🥹 missy really is one of the great poets and I’m so lucky to get to watch her work in real time
It hits me like a whiteeeee wineeeeeee.
After multiple relistens, it’s truly a grower!!!
I don’t recall my relistening (of when Midnights first came out) to be this evolving and interesting and reinviting and “addictive”
Ngl, sometimes being a swiftie is embarrassing....and it's not because of Taylor.
She said on her Director on Director talk interview “you don't have to belabor it [art] and polish the doorknob so long you forget to open the door,” and I think she’s been using that philosophy and she’s found success with that philosophy with the re-recording vault tracks, sister folkevermore albums, and the length of the eras tour, but it’s kinda run its course. Like, why not polish the doorknob? If you have the money, time, and resources to do so (and Taylor definitely does) why not have a polished doorknob, song, album, etc. I also think she doesn’t have anyone around her telling her this anymore whether that be her team or her fans. It’s all “you go, Taylor.” When maybe it should be “you go edit, Taylor.” Rules, and limitations, and challenges are good for creativity. Beyonce is a good example of that. She could have wasily seatled in her original style and you go girl pop anthems, but she always is challenging herself. Taylor can do it too and it doesn’t have to be externally enforced rules or limitations, she can give herself the challange. She just needs to stop hearing the crowd saying “more.”
15:04 I interpreted “daddy” in BDILH as the “righteous fandom”, the Speak Up Now folks. Still ridiculous, not because of her age, but because people thought they had any say in who she loves.
It's definitely about them
I've been wondering why no review I've read so far on TPD has seemed genuine. Thanks for putting words to this. I wish more people would sit with a work longer before publishing their opinions, good or bad
People are racing to catch the views and clicks wave.
One of the big points that clicked for me and that I haven't seen discussed much is this: people don't seem to like that so much of the album is (seamingly) about Matty. But for all the accusation of retreading old grounds here, there is one confession that very few speculated about pre-release: how important Matty had been to her. As the podcast pointed out before, for the fandom, Matty was "not enough". Not handsome enough. Not accomplished enough. And not enough to live in their self-insert fantasies (as opposed to Travis). This album reveals that FOR YEARS, she had been yearning for that guy, flaws and all, and when she got him, the fandom said "He's not good enough FOR US." So people were hyping up the album thinking she would give them tea on the end of a six years relationship; not because they really cared, but because it's salacious AF (How Did It End?). And most of all, they wanted to ignore that blip that was so unpalatable to them. So what did she do, she did a whole album almost exclusively about that very dude; super sexual, revealing even worst stuff about him, making herself look bad, making him look bad, and saying to her public: fuck you if I can't have him. And then she even wraps up with what she knows will be the blokback; she just exposed a huge, previously unknown part of her inner life that she hid for years, and the crowd just yells for MORE (i.e. do something different, do something better, reinvent yourself again, etc.)
A thousand times YES…”the empathetic hunger descends…” 🎯
So accurate !!
you are so right, so well said. i was pretty shocked at how important this relationship was to her, it was clearly not just a rebound, she clearly wasn’t just having a bit of a summer fling with a loose-cannon type guy. she thought they had a really deep connection for a long time (and that feeling may have been mutual) and during the time we saw them together they were talking about a very serious level of commitment already. she was obviously dealing with her feelings throughout this time through songwriting, and the result was a series of songs that chronicle that absolute rollercoaster of a relationship from start to crashing finish.
I think people don’t like Matty (at least time around I can’t speak about why during 1989 era) because of some of problematic stuff has said recently. i.e. what he said about Ice Spice
@@AthenaMinerva03 Who cares, half of those people didn’t even watch the interviews, they were hating him for… She loved him, her fans hated him-they don’t know, who she really is and they don’t care what she wants!
I never join anything but I literally joined Patreon because you deserve to be paid for the amount of high quality content you pump out consistently
Sameeeee
So agree!
Taylor hit the depth of her mid 30s. you start becoming truly self-aware because you stopped caring about what other people think. It’s raw and real. I’m 41 and I felt this album to my core.
Zach, phenomenal intro. I'm seated for Tay's messiness, frustration and anger; & annoyed at "hot takes" who don't know the lore, are poking for click bait, and not doing analysis. Meanwhile, this albums are GREAT but has half a dozen skips. Maddy's recommendation to have split it into two separate drops (by a fortenight) is a great idea. Edited to make shorter within 15 minutes of posting.
I can see what people are saying about editing and condensing to create a perfect album like 1989 or Fearless, or even maybe folklore (minus epiphany). However, I don't really care how it's perceived by the masses. I am willing to put up with a couple of superfluous songs to get a more free and uninhibited Taylor. Some of the lyrics on TTPD were actually jaw-dropping to me because I couldn't believe she would say something so honest. I respect it so much. She's unprecedented levels of famous and the most scrutinised person alive, which would probably cause most people to censor themselves heavily and craft a prettier narrative. She instead wrote her most uninhibited and honest album yet, diving into the deeper and more rageful parts of herself for all of us to pick apart. And the result is fucking incredible. This is my favourite album because I just feel like I believe every single thing she is singing on here. While I've always seen her as an honest and confessional writer, I have found a couple of songs on her last few albums kind of hollow or wrote, almost like she didn't believe what she was actually singing. She was withholding. I truly felt like I could see straight through her in this album, and I loved it. I cried so much, which I haven't done with another album. I could palpably feel her emotions. It was truly a life altering experience for me. Not since hearing ATW for the first time did I feel this much rawness from her. It's got Red vibes all over it for me, but waaaay darker and more angry. And I truly love almost every song, with my only unnecessary ones being thanK you aIMee and Robin. Maybe Florida!!! as well, but it's okay and not an actual skip. All the others are giving me a large look into her mind right now, which is the most fascinating thing to see.
