#like the cardigan/betty/august trinity for folklore.

[leolove4ever]

i know as an artist touring must be hard and like. choosing a setlist must be even harder to begin with but i cant imagine choosing a setlist if you’ve released a lot of shit during the pandemic too. like some of that stuff will never see the light of day? a crowd will never get to hear it? but at the same time not performing what were your biggest hits would be a disservice too. but again. sometimes its okay not to perform ALL of your singles.

[lateatnewyork]

Teenage Love Triangle

charlie bushnell x fem!reader

summary: you and charlie star in the taylor swift trilogy short film along with sabrina carpenter. (cardigan, august, betty)

warnings: smau, fluff

a/n STOP IVE BEEN WANTING TO WRITE THIS FOR AGES BUT SCHOOL IS JS SO UGH um so reader is an orphan her parental figures are taylor and travis (she’s not adopted by them it’s js they’re like that to her)

liked by sabrinacarpenter, ynln and others taylorswift can’t wait to add this to my short films directed by me collection (it’s really not that big) view comments

user34 OMG WHOS JAMES??? ➔taylorfanpage BIGGER QUESTION: WHOS AUGUSTINE??? ➔ user09 EVEN BIGGER QUESTION: WHOS BETTY????? gracieabrams been waiting for this 🤭 ➔ ynln same 🤭 ➔ hearts4yn they know something walkerscobell AHHH FOLKLORES MY FAVOURITE ➔ walkersno1fan WALKER’S A SWIFTIE?? ➔ leahsavajeffries only bcos of me

comments

user67 CHARLIE AND YN I REPEAT CHARLIE AND YN. hearts4yn IM ABSOLUTELY GEEKING OVER YN AND CHARLIE ynandsabrinarmyqueens “james and betty this” or “james and betty that” honestly screw james, betty and augustine should get to together ➔ sabrinafan REALL hearts4yn PLS MARRY ME YN 💍 ynloml i need a romcom with charlie and yn ASAP simpforsabrina i’ve watched this 20 times in the day it’s been released js to see yn 😭

liked by iamcharliebushnell, leahsavajeffries and others ynln folklore: teenage love triangle has to be one of the best sets i’ve been on (not js cos taylor was the director), i absolutely loved working with bri and charlie. and director taylor is an absolute dream. (wish she was the director for every movie i act in) view comments

taylorswift you, charlie and sabrina were perfect for this role absolutely loved this and working with you guys ➔ ynln LOVE YOUUU leahsavajeffries someone tell me if i can inject this film into me ➔ ynln 🤭 ➔ walkerscobell it’s giving druggie aryansimhadri now i have to do the holy trinity for karaoke night 😔 (i’ve been looking for an excuse for this since forever) ➔ ynln LMAO PLS DO dior.n.goodjohn google can i inhale a short film? ➔ ynln NUMBER ONE FAN RIGHT HERE sabrinacarpenter you and charlie were made for each other this comment was deleted sabrinacarpenter IT WAS SO FUN TO FILM WITH YOU ➔ ynln YOU WERE THE STAR FRFR ➔ sabrinacarpenter 🙈 hearts4yn context for picture 1?? ➔ gracieabrams yn js found out she had to make out with charlie on screen ➔ iamcharliebushnell wow i see how it is ➔ ynln it’s not what it looks like i swear walkerscobell context for last pic??? ➔ ynln taylor was literally telling you not to run around with the cameras

singing trio gracie, bro

gracie sabrina ur not slick bri I DELETED IT yn deleted what?? bri the important thing is to not panic yn did u js quote grover from pjo bri i’ve been watching it so i can prepare for when ur silena gracie 🙄 sabrina commented how u and charlie were made for each other yn SABRINA ANNLYNN CARPENTER YOU DID WHAT bri gracie i was literally getting to it yn yk what it’s fine i mean we should probably go public, taylor knows and she approves gracie exactly you have nothing to worry about yn i have travis to worry abt 😭 bri im sure charlie could fight him

