Taylor Swift has created one of the most popular albums of the present day here. Intended to be a release to be something to relate to under a themed batch of insomnia, this is the 10th release by Taylor Swift, adding interest to a long and productive career. It has broken records upon release, namely for occupying every single slot from 1-10 on the USA Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. That’s right, you read correctly. Therefore, this album is worth a listen so let’s hear it now and hopefully it stacks up to its promise. This is an expanded version of the album that goes on for over an hour, so we will see if it is worth hearing.

Lavender Haze begins the album with some ordinary beats and sounds, before going straight into a tune that is pretty typical of 2022. This is okay but is so mainstream and unimaginative that most artists could make this sort of music if they tried. A pretty ordinary tune with little to no promise outside of the top 50, there is nothing worth hearing here. This is a halfway house between Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande musically. Still, an ordinary song. Not a good start to an album.

Maroon begins with some better drum beats and textures, which makes this song an improvement. If Taylor Swift were not singing this, then it could easily be a tune on a Doom video game soundtrack. This is definitely better than the track before it, and it sounds quite good here. Obviously, the sounds here are highly imaginative on this album, even if this is commercial music for 2022. Taylor Swift sings in an energetic and different way here, and she does have a resoundingly good voice for a female singer. Good effort, and an improvement over what came before it.

Anti-Hero begins with some nice and dramatic drum beats, entering into a good song about being broken down and destroyed as a person. It seems in our post COVID-19 pandemic world that there is very little for people to hold onto or value, and this song fits that mood. It sounds very 1980s, which is either a strong point or a flaw, depending on your view. A very decent tune with some good lyrics to match, and it does make an emotional impression on the listener. Quite touching, really. Some very direct lyrics about being caught between a life situation between a rock and a half place are here. Enjoyable nonetheless, and not overly long either. Good song.

Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey) begins with some nice plucked string textures and a nice symphonic backing. Soon enough, Taylor Swift gets singing in quite a good way. It sounds like a rather depressing tune, but then again, these are difficult times to live in and the lyrics reflect that. A good tune to hear, the reference to snow being on the beach is about being in the wrong place at the wrong time with a lover. Nonetheless, this is a good song and unlike something like Cardi B has made, this is decent music to hear. The profanities present are nicely sung here, and this is indeed a well-constructed digital ballad. A gorgeous song, all the same, this is an impressive listen. Points here for a great effort, Taylor Swift makes some decent music here. Nice work.

You’re On Your Own, Kid begins with some 4/4 beats and some nice singing along with some muted guitars, sounding rather U2-esque. It is about leaving one’s surroundings and home to go elsewhere to be, and it is simple and tuneful music that makes sense to those who live alone and live a life that is completely different to everyone else as they get older. A good and interesting tune for what it is, it just sounds enjoyable for melancholy reflection. Nice.

Midnight Rain has some awful electronically edited vocals, to begin with, and has a hazy, vaguely psychedelic feel about it. Taylor Swift sings about memories from before, before the electronically modified vocals resume. This is a short and bittersweet tune by Taylor Swift that sounds really retrospective in looking back into the past about memories of things long gone by. It’s okay but feels a little depressing lyrically. The outro is pretty much tripped-out beats with some cool electronic sounds. The sound engineers do deserve a lot of credit here, that side of the album is fantastic.

Question…? begins with some loose electronic sounds, before Taylor Swift sings sweetly and this sounds like a nice piece of music to play in the car when driving along with some friends to socialise. A really good tune, this music sounds very 2022 and in addition, very fresh. It is a song about relationships and other ideals when out with a bunch of friends who mock, then applaud a kiss in a crowded room. Still, this music is good, even if it has a very contemporary feel to it. A strange listen, but nonetheless, a good one. Enjoyable and worth repeat listens, this is a good tune. Worth hearing.

Vigilante Shit begins with some excellent rhythmic vocals and straightforward beats, and this launches into a piece that is very nasty lyrically and minimal musically. Nonetheless, this is a very good tune that sounds very direct, upfront and amazing for what it is. Some interesting instrumentation and playing are here. There is an even more minimal section, followed by some further nasty singing, for example: “I don’t dress for friends, lately I’ve been dressing for revenge,” which is straightforward, sharp and to the point. Nice work.

Bejeweled begins with some crystal style sound patches, before launching into a dark and super minimal tune. This isn’t absolutely fantastic, in fact, it is quite dreary listening. Another mainstream tune from this album that really doesn’t do any justice overall. It has some rather self-indulgent and sexist lyrics, particularly from a female perspective. This is an ordinary tune that doesn’t really have anything special about it. It sounds just like the stuff that Ariana Grande has been pumping out for years, really cliched and uninspired. Anyway, it’s okay but overly sexist. Ordinary as a result. The outro is weird.

Labyrinth begins with some fluttering organ sounds, some beatboxing style sounds and launches into a good piece of music with some excellent singing by Taylor Swift. Singing gorgeously, this is one of the better pieces of music from this album by Taylor Swift. With references to falling in love and a drastic change in circumstances, this is quite a good piece of music to hear. A slow building and gorgeous 21st century ballad, this is far better than what some of Taylor Swift’s competitors are pumping out these days, which explains why she is so popular at the time of writing. Indeed, a very sensual, romantic sounding and essential listen. In the second half, the piece of music changes drastically and sounds really cool with some suspenseful music and distorted vocals. An excellent tune, nice to hear, all the way through to the fade out.