THIS ^^ brilliant! I’ve been saying all week DID WE JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS
I can’t believe I’ve finally found someone who feels the same way as me!!! YAY!
YESSS to all of this! (Except maybe your last paragraph)! I also kind of feel like Zach and critics are overlooking her goals with this album. It's not to put out the best most concise and biting album ever. She said she never needed songwriting more than with this album. I think that was really to let it all out to process her emotions and move on (the story isn't mine anymore). And not to mention her grammys speech, she just wants to keep making music. I know she's been very motivated by awards and acclaim throughout her career, but I really think she is moving beyond that. She doesn't need more acclaim, frankly her latest AOTY just attracted backlash. She's Taylor Swift and this album is for her and her fans who want to listen to and understand her.
I see the chorus of Down Bad as a crash back to reality. A stark juxtaposition to the cosmic love.
Omg yes!
I feel like I have had to literally be the one swiftie who is basically saying you just don’t get the album. So many new swifties are saying they like her because she has individual eras and her story telling yet their favorite albums are always her pop albums with catchy songs.
Как люди посмели любить запоминающийся песни, 😂
Or they just don't like it....This is a very different sound and definitely not for me. Not into it :( :(
I didn't mean people shouldn't like her catchy songs and whatnot, I just meant people say they love when she branches out to try new things but when she does it is often met with skepticism. The sound of this album is definitely very interesting and not for everyone.
@@notcxle2663 one of my favorite songs is look what you made me do. Totally stepped outside her boundary but genius. There's just something about this album. I wouldn't really call any of the songs genius. She's honestly recycled a lot of her sayings and themes to a track that often over powers her vocals
@@krystademilio1256interesting - that’s the song I least liked on Rep. but that album was my introduction to her music and I got hooked on to going through her discography . I love all her eras. But tastes vary and can change so someone not being crazy about this album does not mean they are not a fan. If u ask me I feel she did this album for herself - to get through a really bad period in her life as it is now evident more than anything else. A bit self indulgent which is why there r mixed reviews. Personally I love it and the more I listen the better it gets
You've been busy babe. We appreciate it! ❤
As a 60 year old lady, I loved the entire albumn. Is it for everyone? Nope!!! This project was from a period in time that hopefully not many ever have to experience themselves but if you did, you get it completely. There are some songs everyone will like and others that will fly right over their heads. I’m not a swifty but I have enjoyed Taylor’s music since she started. Just like any artist I like, not every song resonates with me, but this double albumn did.
Same sentiments here!
Exactly! Who gets it, gets it. I'm so thankful that a song like "the smallest man who ever lived" exists because it expresses some feelings I couldn't really put into words after experiencing a relationship with a narcissist.
Hi, thanks for the video. Loved it as usual. I was watching the 1975’s oh Caroline video and there are direct visual references to Taylor’e Delicate video. I gather that these people were writing songs that referred to each other’s work for quite some time. I would love it if you talk about that a little bit when you are in the mood to. This secret communication between two great artists absolutely blows my mind. I know they are at odds now. I do look forward to Matty’s take on what went down as you asked in the last Evolution of a Snake podcast: “what did you do to him?” There’s a part of the story we don’t know yet. Maybe it was the media circus/ the pressure of being a controversial person that Sarahs and Hannahs were quick to villainise or maybe he actually couldn’t cope with the whole guarded way in which one is to behave at that level of fame like Taylor. Or, he just chickened out. But his song Fallingforyou and Iamgonnagetyouback have direct parallels. He is an atheist and Taylor says she will choose them Religiously- all these contradictions it seems are very fundamental to the way Tay created TTPD. Almost to show her rage and hurt but also to show how inspiring his art has been for her. He is inspired by Peter Pan and those references to Peter. And, he has lyrics about putting things on the shelf and so does Tay. I just find this so intriguing. And I trust your take on everything Swift. I really wonder what your thoughts would be on this, Zach.
YES i am not familiar with the 1975 outside of a couple of songs, so I would love to see a deep dive roundup of all the little nods to each other they have have done since they first started interacting!!
OK, some text based arguments for The Alchemy being a Travis song: *Why all the football metaphors if not? She doesn’t usually choose her imagery willy nilly. *Alchemy: the process of turning mundane things into gold. Nobody thought Matty and Taylor were golden, but Miss Americana and the best tight end in the NFL? People went nuts. *The placement in the album. We’ve just had 14 tracks taking us through the Joe breakup and Matty interlude, ending with The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived: “Good riddance,” “I don’t miss you,” “I don’t miss what we had,” … why would she go back all of a sudden to the beginning of the relationship for one track? Makes more sense to me that this is a pivot away from the past and towards the future, and then we just get that gorgeous meditation on the industry in Clara Bow *The joke “Heroine with an E,” sure it coulddd be Matty making fun of himself, but the first 14 tracks indicate he is maybe not a drug-free as it had seemed, and isn’t just as likely that Travis made fun of Matty by saying, essentially, “Yeah, babe, YOU’RE my drug of choice.” OK, that’s it 💫
the swiftologist single-handedly saving the taylor swift discourse. I either see mindless haters or swifties who worship taylor. you are one of the very few sane swifties around here.