demigod fakers char 💕, diorolor, cutie leah, walkie-talkie, rolling in the deep

diorolor dude WHY IS THE INTERNET SO CLUELESS walkie-talkie HELP THATS SO RANDOM cutie leah NO COS FR LIKE WDYM THAT YOU THINK YN AND CHARLIE ARE SUCH A GOOD ON SCREEN COUPLE rolling in the deep theyre a good offscreen couple too diorolor HARD LAUNCH HIM cutie leah OR SOFT LAUNCH WE DONT RLLY CARE diorolor JS LAUNCH HIM yn i didn’t know u guys felt so strongly abt this topic😔 walkie-talkie LAUNCH HIM rolling in the deep LAUNCH HIM diorolor LAUNCH HIM cutie leah listen to the ppl yn char 💕 why are there so many notifications yn dw babe

liked by sabrinacarpenter, dior.n.goodjohn ynln the gc forced me to soft launch him view comments

sabrinacarpenter i’d like to praise leah and dior 🙏 gracieabrams FINALLY leahsavajeffries NO WAY LET YOU TIE A RIBBON AROUND HIS MUSCLES walkie-talkie i think i know who it is ➔ ynln YOU LITERALLY TOLD ME TO LAUNCH HIM 😭 killatrav who’s this ➔ ynln i can explain…

liked by taylorswift, gracieabrams and others ynln they hung out without me but watched little women??? comments are closed

liked by iamcharliebushnell, walkerscobell and others ynln meant to post that on my private 😅 whoops here’s my bf guys view comments

iamcharliebushnell i love you ➔ ynln i love you too baby walkerscobell LOLLL ➔ ynln THE SOFT LAUNCHING DID NOT LAST sabrinacarpenter ur too goofy 😭 ➔ ynln stop 😭 dior.n.goodjohn HELPP ➔ ynln STOP BULLYING ME IN MY OWN COMMENT SECTION gracieabrams the panic in ur eyes when u realised that you posted on the wrong account 😭 ➔ leahsavajeffries 😭 ➔ dior.n.goodjohn 😭 ➔ sabrinacarpenter 😭

liked by ynln, leahsavajeffries and others iamcharliebushnell love you ynn tagged: ynln comments are closed

liked by walkerscobell, leahsavajeffries and others ynln lil photo dump for the end of the year, see you guys next year 😜 comments are closed

a/n WALKER AND LEAH GOT BANNED??? also i got sleepy near the end that’s why there’s not many comments

[covertnarcissismblog]

Review #1

Taylor Swift - Folklore

This so-called review is the my first ever written review about literally anything, and I’m very sure it will definitely be so far away from an acclaimed critic’s review, but since I would like to express my opinions better and more understandable both in English and in my native language, I guess it can be said as a very fresh start, I shall say.

The reason that this is the first album I review is that it is the first ever CD I have bought for my collection! (which doesn’t exist just yet)

So, what can I mention of this album from my head only?

It is Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album, which was released on July 24th, 2020, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and the finest work of hers until this day. But why am I saying this, so bluntly, without proving any points based on my own notes and  vision? Well, it is just my own gut feeling that speaks from me now, but if I had to actually support this gut feeling with valid objections, then I’m really sure I would say the same.

This album reached the general public really unexpectedly, and so had the fans.

Swift announced her new studio album without any early signs and just posted the cover of the album with the news that folklore is coming next day, midnight EST, with a new music video for the song called cardigan.

Before I’ll go into the detailed analysis, I would like to talk about the album itself, after hearing it in a whole.

(Disclaimer: the review was written after 3 years of the release and many thorough listens of the whole album, so the opinion was not formed by a first impression)

Folklore as a whole is a very cohesive record, to say the least. Every song stands its place in itself but harmonises so much with the other tracks as well. Swift always knew how to create an aesthetic, a vibe, a harmonical piece within an album. Since her sophomore album, it is quite noticeable, but sometimes stood off from this route (let’s say reputation or Red - these two are very diverse records from her). With the more acoustic production, she left behind the electronical way, which mostly defined her previous 3 records, and that made her really good. She broke through the pop girl image, which she carefully built throughout her career, and really showcased the writing, composing skills she previously had as well.

Besides all this, and without getting into her career analysis, let’s go back to the record itself.

