"Midnights" - Taylor Swift
(Republic Records)
1) "Lavender Haze"
Capturing the "honeymoon phase" of a relationship, there's a cool vibe to this opener; "And you don't really read into my melancholia". She takes on outsiders' view on a relationship (asking about marriage) when she just wants to stay "in that lavender haze".
2) "Maroon"
This is a different take on a love story; "When the morning came we were cleaning incense off your vinyl shelf 'cause we lost track of time again. Laughing with my feet in your lap like you were my closest friend". 'Maroon' sees the breakdown of a relationship; "Carnations you had thought were roses, that's us". The chorus has a really nice rhythm, as we see the power of her lyricism.
3) "Anti-Hero"
A song on self-reflection, pondering on her worst fears; "I wake up screaming from dreaming, One day I'll watch as you're leaving cause you got tired of my scheming". There's fantastic imagery throughout, for example; 'Monster on a hill...too big to hang out'. This track is very bleachers-esque.
4) "Snow On The Beach" ft/Lana Del Rey
This track deals with the concept of falling in love at the same time; "flying in a dream, stars by the pocketful, tonight feels impossible". With a very dreamy feel, you can tell that Lana's fingerprints are on this track. While Lana's vocals are mainly backing in this version, there's some beautiful blending.
5) "You're On Your Own Kid"
'You're On Your Own Kid' is very auto-biographical; "I play my song in the parking lot, I'll run away...I gave my blood, sweat & tears for this". With a classic Taylor bridge, her vocals feel delicate.
6) "Midnight Rain"
Dealing with the ending of a relationship, this track utilizes a vocal modulator; "He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain, He wanted a bride, I was making my own name". While being synth heavy, it doesn't feel overdone.
7) "Question...?"
This is a reflection on if someone's new relationship compares to what came prior; "Did you leave her house in the middle of the night? Did you wish you'd put up more of a fight?' Overall its a little clunky lyrically.
8) "Vigilante Shit"
This deals with seeking revenge; "Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man. You did some bad things, but I'm the worst of them". There's a 'Reputation' feel to "Vigilante Shit". Overall this track has a stripped back production, putting her vocals out in front with the backing synth.
9) "Bejeweled"
'Bejeweled' is about the frustration of a relationship; "Didn't notice you walkin' all over my peace of mind". Everything just comes together here; lyrically & stylistically.
10) "Labyrinth"
We see her detailing the process of falling in love again; "It only feels this raw right now. Lost in the labyrinth of my mind.....everybody just expects me to bounce back". This time around the synth can be distracting at times.
11) "Karma"
With a fun feel (and a cool record-scratching intro), this is about confronting people in your past; "You're terrified to look down, Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare of everyone you burned just to get there". The chorus here is among the catchiest of the album.
12) "Sweet Nothing"
A reflection of literal 'sweet nothings' exchanged; "I find myself runnin' home to your sweet nothings...All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing". (This song might have a new perspective in the swiftie community)
13) "Mastermind"
This is about the machinations of a relationship; "What if I told you none of it was accidental? And the first night that you saw me, nothing was gonna stop me". The bridge is both very personal & heartbreaking; "No one wanted to play with me as a little kid, So I've been scheming like a criminal ever since". A perfect closer to the standard album.
There are a lot of different ways you can view "Midnights". One is as a self-reflection, on Taylor's past in general but also on her own music, borrowing certain lyrical and rhythmic flourishes. On the other-hand, in hindsight this could also be viewed as a 'breakdown' album (if not a straight up break-up album). This is the genius of Taylor Swift, that you can find these different perspectives depending on where you look. Given the reflexive nature of "Midnights", I can't wait to see what direction Taylor eventually goes on with her next new studio album. (93.6)
(As a Swiftie myself, I tried to be as balanced as possible in reviewing this. If I had included the 3am tracks, along with "Hits Different" and "You're Losing Me", this score would have been even higher.)
Taylor Swift: "Midnights" - 93.6
Janelle Monae: "The Age Of Pleasure" - 78.4
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