YES thank you, I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since debut but recently I’ve felt completely alienated by most of the fandom just because I don’t care to talk about her current boyfriends and exes beyond what’s in the music. I find it funny that it used to be that fans focused more on the music and the general media focused more on her boyfriends and now it almost feels flipped.
I agree with you, I see swifties criticising the media for always talking about her love life BUT most of the time now online its always the swifties who immediately speculate.
Swiftologist they could never make me hate you.
Yes, taking your time with the album and replaying it all the way through has made me fall in love with so many songs. It also made me go back and watch old music videos of hers to see her progression. I’ve been listening to Taylor Swift since Tim McGraw. Knowing what we know now and going back to watch her while she was sick and then become healthy, but also people pleasing…. I saw a lot of that with ‘you need to calm down’. This album feels very much like hey I can’t do that anymore. I’m going to tell you the truth regardless of how you feel about it.
I personally love TTPD, but I'm very aware that I'm a big swiftie, I'm familiar with the lore and have had time to sit with the album. I completely agree with you on most of your points. Is this a bad album? NO, absolutely not!! But, I don't think it's her best album. That is partly because Taylor has set a very high bar with her discography, but also, I think that Taylor had so much to say and is obviously very talented that sometimes the message didn't always land the way she wanted. The Paste article was actually ridiculous and, like you said, your words lose their merit when you don't put your name on it. That being said, no one should receive death threads and the fact that people go to the length of (verbal) violence is absurd. I do think that Taylor receives more criticism than most artists about having a similar sound on multiple albums, given the fact that most artists stick to one genre of music, but we should want her to keep challenging herself to be great/better/BEST.
A Gaylors theory I saw on TikTok was that the whole album is about Karlie kloss 😂
the I hate it here controvery is dumb imo, yes its an odd lyric, but the amount of hate she would’ve gotten had she NOT mentioned “without the racists” would’ve been worse. It’s a clunky lyric and I think it could’ve been said better but i don’t see it as offensive.
It isn’t offensive people just want something to be upset about.
I also interpreted that line as her not being able to keep her mouth shut and ruining the fun of the game for everyone and then later in the song she talks about loneliness so there are two kinds of disconnect between her and other people going on so it makes sense to me? It's not that bad of a line, it's just a little clunky like you said
I don't even find it clunky tbh it makes perfect sense to me, the whole verse not just that line.
@@priiifrg Agreed. It makes perfect sense to me too
@@lilaboxxoooh i love that! i think ur totally right, i didnt even think of that!
Yes please please make a video about Chappel Roan, her story is so interesting! Also.. Amy Winehouse? Please!
yes yes yes chappell roan is so good
A video on Chappell Roan would be great, I’ve been a huge fan of hers for a couple of years
A fourth for Chappell!
Also Raye she does similar confessional style songwriting but much darker
Loved your analysis. I hope all the criticism and mixed reviews lead to something great. I trust in her words: “People greatly underestimate how much I’ll inconvenience myself to prove a point”. That’s how Speak Now, 1989, Reputation and Folklore were born.
I love Taylor's music and have all the lyrics memorized but I couldn't care less about her "lore". So to me Down Bad was a contrast between the sort of ethereal, "cosmic", feeling you feel when you're in love vs. the "down", grounded, more realistic version of it when it all comes crashing "down". Hence bringing up staring at the sky, yearning for that "heavenly" feeling again. ---- From my perspective the difference in the vibe of the verses vs. the chorus makes sense. Hopefully my comment does too lmaoooo
I can’t believe that this isn’t in people’s top 5 albums! This is one of the most raw and honest albums made in recent years. There are so many bops (MBOBHFT, Down Bad, imgonnagetyouback) and heartbreaking ballads or poetic moments (loml, Chloe et al., and The Manuscipt) Overall a 9/10 album.
agree 100%! it really reminds me of red in this way - which has always been my favorite album. love the usage "et al." here 😅
It's raw and honest lyrically but the sonic palette is boring. The verbosity and bloated nature of the album also doesn't help its case. She can do better. Otherwise for now we're stuck in an era of diminishing returns😢
@@henrywayne5724I love the songs and the music. These are the songs I want sing in my car when I’m sad. This is the music she’s best at.
@@henrywayne5724 While I do agree with that statement (I think she did this exact same format in red, which is way better than ttpd), I want you to keep in mind that this album was made for the more diehard lore swifties like the theorists, and so the lyrics should definitely outshine the sonic palette in this situation
I'm so here for the "et al." 😂
When the album was announced, people were outraged because they expected it to be a brutal grilling of Joe, a relatively small public person. That didn't happen, so now they need a quick excuse to villainize her and all this crap is the result. Sure, the lyrics are up for debate, but that should be a fun discussion, not a cross to bear.