The main focus of the album is as simple as the title: storytelling, in a detailed, descriptive way she had not done before for a whole record long. (of course, there are exceptions - yes it’s All Too Well and also Dear John)

She tells not only biographical, but mainly fictive stories for 67 minutes. We can find many perspectives in a song, and some of them are actually connected (which is a very very smart way to get people engaged in your record, if they even care that much)

The vocals on the record are very clean and simple, and the acoustic instrumentation even helps to it. The whole album fits into a kind of melancholia and sadness feeling, and from the first seconds of the first song, it does not leave until the lakes end (yes, I’m counting that into my review as well)

the 1 starts with a statement that “she’s doing good” but the song’s theme builds around a relationship that did not end as she would have wanted to. That song is a solid opener, as it is not that much of an acoustic style she plays with for the whole length of folklore, but the sense of the new style can be noticed there.

The cardigan-august-betty trinity is the three that are definitely connected. These are telling the same story but from different perspectives. The story is about a love triangle, and each character tells their own side of the events.

The third and the fourth tracks are the complete opposite (for me!!)

While I’m not not liking, but the least enjoying the great american dynasty, I’m always moved by exile, which is one of Swift’s best craft until this point.

The story and the lyrics in itself do not bring me in for tlgad, as much as exile does. Maybe this opposition gives the third track a weaker chance to get success by me.

There is a very solid track run from 5-9 (from my tears ricochet to this is me trying), and I am simply cannot skip any of them. The hauntiness, the emotional overload, the instruments - especially for august!! - are all peaking here in each of these.

This streak breaks with illicit affair and invisible string, but not entirely. These are a bit laid-back songs, with still touching narratives. It all comes back with mad woman and betty (and even in peace, in its own special way). epiphany is an odd one out, as it is a very deep and personal story. However, the length of it is a bit of a lack; don’t matter, how beautifully composed it is and how deep the lyricism is, I do not feel the same attachment and interest through the whole song as I did with the previous ones.

hoax and the lakes are the perfect closers for the standard and the deluxe versions, respectively. Both are underrated in most ears, but they achieve the matching feeling that the album gave since the beginning, and did not get flat in this case.

I might seem like a biased bitch according to this, but if considering her music, I can seem critical. But to my taste, my personal preference in lyrical style and production, and most importantly, album-wise, this is a near perfect record.

It surely will not be one of the best album ever in most people’s top lists, but as of now, Swift had not done a better album in my eyes. And I really like all of her records.

It is equally honest, creative, beautiful, ethereal, but also melancholic, hopeful, and clean.

This album is really a great starter if you are into indie genres or folk-acoustic genres, and also if you are skeptical about her and her popularity. Because this might just break the top of the iceberg enough to get a little interested about Swift.

The highlights for me: exile, seven, august, hoax

My least favourite: the last great american dynasty, epiphany

 

9.7/10.0

[path-of-my-childhood]

1. Taylor Swift, Folklore

On July 23, Taylor Swift came to save us from our socially distanced monotony - announcing an eighth studio album that would drop the next day. The news blindsided the pop music world; Swift was on some new shit, and she was gonna make it count. Teaming up with The National's Aaron Dessner and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, Swift made a surprise record for the ages - and she did it in isolation, including producers, writers, mixers, duet partners and engineers scattered across the country. Pandemic or not, Folklore quickly proved that it transcended These Unprecedented Times and will be remembered as one of Swift’s seminal albums. The tranquil voices, the soft piano riffs and the pristine production come together to create just over an hour of cathartic and escapist listening. Here, past influences and daring risks add up to something that feels fresh - but still familiar, like oh maybe an old cardigan.

With writing skill and vocal talents honed over her decade-plus of stardom and an impressive continued willingness to evolve, she blended the best of her previous efforts into one work that at times is a little bit country, but always alternative rock and roll. (Who had Swift becoming one of the first artists to top Billboard's New Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Listing on their 2020 Bingo card?) Fans of her previous Antonoff collabs will hear shades of 1989's "Wildest Dreams" and Reputation's "Getaway Car" in "Mirrorball" and "August" respectively, while the country-tinged "Betty" brings us back to the days of Red, when she first began to experiment outside of her comfort zone. The trinity of "Cardigan," "August," and "Betty" also evokes the storytelling of Swift's youth - this time with a more mature perspective on relationships, love and growing older.