Karma begins with some static melodies, which are gradually normalised, and Taylor Swift gets singing. This is another good tune about romance and travels, with some references to psychedelic imagery. This is pretty cool and musically accomplished, and it is a gorgeous RnB styled ballad that works extremely well. In any case, the music present is very commercial, but it sounds really cool nonetheless. An emotional piece about the Buddhist concept of Karma, this is an unusual piece of music for what it is. Good tune anyway. Great ideals here, too.

Sweet Nothing begins with some mellow keyboard style sounds, and quickly launches into a mock version of “Eye-Spy”, the children’s nursery rhyme. Seriously, how original. Anyway, it’s okay but is another commercial piece of music that is fairly run-of-the-mill on this album. A good tune anyway, even if it at times seems a little lame. There is a good build up of musicality and instrumentation towards the end, and the song eventually ends nicely. Good, but not great.

Mastermind begins with some really cool, tripped out psychedelic/electronic textures, quickly followed by Taylor Swift’s singing. This is an exciting and interesting tune about having a love plan begun from the start. The music here is really great, and it is a good example of Taylor Swift at her best. A unique and excellent piece of music that has some staying power, this is one of the better pieces from this colourful and imaginative album. An awesome and lively tune, the vocals and EDM styled textures here are really great. Nice song, and something worth hearing.

The Great War begins with some strange keyboard, RnB beats and excellent vocals from Taylor Swift. With singing about more love and relationship issues, this is another good song that deserves to be heard. An excellent and wonderful listen about the issues in a lover’s life, this is a good and picturesque analogy about the pros and cons of an uncertain future. Being in love in the 21st century isn’t always worth it, seemingly. Nonetheless, this is a cool listen to hear, and something that one can enjoy. There are some nice snare drum rolls and layered electronic textures towards the end. In short, this is beautifully effective. Nice and gorgeous tune here.

Bigger Than The Whole Sky begins with some spacey electronic sounds, before Taylor Swift emerges singing well about being down and out. It is a heartbreaking tune about said heartbreak in a loving relationship. Still, this is good and fantastic and it just sounds really cool. Some pretty acoustic slide guitar is edited, chopped up and played nicely here, before Taylor Swift resumes well in a really dark mood. Nonetheless, the music present is worth hearing and although this isn’t the greatest song ever, it is very pretty and moving. Towards the end, the instrumental section returns with some repeated vocals by Taylor Swift. A sad song for sure, this is very much a piece about a love that should have been, but is not. Pretty bleak.

Paris begins with some drumbeats that are distant and electronically treated, before singing by Taylor Swift enters about a complicated love situation. A very good listen, this is another wonderful tune about enjoying time with a partner. A good listening experience about being in love with someone publicly as a celebrity, this does sound like a subject matter that isn’t always touched upon. “I want to brainwash you, into loving me forever…” is a good example of the excellent lyricism of this music. Very pretty music. The outro is really top.

High Infidelity begins with some MS-DOS style beeps and bleeps, shortly followed by Taylor Swift singing nicely about the relationship issues she has at hand with a lover. It refers to both listening to music, hence the title of the song. A gorgeous, loveable and reassuring piece of music listening, Taylor Swift excels very nicely on this song and she shows herself as an artist with real talent and a different sound, although in a mainstream context. A good song, and also a very moving piece of music here. Enjoyable, yet sad, this is great to hear. Hopefully the appeal of the music here lasts for a long time, Taylor Swift is very good as a musician and artist. This ends with the beeps and bleeps, yet again. Good stuff.

Glitch is actually a type of EDM musical genre that is original and unique. It also is this song. This begins by launching into a dark and unusual song piece with some very unorthodox music and sounds that are weird for the 21st century. A very interesting and different song to hear, Taylor Swift keeps the surprises coming with this very good album. This breaks down in the second half with an interesting climax, before concluding well. A short and bittersweet tune about relationship issues, also worth a listen.

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve begins with some processed harmonies, followed quickly by guitars being played and Taylor Swift sings about more relationship troubles. Indeed, in western societies where the divorce rate is well over 50%, this makes perfect sense to whoever is listening out there in a difficult relationship. A sad yet excellent tune that makes sense, no matter if you are male or female, Taylor Swift sounds really excellent on this song with her singing and decent arrangements. A bit of a tearjerker tune, this does have definite emotional appeal to all out there. A sad, heartbreaking and tormented sounding tune, this is a decent listen for those who think they have had pain on their own. That’s not necessarily true, pain and suffering is fairly universal. Anyway, a good song to listen to, although this is very sad to hear. Worth hearing all the same.

Dear Reader is the very last song on this album. It begins with some piano sounding keyboard and the sound of pages being turned. Soon enough, some electronic textures enter and Taylor Swift begins singing very well. Referring to burning one’s books and past lives, the music present here is very good. A pretty and unique tune, this is a soothing listen experience that should be experienced by postmodern music fans out there. “Never take advice from someone who has fallen apart,” is sung here. Taylor Swift sings very emotionally on this song. Some pitched shifted vocals are present here towards the end, followed by some pretty electronic textures. A very nice listen with a lengthy outro to finish this expanded album.

Taylor Swift has made one of the best records of the past 10 years with this album. Everything about this is audibly pleasing, from the singing, to the romantic lyricism and the electronic beats and sounds. Clearly, Taylor Swift is now on an upwards trajectory, and deserves praise for the music here. A great album that must be heard by many, with only a few dull moments of listening here. Nice work ma’am.

Excellent and interesting.

9/10