Zach, here is my take on what you said about critics: I understand that you try to position yourself in a “middle ground” space, and you believe that this allows you have a completely “objective” bird’s eye view that isn’t tainted by either fanaticism or blind hate. However, I do think you are also falling into a bias by trying to stay objective, because well - objectivity doesn’t actually exist. As someone who studied Sociology in university, I can tell you that pretending to want to study/analyze something that you are a part of from an objective perspective will always be misleading, it’s utopian, it’s impossible. That’s my problem with journalism, this obsession to be “objective” and always see “both points of views” and “find the middleground” when the absolute TRUTH is a concept that does not exist. We are always speaking from a certain established position, a certain background we can’t erase, and I believe the best kind of journalism is the one that acknowledges that position, makes it transparent, and understands that we are speaking from a specific history with the topic at hand, a certain set of beliefs. I feel it is unfair for you to say that Rob Sheffield isn’t objective because he is a fan. So that means that people that are fans can’t be critical of the thing they love? Just because someone is a fan doesn’t mean he can’t be objective, just like you claim to be. He is speaking as a music critique that has been a follower of Taylor’s music for a while (which he speaks about), and he has an opinion on this album that is completely valid. Maybe you don’t agree, but it’s his experience with it. Other critics that haven’t connected with this album and maybe don't like it, are ALSO speaking from their own histories with Taylor’s music. No one is coming to this (or any opinion ever, be it political or entertainment) without a personal subjectivity that’s intertwined there. And in that sense, so are you. There isn’t an objective truth about this album that somehow you are going to get to by “taking off” different hats. I am a fan of Taylor’s , and I believe I am very capable of critical thinking. With that said, I believe that this album is her best work ever and I have a handful of reasons why I believe that (which I won’t go into because it’s not the place). I don’t think my condition as a fan makes this opinion less valuable or real. Music is SUBJECTIVE. You can try to create all the rules you want, like “pop music should sound like this” “albums should tick this and that box” but the reality is that music is ART, and ART is ever changing, dynamic, subjective, it connects to a part of us that is not RATIONAL. Of course there are works of art that are better than others, but if someone is creating something artistic that is resonating with SO MANY PEOPLE, then that means something. And being critical doesn’t necessarily mean trying to find things that are wrong with it just to prove that you are “objective”, of course nothing is going to be perfect, perfection doesn’t exist. Being critical also means analyzing, understanding, breaking things down, which you do SO well and it’s why I love your videos. But when there is something that massively resonates so much with so many people, maybe people should try to understand why that is. No one has the right to tell someone else that they can’t feel a certain way about art. The only thing that matters when critiquing art is being respectful and open minded. That’s it.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It just so happens that some of the most acclaimed art projects that are now revered were very criticized when they first came out. And it’s usually the more complex ones. I wholeheartedly believe this is a masterpiece of a double album and my “condition” as a fan doesn’t make that opinion less valuable - not even from a technical standpoint. I think it’s important to listen to all opinions but without ever losing sight that we are not lab rats taken from our habitat to observe a phenomenon without any outside interference.
I just wrote pretty much the same thing and then I found your comment. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Everytime someone says "just because you're a fan doesn't mean you have to praise everything she does". Well, DUH. Obviously. Have you ever considered that I'm praising this because I ACTUALLY see that much value in it? 🤯 Almost everything he """objectively""" counts as flaws are actually things I LOVE. Complaining about the "overwriting" on this record? Saying she should "show not tell"? Says who???? Why should she abide by these rules? I love her "flowery prose" or whatever! And that's only one example. Ugh. Whatever. I'll just enjoy it while they "objectively" complain... 🥱
👏👏👏👏@@maruchita222
ok so yes, we all see our own objective value in art, making our views inherently subjective, because they are OUR OWN views. and I completely understand your point that journalism can never be objective because we cant ever completely separate ourselves from our biases. however, that completely negates the purpose of journalism and CRITICISM in the first place. Journalism and Art Criticism as a practice strives for objectivity in the name of judgement and analysis. Sure, it can never be perfect, but when you’re a journalist, you’re professionally obligated to try. to try to approach things from all angles and sides. About Rob Sheffield- he’s not being critical. Being critical means pointing out the merits AND flaws, and he’s praising her unrelentingly in order to keep his insider access. And “objectivity doesn’t exist” is a paradox, when thinking about truth in a philosophical context, which proves that you shouldn’t judge something solely from one angle, but multiple. And that’s what criticism and journalism strives for. You can judge this album as a fan AND a critic, inhabiting the role of one or the other, or both. TRUE CRITICISM isn’t striving for a middle ground (i hate that word), but for decisiveness, to get as close to universal truth as possible. And in my opinion, as someone who studies philosophy, universal truth does exist. Just because you can’t hear the tree fall in the forest, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. You can love something and think its great without it actually being the greatest thing in the world. either ways it’s all semantics. we can all enjoy what we want to enjoy, and criticize what we want to criticize. lets all live happy lives guys.