It’s the Dessner tracks, however, that shine brightest. The serene music and poetic-yet-powerful lyrics allow her to grow beyond the Nashville sweetheart turned pop goddess we’ve come to adore. She cheekily pulls an M. Night Shyamalan-worthy twist with “The Last Great American Dynasty.” She contemplates past lives and pain in “Invisible String.” She’s mad as hell and not going to take it anymore on “Mad Woman.” The set's unexpected swerves make it clear that Swift has reached the point in her career where she's making music how she wants to, without regards to critical or commercial accolades - although unsurprisingly, she earned both with Folklore, including five Grammy nominations (along with a sixth for her work on Cats) and eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Clearly, she had a marvelous time brightening our quarantine.

[marvelous-tunes]

“One of my favorite things about this record is the fact that there’s this trilogy of three— the trinity of ‘betty’, ‘august’ and ‘cardigan’ are all like — we [Taylor and Jack Antonoff] made ‘august together, we [Taylor and Aaron Dessner] made ‘cardigan’ together, we all three made ‘betty’ together. And ‘betty’ was, I had just heard Joe singing the entire fully formed chorus of ‘betty’ from another room and I was just like, ‘Hello.’ It was a step that we would never have taken because, why would we have ever written a song together? So this was the first time we had a conversation where I came in and I was like, ‘Hey, this could be really weird and we could hate this, so could we just — because we’d in quarantine and nothings going on — could we just try and see what it would be like if we wrote a song together?’ So he wrote the chorus of it and I thought it sounded really good from a man’s voice, from a masculine perspective, and I really liked that it seemed to be an apology. And I’ve written so many songs from a female’s perspective of wanting a male apology that we decided to make it from a teenage boy’s perspective apologizing after he loses the love of his life because he’s been foolish.”

—Taylor on “betty” in folklore: the long pond studio sessions (Disney+)

[singinginthecar]

i just keep thinking about the parallels between folklore and evermore and what if there's a trinity of songs on this album too? like cardigan, august and betty in folklore. my guess is it's willow, marjorie and dorothea in evermore. especially because cardigan and willow are the lead singles for their respective albums.

[stuckwith-harry]

Folklore and Evermore songs as hinny?

this is probably a good time to come out as not vibing with evermore very much but boy do i have hinny folklore songs for you!!

the holy trinity:

august (doomed summer romance; “YOU WEREN’T MINE TO LOSE”)

hoax (ginny seeing “dead” harry during the boh, “you know the hero died so what’s the movie for?” all i’m gathering here is taylor watched dh2, got upset over the forest again, and then immediately wrote this song about it. can’t blame her.)

peace (post-boh hinny finding back together and grappling with how much they’ve changed and how traumatised they are)

honourary mentions!

my tears ricochet is a ginny & tom song, seven is a ginny song OR a hinny childhood friends to lovers au if you really want it to be. (except seven is clearly sapphic. no, i am not taking criticism at this time.)

there’s invisible string if soulmate aus and the like are your thing. i like invisible string a lot but i find the autobiographical details hard to extrapolate from. cardigan works around the breakup too, if you want it to (ginny anticipating the breakup, knowing it would end like that, + “and i knew you’d come back to me”)

i have a whole scene in my head about the 1 for early dh hinny, when they’re tip-toeing around each other the days before bill and fleur’s wedding, because the 1 is so obviously devastated and trying so hard not to betray the depth of that hurt, ya know? plus a whole WEDDING of all things as a backdrop. oof. (listen with ginny’s pov in mind for the first verse and harry’s for the second. also, think of donna and sam singing s.o.s. to each other in mamma mia!, and then feel free to send me your therapy bill.)

lastly, i can make sense of this is me trying as a hinny song, where the first verse comes from harry (“i didn’t know if you’d care if i came back” GUTTED), and the second from ginny (“they told me all of my cages were mental”). this also feels like post-boh or even slightly older hinny hitting a pothole, trying to find the way back.

i’m maybe MAYBE cooking something up for betty so i will keep that tucked away in the front pocket of my dungarees for now. >:-)

[youreputtingrootsinmydreamland]

8 & 10 for the folklore ask game!!🌟💛

FOLKLORE ASK GAME

oooh, thank you for asking!!