@@cattd00 As I said in my comment, of course you can strive for objectivity, but only when you first make those biases transparent. My criticism comes when journalists try to pretend like they have no biases, because that DOESN'T EXIST (this happens in political journalism a lot, for example). As I said before, I believe people can be a lot more "objective" (ie: see different points of views, and be open minded), when they let those biases be known. As far as Rob Sheffield goes, that is your opinion about him. It's valid as your opinion, but I mean I have a different one. When it comes to critiquing art, my opinion here is that there is not an ABSOLUTE OBJECTIVE TRUTH about something, because art is complex and dynamic, and certain things resonate with certain people for different reasons. You can be as technical as you want, there are songs that are perfect in terms of musical technicalities, and still no ones moved by it. Of course If you want to be that person that acts like you’re a professor of creative writing, or a music professor, and Taylor Swift is your student, and you feel entitled to grade her papers and correct her work, you do you I guess. But that’s not at all how I would choose to experience her work, I want to savour it, to understand it, to break it down, to FEEL it. But that’s how I choose to consume my music when I connect to it. Regardless, if someone wants to pick out flaws in it and state the things you would change, that's fine, you do you, what I'm critiquing is not that specifically, but rather pretending and acting like that critique is the ABSOLUTE objective truth, and if you don't see it or don't agree then you're "blinded by fanatism" or you just "can't accept the truth".
honestly the way that online fandoms are now compared to how they used to be is really disheartening. i'm sure there have been thinkpieces about it, but the general inability to have a conversation online about ANYTHING has really driven me off a lot of platforms and out of fandom spaces generally. i'm not saying we didn't have discourse - og tumblr is literally famous for being feral - but it never felt like the conversation STARTED with someone telling you to unalive yourself the way it does now. everyone is just so mad for no reason. anyway great video as usual!!! thanks for churning out content like this, YOU are one of the writers/critics i consistently come back to for good, earnest takes
Zack, you deserve to get PAID for this kind of content, truly. If I weren't already a patron, I'd be rushing over to sign up now, b/ c this is the kind of quality journalism I want to consume! I don't agree with all of your points, but you are def. making me think, and I can tell you didn't rush to any of these assertions quickly or lightly. Bravo!
he does get paid! as he should :)
This album is about the swifties not realizing we do the things her exes and snakes did. In fact, i would say we caused way more damage than kim ever did. This album is a breakup album to us. Shes leaving us in the hallway. We are vile, judgmental, vipers. One bad seed ruins the garden. We are scary and dangerous to her. Stop crashing weddings and waiting outside her door, creepers.
yeah and she's only a billionaire because of you all
@@LyntzbartzkyPerezshe’s talking about the fans who act creepy and stalk her she has expressed gratitude to her fans tremendously
@@Swiftienation_13_22 i know, it’s just that this original comment is just a load of sht thats says otherwise
If you consider Taylor’s last two years, her relationship with Joe coming to an end, the conception of the Era’s tour and the extreme hard work, being lonely, being somewhat isolated for a while, the whole Ratie thing, being vulnerable, the new relationship with Travis and her mom’s ongoing illness. These songs seem like Throwing up her emotional pain. I can always find songs I like on her albums. I think this was a risk for her to put out as she often does not portray well. Good video.
Love your videos, Zack! I am an online lurker and rarely comment on anything. I really appreciate your knowledge and perspective. I’m two years older than Taylor and have been a fan since the very beginning with her debut album. I do definitely see where newer fans have “lost the plot”. Like you said, Taylor has always been very messy in her dating life. I vividly remember the Calvin Harris, Tom Hiddleston, Joe Alwyn drama. This current drama reminds me of that time period. The obsession with Travis Kelce is odd with a lot of fan projection. I have also been thinking about purpose of TTPD from a legacy standpoint. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Taylor decided to reveal Matty Healy as a longtime muse on the same album she name drops Stevie Nicks. The cover is even a bit reminiscent to Rumours. What narrative is more interesting: a pop star in love with an unproblematic B-list actor or a pop star in a tumultuous romance with a troubled rock star? I know which of those options I find more compelling and memorable. But Daddy I Love Him and The Black Dog are really great songs. Looking forward to further breakdowns from you.
Would you ever consider doing a video about your favorite lyrics in her discography? & what makes them so great? I found your commentary on show not tell really insightful as a fellow writer (not songs, novels). Would love to get some content diving into her writing style & what sets her apart from her peers.
definitely!!!
Thanks for the content zacky i was hungry 💀
I don’t understand the disturbing obsession people have with Taylor and Travis, it’s so creepy. I can’t imagine it being healthy for a relationship either when people are out here planning their wedding and if they’re gonna have kids. Just beyond disturbing and para social
This why Joe said the media is incredibly invasive
I love so much what you say about the Alchemy not being about Travis, as I thought it could also be about her re-finding the love and magic of performing live the Eras Tour as she spend the 1st part internally miserable and heartbroken. I also don’t care about who she’s dating and Tavis fans need to stop thinking they have a say in who she will end up with. Plus, her dating him doesn’t make him a stand up guy and perfect boyfriend (ask his exes about that) who deserves all the fame and acclaim he, and all his family and friends, are getting (like the podcast he cohosts with his brother, or selling out his jersey). Swifties used to love that Joe was private and helping Taylor being less over exposed, and no one is saying anything at how much Travis, and his family and friends, are using her name for their personal gains and hyper over exposing her. My social feeds are filled with quotes from Kelce and his relatives and buddies all saying their favorite Taylor songs is either “Shake it off” or “Bad Blood”, or other comment on Taylor no one cares or asked for, Dads proud to say they’re paying attention to their daughters now that they watch football with them, boy Moms transforming their son into mini Kelce… and other stuff i don’t care about, just because I’m a Swiftie… Plus So High School isn’t that flattering IMO, unless you’re into 34 year old frat boys who watches 1990s-2000s comedies and if you like to spend your evenings watching him play video games with his bros…😅. This song really takes me back to high school romances and it wasn’t my favorite era, but it can also mean that their relationship is still young and a bit superficial, which doesn’t mean it’s forever. Stop putting so much pressure on Taylor and entertaining this weird parasocial relationship… she’s going to do what she wants as she should since it’s her life and you dont get a say!