8.) what Taylor song takes you back to your childhood/is the most nostalgic?

seven and love story! seven because I spent lots of time with fond, old friends playing outside in meadows, under weeping willows... it’s such a nostalgic song for me.

love story because I would watch the music video over and over with my mom on the cmt morning countdown, fawning over the pretty dresses she wore in the video. 😌 plus, love story is the reason I became a swiftie for life.

10.) my holy trinity on each album:

DEBUT:

- picture to burn

- should’ve said no

- I love our song, but cold as you if I’m in a sad bitch mood

FEARLESS:

- love story

- mr. perfectly fine

- forever & always

SPEAK NOW

(this is the most nostalgic album for me, and my favorite of Taylor’s older albums, so it’s hard for me to choose just three!)

- enchanted

- haunted

- if this was a movie

RED

- treacherous

- holy ground

- the last time

(but I adore screaming I knew you were trouble in the car 😌)

1989

- I know places

- wonderland

- all you had to do was stay

REPUTATION

- so it goes...

- dancing with our hands tied

- don’t blame me

LOVER

- cruel summer

- miss americana

- death by a thousand cuts

(and lover is so romantic & beautiful 💗)

FOLKLORE

(this is my favorite overall album... so this one will be hard)

- seven

- betty

- august

(though, lately I have exile, epiphany, and my tears ricochet on absolute repeat. also, I think cardigan has some of Taylor’s best lyrics of all time, so I love that one, too)

EVERMORE

- right where you left me

- gold rush

- ivy

(it was so hard for me to leave willow out... because I love it SO MUCH and plan to have it at my wedding. but cowboy like me? evermore? UGH. I love them so much, as well! gosh, this was hard. folklore is my favorite album, but evermore has some of my favorite Taylor songs of all time 🤍 though, every album has its songs that I would die for, and it’s so hard to pick only three!)

[haha-im-dumb-haha]

FOLKLORE- THE REVIEW

So hey, I think I do know what you’re thinking and it’s most probably “Why are you writing a review on ‘folklore’? folklore was the best album of 2020 and it got a Grammy.”

What I’d reply to that is that folklore did win a Grammy, yes and it was released an year ago but that doesn’t mean I can’t share my opinion on the album.

Let the review begin.

On 24th July 2020, Taylor Swift, a famous pop-country singer, released a surprise album called ‘folklore’ which was indie/alternative.

Swift ventured into quite a foreign territory with an alternative album as most of us never thought she’d move on from pop and country.

folklore received around 80 million streams on Spotify alone on its first day. That’s honestly REALLY impressive. folklore is one great album, and it can clearly be seen that Swift put up a lot of work in it. The songs in the album go along really nicely.

Taylor Swift collaborated with Aaron Dessner from The National for the production of the album.

Every song is folklore has some magic that really draws people in.

I wasn’t a big fan of her before this, but after folklore, I guess you can connect the dots.

cardigan, august and betty are the holy trinity of folklore, in my opinion.

If I had to pick favourites from the album, which is quite difficult, they would be ‘invisible string’, ‘hoax’ and ‘seven’.

Taylor Swift really outdid herself with folklore and honestly, that’s it. I don't even have words to express how creative and good is this album.

I guess, folklore had helped me through times which may not be serious enough for people, but honestly, it seemed like I was going to go insane from them.

For example: I had my final maths exam in March, and I felt like crying 'cause I literally couldn't figure out anything. My little sister, for some reason, started playing cardigan, and for another weird reason, I found all the mistakes I had been making in that particular question.

Now, that is what's going to let everyone on this planet think I'm crazy but I don't care lol.

folklore is magical and that's on periodt. Argue with the wall, please.

Thank you for reading.

Have a good day / night,

Nihita.

[itsheroinethistime]

Initial folklore thoughts;

folklore

1. the 1- pretty omg she said new shit right off the back omg wow ROARING TWENTIES. “If my wishes came true it would’ve been youD in my defense I have none” “it would’ve been fun if you wouldve been the one” omg omg “the greatest loves of all time are over now” omg. I love this song already. “And it would’ve been sweet if it had been me” DHSKSKS lake

2. cardigan - couldn’t find the lyric video so m going right into the music video I guess. This is pretty. She climbed into a piano. Omg so pretty. I gotta listen to this song without the visuals. I do really like this music video though.

3. the last great american dynasty- youtube really thinks I want State Farm ada I cant wait to listen on spotify but I wanted lyrics. Wow did she kill off bill omg. Wait rebecca killed bill? “She had a marvelous time ruining everything”. She really said let’s make an explicit album omg!! “I had a marvelous time ruining everything!” I love it

4. exile ft bon iver- I don’t think I’ve heard bon iver before tbh his voice is a lot deeper than I expected I was still expecting to hear Taylor. “I’m not your problem anymore!” “I think I’ve seen this film before and I didn’t like the ending” god lyrical genius l. “You never gave a warning sign/I gave so many signs” omgnn

5. my tears ricochet - I hope jack didn’t get me too excited!! “If I’m on fire you’ll be made of ashes too” “if I’m dead to you why are you at the wake?” “When you can’t sleep at night you hear my stolen lullabies”

6. mirrorball - “and when I break its in a million pieces” “shining just for you” “I’m still trying everything to keep you looking at me”

7. seven- oh this is pretty. “I think your house is haunted” “and I think you should come live with me we can be pirates and you won’t have to cry” oh my god.

8. august- “August sipper away like a bottle of wine because you were never mine” omg. “You weren’t mine to lose” oof. Bridge city. “I canceled my plans just in case you’d call” hit different.

9. this is me trying- “I got wasted like all of my potential” holy shit a mood. “It’s hard time be anywhere these days when all I want is you” omg

10. illicit affairs - “what started in beautiful rooms ends in parking lots” oof. “Leave no trace behind like you don’t even exist” . This is catchy. “Don’t call me kid” “look at this idiotic fool you made me” “and your know damn well for you I would ruin myself a million little times”

11. invisible string - “and isn’t it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?” Oh I like this bridge too “cold was the steel of my axe to grind to the boys who broke my heart and now I send their babies presents” hdjdkskskshf I love it

12. mad woman- oh fire she mad. “They strike to kill and you know I will” can someone do one of those word things with all the lyrics in this album bc I think kill would overwhelmingly big. I like this so much. “What a shame she went mad”. Omg this is dark. I like it. I think I’m still in my personal lover area but I can get down . “They say move on but you know I won’t” I think this is one of my favorites on this album!!!

13. epiphany - this is a vibe almost archer-esque vibes and I like that. “And some things you just can’t speak about.” “Only 20 minutes to sleep but you dream of some epiphany just one single glimpse of relief”

14. betty - “you cant believe a word she says most times but this one was true, the worst thing I ever did was what I did to you” “would you tell me to go fuck myself” omg djdksoskls I cant believe “go fuck myself” is a lyric in a Taylor swift chorus I stan (like I didn’t already stan before?!) bridge city again!!!! “I dreamt of you all summer long”oh I like this song!!! “Will you kiss me in front of all my stupid friends?!”

15. peace- “no I could never give you peace” , “clowns to the west, id give you my sunshine, give you my best, but the rains always gonna come if you’re standing here with me” oh my god

16. hoax- “your faithless love is the only hoax I believe in” nicd. Oh a blue reference! “You know the hero died so what’s the movie for?” “My kingdom come undone” nice!!!

17. the lakes -tba I guess

My OG top 5:

The 1

Betty

Mad woman

Illicit affairs

This is me trying

Idk I’m not ready for it to break the holy trinity of albums for me since I just met her but it could happen

Also if you read this don’t @ me for misquoted lyrics is the middle of the night and I’m drinking wine and was trying to type and listen

[mightbewriting]

I think I’m going to have to delay reading tonight’s chapter, because I’m not ready to have my heart broken just yet. I’m right in the middle the end-of-semester rush with deadlines, presentations and an ungodly amount of quizzes to correct.