I was waiting for this video! I still have trouble articulating my feelings about this album. After my first listen I felt so overwhelmed because there is just SO MUCH going on on this album, and those big, messy lyrics you have pointed out don't really help. I still have trouble remembering which lyrics belong to which song, which made me feel a bit stupid. But 'but daddy I love him'? I've already remembered that because it's so catchy!
Thanks for mentioning how weird people are with the Travis thing! I see so many disgusting comments about them that are mostly a projection of what they want: the marriage, the kids, the picture perfect life without an actual interest on the artistry of Taylor
💯 anytime I see pics of them, I'm like, aww, cute, and move on. Then, you look at the comments and yikes😶🌫️.
@@ilv2269it’s super weird!!! All these soccer moms trying to live vicariously through her. Her relationship isn’t your personality trait. It’s gross
The weirdest part is people think she’s going to retire just because of Travis and finding her happy ending. If she wasn’t going to do it for Joe, who she thought was her happy ending for a long time, why would she for anyone else? Especially when, as things currently stand, it seems Travis is totally cool with her career, as she is his (we’ll see how sustainable the relationship is as it progresses). It’s like they don’t listen to the things she says at all. I can see the argument that is vaguely connected that she needs a break from the massive exposure and hyper-productivity, but that doesn’t mean TTPD or Rep or Debut TV is going to be her last release before she runs off into the sunset.
I agree it’s bizarre
I am SO confused about this and my only conclusion is - American teenagers projecting their own aspirations on her (perhaps happy that the tall blonde beautiful high school girl is nice and could be them?). I do think it’s mostly teenagers (therefore also new swifties)
I eat up everything you put out but these critical video essays are my favorite. It’s such a breath of fresh air in the Swiftie space and I really value your opinion. I think my biggest thing with this project is how immense it is, and especially dropping the second album on the same night. I think it would have heightened my experience if we had been given a week or two to digest TTPD before The Anthology. And as much as I do love all the songs for different reasons, I agree that there were some that probably could have been left off to make it a cleaner product. Part of what makes The Vaults so special is getting access to something we didn’t have for years. But they were vaults for a reason, and we would look at them differently if they were all there from the start. I’d be perfectly happy if she just continued that idea and dropped vault tracks of albums she owns maybe in a period where she’s slowed down a bit. Having distance from the original work will make them more special, imo. As for Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, I’m super content with them continuing to work with her and I understand the comfort and trust she has is super important in her collaborations, but I would also love to see her branch out with new sounds from other production styles. Doesn’t have to be an entire album, but just to see her stretch herself. I also love the idea of her working with Liz Rose again or someone similar.
I think she should work with Finneas next for her production, and it will give her such a new fresh challenge that she desperately needs.
Loved this! Zach, I always appreciate how much of a balanced perspective you bring. As someone who has followed Taylor from the very beginning, I appreciate the depth of insight you bring. I feel often feel frustrated with critics who just don’t get it because they do not take the time or careful insight to review the magic of her writing AND focus on the damn music not their opinion of who she is as a person! As a former literature teacher, I absolutely love her writing and I have used her songs in my classes to teach literary devices. I mean… “ you call me up again just to break me like a promise so casually cruel in the name of being honest. I’m a crumpled up piece of paper lying there because I remember it all too well”-it just doesn’t get much better than that! At the same time, I agree with you that it would be made better by having someone like Liz Rose who would really help her hone her skills yet again. Good writing is always made better by engaging collaboration- “ iron sharpening iron” and a good editor! Thanks so much for your content. I also really enjoy your writing and I’m grateful for the kind of journalistic integrity that you bring to your work 😊
Wow, what a well thought out, organized, and well articulated response to TTPD. I appreciated your insight into certain songs, considering they were contrary to how I had interpreted their meaning/poetics upon first listen. But I really appreciate your critique because it doesn't disparage her or her character, but instead looks at what the music or lyrics are missing and how they can be improved. Great video ❤
loved the video Zach, and I'd love to see more of this specific topic (music criticism on taylor, or general artist). I didn't connect too much with that idea that some songs were "unnacessery'', etc. But hearing it here, with more context, made me understand. Would you like to do a video about the ''internal" coherence and cohesion in an album? Loved this concept. I don't know if you have that feeling, but have you ever thought about the idea that Taylor doesn't have an album that is THE album? her unarguably best, like a really remarkable album in music history (for me a comparison would be Melodrama, Lemonade, Norman Fucking Rockwell, for recent albuns, and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Rumors, The Hounds of Love, or other albuns that i don't know, but I'd expect they are of artists like Fiona Apple, Joni Mitchel, Stevie Wonder, Bjork, etc). Have you ever thought about it in a similar way? I'd definitely watch a video about this!! Are you going to do a video (would love to see it featuring Madeleine) reorganizing the tracklist? i found it very confusing with the addition of The Anthology. Waiting anxiously for this!! Sorry for my mistakes, english is not my mother language, but i really love to watch your content, and it helps me a lot to expandmy knowledge of vocabulary and, ofc, Taylor Swift haha. thanks for your work, it's actually very necessary considering the level of swifities currently!!