I don’t like invading people’s asks empty handed, so I’d like to leave you a little music recommendation. I saw the other day that someone recommended TSwift’s exile to you, so I’d like to introduce you to the holy trinity of august, betty & cardigan, also from folklore. They tell the same story from three different perspectives and I thought you’d might appreciate the intricate storytelling.

Hugs from your very tired grad student anon🤍

hi grad student anon! take your time friend! i wish you all kinds of luck for your deadlines, presentations, and quizzes! (also wishing you scandanavian demigods, you deserve those too!) thank you for the music rec! that does sound like a really cool way to tell a story! <3 <3

[folklore19]

On July 23, Taylor Swift came to save us from our socially distanced monotony -- announcing an eighth studio album that would drop the next day. The news blindsided the pop music world; Swift was on some new shit, and she was gonna make it count. Teaming up with The National's Aaron Dessner and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, Swift made a surprise record for the ages -- and she did it in isolation, including producers, writers, mixers, duet partners and engineers scattered across the country. Pandemic or not, Folklore quickly proved that it transcended These Unprecedented Times and will be remembered as one of Swift’s seminal albums. The tranquil voices, the soft piano riffs and the pristine production come together to create just over an hour of cathartic and escapist listening. Here, past influences and daring risks add up to something that feels fresh -- but still familiar, like oh maybe an old cardigan.

With writing skill and vocal talents honed over her decade-plus of stardom and an impressive continued willingness to evolve, she blended the best of her previous efforts into one work that at times is a little bit country, but always alternative rock and roll. (Who had Swift becoming one of the first artists to top Billboard's New Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Listing on their 2020 Bingo card?) Fans of her previous Antonoff collabs will hear shades of 1989's "Wildest Dreams" and Reputation's "Getaway Car" in "Mirrorball" and "August" respectively, while the country-tinged "Betty" brings us back to the days of Red, when she first began to experiment outside of her comfort zone. The trinity of "Cardigan," "August," and "Betty" also evokes the storytelling of Swift's youth -- this time with a more mature perspective on relationships, love and growing older.

It’s the Dessner tracks, however, that shine brightest. The serene music and poetic-yet-powerful lyrics allow her to grow beyond the Nashville sweetheart turned pop goddess we’ve come to adore. She cheekily pulls an M. Night Shyamalan-worthy twist with “The Last Great American Dynasty.” She contemplates past lives and pain in “Invisible String.” She’s mad as hell and not going to take it anymore on “Mad Woman.” The set's unexpected swerves make it clear that Swift has reached the point in her career where she's making music how she wants to, without regards to critical or commercial accolades -- although unsurprisingly, she earned both with Folklore, including five Grammy nominations (along with a sixth for her work on Cats) and eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Clearly, she had a marvelous time brightening our quarantine. -- DENISE WARNER

[pergaias]

Ivy and illicit affairs are in the same story, right?

i never really thought of them as the same story ? to me illicit affairs ties into the betty-august-cardigan trinity in folklore - like, it’s betty singing about augustine and james. i haven’t really come up with any evermore story headcanons/theories ngl 

[taylorisiert]

Folklore's out and I love it! 🖤

What's your holy trinity so far? I think it's sooo hard to choose because EVERY FUCKING SONG is so beautiful! I think right now my favourites are exile, my tears ricochet, august, epiphany, cardigan and betty but yeah these are 6 🙈 Honestly I can't delimit it any further. I wanna put illicit affairs, this is me trying and mirrorball in my top list, too, ups.

_________________

This day feels so unreal, I can't believe we actually got a new album. We got TS8 guys. I kinda feel like I woke up as a single person yesterday and now I'm married. Like whoah, slow down, I can't keep up with this speed 😂🖤 Anyway, this was the most unexpected release day ever and if I had known it before I would've planned everything different - but I think this is exactly what folklore consists of in the first place. We're living lifes full of uncertainty and often forget what really matters. And I am beyond grateful I spent the day laughing, and playing, and arguing, and hugging with my baby sister. So yes, this year's got many annoying and bad things for us but for many people it's also a chance to see what really matters. Like myself: I posted this picture of my sister earlier and said I was happy to have someone to say "shining just for you" to while I forgot that I(!) should be the one I'm shining for in the first place. I still have a lot to learn but I feel less lonely now. I feel supported. I stopped feeling close to all of this earlier this year and now that we got folklore I realised how much I missed her and you guys and all of this. I'm so happy to be a Swiftie, I love her so much 🤎 The timing is amazing, too. There's a huge movement inside of me currently and I'm also having a new voluntary job, maybe another new job, had some important doctor's appointment and decided to finally redecorate my room with new furniture and stuff. Folklore's the soundtrack that's supporting me in all of my next steps and I couldn't be more grateful 🖤 Thank you, Taylor. Thank you a million times 💛