Tell them. Also re: Liz Rose, i absolutely agree. I think part of the magic of that collaboration was that Taylor was working with a woman. I’d love to see her work with female producers because (and I love the Jack and Dessner collabs) it would inevitably bring something different out of Taylor. Jack is a talented and capable producer who has been able to work with many different artists and is very able to produce for those artists in vastly different ways. But I think it is undeniable that working with a female producer or producers of color would absolutely bring something different to the table and perhaps help Taylor elevate her artistry.
Fr though, in six years they’ll love this album; reputation was not very well received and the critics I have seen love it now, they call it underrated but when it was released it was a lukewarm reception.
Well written and insightful analysis! Thank you! Although I would add that I personally love Anthology, but agree that it seems out of place with TTPD. I wish it had been released more than 2 hours later. I don't think it's getting the slow, thoughtful attention it deserves because people can only get through the first 15 songs on TTPD before they are overwhelmed. Maybe her missive about closing the chapter truly is the reason why she released it all at once. It's a purge. I hear a woman who held a secret obsession in her heart for 10 years, only to come face to face with the reality of an addict. But that dream had been her secret hope of rescue from "the prophecy." Imagine the heartbreak-- but also the world-shaking range of emotions-- disappointment, anger, hurt, hollowness, etc. If that secret fantasy had been holding her up for years...Now that it's gone she may have experienced an existential schism and certainly felt an aching hole. No wonder the album is long and sometimes chaotic, and definitely inconsistent. The release seems hasty because it's an emotional purge. Editors be damned! She's ready to move on. I love it, and see greatness, but am still processing the fallout.
also i feel like the dad in “but daddy i love him” is her fighting against her fans and the media
You always have so much to bring to the table Zach! Thank u for another amazing video with so many thoughtful takes and new perspectives to the conversation. Just wanna say that I’m a big fan of yours and hope you keep doing what you’re doing and reaching more and more people. Sending love from Brazil 💚
🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Bravo! Thoughtful and compelling as always. You have a sharp and beautiful mind and I always enjoy listening to your insights. Thank you.
I have been loving your takes lately. This video hits the nail on the head for how I have been feeling about the response to the album and my personal feelings about the album. Also, I have laughed out loud at the last few episodes of Evolution of a Snake.
Stop with the online bullying in general. It’s so uncalled for
online bullying a billionaire?
@@urvenicebitch bullying in general. But I was also thinking about who the swifties are all bullying. Ever since TTPD came out, any sort of criticism isn’t allowed. Edit: actually, ever since ttpd is announced.
Yeah wish all the swifties would. I love a lot of Taylor's songs, but my god the bullying of the swifties to her critics, her ex's, her boyfriend's ex's (Travis's ex Does not deserve that), and other female artists is exactly what turns me off from Taylor and her fan base. It's a cult like MAGA.
over a freaking album!!!!! it’s insane
its why I don't like associating with Swifties anymore. only they can make a 45 minute long video moaning and bitching about something thats 95% subjective
This is hands down your best analysis yet, Zach. Every point is clear, well supported, and elegantly phrased. Your unconditional sympathy for Taylor mixed with your willingness to objectively critique the changes to her recent writing make you completely unique among people talking about her work right now, and a breath of fresh air in a world of nuance-less stan culture. As a writer, it’s cathartic to hear a non-hater give a technical breakdown of all the things that irritate me about TTPD. I feel like I can stop brooding about them now because another fair-minded person agrees with me.
You cooked with the Travis thing king, everyone is way too invested with the most vanilla relationship!!!
Hello Zach! Although I love the Madeline content, I've missed your solo analyses! I know you are still so busy, but when things calm down, I would love a video essay on the life and times of Jack Antanoff!
The hooks in these videos are truly on a different level!! Making an engaging 7 minute intro before even introducing yourself is so impressive and does not go unnoticed.
Love your hot takes Zack. I love that you’re not a brain dead swiftie as many other youtubers are. You constantly challenge the status quo and broaden the conversations to be had! I wish Taylor’s writing was more consistently great (looking at you, So High School😐). She’s got the artistry and the brains to do it, but seems bogged down. She and Jack can do some serious sonically different music like Fresh Out The Slammer and Guilty As Sin as you mentioned (both my faves from this album and her discography). I love Aaron’s work too and would like to see him being challenged more as well. My gripe with the Anthology is that I expected it to have a different sonical sound like the main album (debatable but I love the country elements without going truly back to her roots). What we got was folklore and evermore which had been done back to back. Like in your podcast yesterday, the second album wasnt needed and couldve easily been combined to the main whilst continuing the story and not diluting the material.
I loved your video, and agreed with much of what you said, you covered so much, and expressed it all so well. I had a hard time getting through TTPD my initial listen, but I was exhausted before I even started, so that didn't help matters. Sonically, a lot of it did sound bland, tracks a bit too similar, no lyric videos were available, a must for me to comprehend the meaning of songs, so I barely got thru the 16 tracks, and unaware of the second album. I concluded that this album was likely just not my cup of tea, until I approached the next evening with the music video & lyric videos, I had a much more pleasant experience, and liked many of the tracks immediately, but quite a few took 3 listens to comprehend and appreciate. It really was a lot of work trying to assimilate, decode, & comprehend just half of it. I agree with much of the criticism, however I have to be honest, I really did end up liking most of the album,even the second album, but had I not been a fan, I likely would not have done the amount of work it took to get there. I am glad that I did though, but a casual listener would likely not take the time it requires to grasp everything enough to be able to appreciate it. This is not something one can consume in one sitting. I understand that this was a cathartic experience for her, and am grateful she wanted to share her unhinged, honest, embarrassing, and vulnerable experiences and state of mind. I personally can relate to everything she has shared, but suspect there are a lot of people who can not relate to it. I happen to like the title track "ttpd", and I understand why it needs to be there, and the picture she paints is likely an accurate one.
Why did your thesis statement at the end make me wanna sob 🥹 powerful & well said. Love all your work!!! ✨
Excellent analysis here. Especially the point you made about breaking away from jack and Aaron. Fabulous.
Great thoughts! Also, very interested in a chappell roan video like you mentioned in the intro!
Coming soon!
New to your work but am LOVING your work. Really great quotes and information pulled in from other sources and your own thoughts are wonderfully nuanced and complex. This makes my brain cells happy and has them fizzing off in new directions of their own about how I feel about and think about TTPD.
That last line 👏🏽 This was spectacular as all your analysis videos tend to be. So well spoken, so fair. Take care!
I’m loving the amount of content u r giving us!! And the QUALITY ‼️‼️
My individualistic opinion is, I’m enjoying this non-edited version of albums. The scathing, vulnerable, tyrannical, forever heartbroken raw version of an artist. All the scribbles and legit art pieces combined in a double album. I believe this album is the closest that we will ever get to know our favourite artist Taylor Swift personally.
exactly! i think she’ll find a middle ground eventually, but it’s fun and fine to have a brutally honest album that’s not completely concise or cohesive, she doesn’t need to worry about the numbers anymore
I love watching your videos- it's SO refreshing seeing a swiftie who isn't afraid to offer criticism, which is a very welcome break!
Zach, I’m new to your channel…and new to Swiftiehood (got into her when my 17 year old daughter started listening in summer 2022) BUT, I just had to comment that I love your insight and your lectures and your points. Excellently done. I’ll be eagerly awaiting new thoughts and perspective from you.
One thing, not to be delusional: the Alchemy literally references trophies, (British) “blokes” sitting the bench, them being on a winning streak (back to back Grammys and Super Bowl, etc.), and the lyrics video has football stadium lights as an art piece 😅
You have such an eloquent way of articuling your thoughts. I've really been struggling with my thoughts and feelings about this album as a from-the-beginning fan, and this helped a ton. I love your channel!
Zach. Thank you. Really. Hearing your well researched ideas about all of these topics is a breath of fresh air. We all love Taylor, but that shouldn’t be a impediment to have some criticism of our own. So thank you for this video. It was as expected as the new album itself. ❤
The thing that has been pissing me off is the fact that people shit on her for naming her album The Tortured Poets Department because it's a a stretch to call herself a tortured poet. And I'm just thinking that people absolutely did not understand a single thing about the album's name or theme....
Honestly, I think ttpd was for Taylor, not the fans. I agree that she’d benefit from finding different collaborators to work with, but I suspect she chose the comfort of a close friend over the potential of reinventing her sound once again.
The gift that keeps on giving, you are amazing! thank you for this fantastic review
So appreciative of your commentary!! Always so well done
THANK YOU for being sane. I mean, you're typically saner than the average Swiftie, but after the last week and a half this video is a breath of fresh air.
As for her future: WORK WITH A WOMAN PRODUCER FFS TAYLOR! St. Vincent's new album was self-produced and it's fantastic, I would LOVE to see them work together again. There are plenty of other women producers but those two made magic with "Cruel Summer" and it would be fascinating to see what else they could come up with. Also dying to hear you talk about Chappell Roan. I've been listening to her obsessively lately.
Love your videos as always! You are very good at articulating your thoughts in a well-concise and clear manner 👏🏼 Curious, how did you learn to do that so well?
Thank you so much! Practice :) I’m a writer first and foremost so videos like these are scripted
Thanks for your critique, Zach! You always get me thinking. For me TTPD needed a lot of repetition. After a week it’s feeling more cohesive, but I think that’s because I’m getting used to it. I view it as a giant “catch us up” session - basically closing chapters while telling us what she’s learned. Kind of like when you get together with a good friend you haven’t seen for a while and stuff just comes spilling out. Closing the Matty Healy chapter required providing a lot of information because she hid the importance of that relationship for a decade while secretly swirling him into all of her poems. She grinds the Kimye axe one more time, but there’s some new information: “This turned out to be a blessing in disguise,” along with “I win.” There is some material that doesn’t fit my notion of “Let’s review what I’ve been up to and what I’ve learned, then we’re going to leave this behind” but it’s my working theory. Sonically I love this album, though eventually there might be a few skips. She may or may not rein herself in for the next album - I agree that now that she’s in charge, who knows? Only recently she said during a speech that she’s been doing a lot less what other people think she should do and a lot more of whatever the hell she wants. I’m here for it, messy or tidy. 🤩
I’ve been a fan since Fearless and this new album had left me a bit cold upon the first hearing. While I I could pinpoint the faults of the album very early on it was harder for me to see its virtues. Watching your reaction and the videos with Madeline has helped me a lot with that. It takes a while to digest and I enjoy it a lot more after a few days. But even though I see its brilliance now there is still something off. Your critical approach while still being a hardcore fan is fantastic and refreshing. I LOVED this video.
Omg another great video! You are spoiling us! Thank you sm king!