@taylorswift @taylornation

[beachesgetpeaches]

exile, illicit affairs, & peace 💞✨

thank youuu!

exile (feat. Bon Iver): what is your favorite collaboration?

Well, like I might be still under influence of folklore but I have to say that exile is fucking fantastic, I also always had a soft spot for Safe & Sound.. and everything has changed

illicit affairs: what is your holy trinity on each album?

oof, this is going to be longish

Taylor Swift: Tim McGraw, I’m Only Me When I’m With You, Stay Beautiful

Fearless: You Belong With Me, Jump Then Fall, Fearless

Speak Now: Sparks Fly (oh god how i love this song), Never Grow Up, The Story of Us

Red (this is difficulttt): ALL TOO WELL, State of Grace, Treacherous

1989: Wonderland, This Love, Clean

Reputation: DELICATE, I Did Something Bad, New Year’s Day

Lover: Soon You’ll Get Better (hits differently now bcs my aunt has passed away last month), The Archer, Death By A Thousand Cuts

folklore (idk it’s so fresh this will probably change!): cardigan, invisible string, august/betty

Clearly I am living for the love triangle songs but they’re stuck in my head I can’t help it

Honorable mention: I’d Lie

peace: what taylor era means the most to you?

Up to now I’d say Red, but I feel like folklore will coincide with a new beginning for me so I might become unreasonably attached to it.

[marvelous-tunes]

On July 23, Taylor Swift came to save us from our socially distanced monotony -- announcing an eighth studio album that would drop the next day. The news blindsided the pop music world; Swift was on some new shit, and she was gonna make it count. Teaming up with The National's Aaron Dessner and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, Swift made a surprise record for the ages -- and she did it in isolation, including producers, writers, mixers, duet partners and engineers scattered across the country. Pandemic or not, Folklore quickly proved that it transcended These Unprecedented Times and will be remembered as one of Swift’s seminal albums. The tranquil voices, the soft piano riffs and the pristine production come together to create just over an hour of cathartic and escapist listening. Here, past influences and daring risks add up to something that feels fresh -- but still familiar, like oh maybe an old cardigan.

With writing skill and vocal talents honed over her decade-plus of stardom and an impressive continued willingness to evolve, she blended the best of her previous efforts into one work that at times is a little bit country, but always alternative rock and roll. (Who had Swift becoming one of the first artists to top Billboard's New Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Listing on their 2020 Bingo card?) Fans of her previous Antonoff collabs will hear shades of 1989's "Wildest Dreams" and Reputation's "Getaway Car" in "Mirrorball" and "August" respectively, while the country-tinged "Betty" brings us back to the days of Red, when she first began to experiment outside of her comfort zone. The trinity of "Cardigan," "August," and "Betty" also evokes the storytelling of Swift's youth -- this time with a more mature perspective on relationships, love and growing older.

It’s the Dessner tracks, however, that shine brightest. The serene music and poetic-yet-powerful lyrics allow her to grow beyond the Nashville sweetheart turned pop goddess we’ve come to adore. She cheekily pulls an M. Night Shyamalan-worthy twist with “The Last Great American Dynasty.” She contemplates past lives and pain in “Invisible String.” She’s mad as hell and not going to take it anymore on “Mad Woman.” The set's unexpected swerves make it clear that Swift has reached the point in her career where she's making music how she wants to, without regards to critical or commercial accolades -- although unsurprisingly, she earned both with Folklore, including five Grammy nominations (along with a sixth for her work on Cats) and eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Clearly, she had a marvelous time brightening our quarantine.

excerpt: Billboard lists folklore as the #1 best album of 2020 [The 50 Best Albums of 2020: Staff Picks]