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folklore is *the* anti-summer album
I'm just going to say it: IMO, summer is arguably the worst season. It's miserably hot, the crop-top and shorts combo gets old v. fast and everyone wants to be outside *all* the time. The now-infamous "Summer of 2020" has been no exception. Stuck inside with all dreams of beach vacations and long, adventurous road trips out the window, we have all been sweating out the last few months in a quiet state of resentment and isolation. That is when our knight in a shining cardigan, Taylor Swift, arrived to save the day.
Taylor's eighth studio album, folklore, was timed just right. While summer— and most of the year— feels like a lost cause, Swift has decided to end it altogether, with a collection of quiet and introspective songs that practically breathe autumn air.
Written entirely in isolation, Swift appears to draw inspiration from folk-rock legends like Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac— a few songs are even rumored to be co-written by Joni Mitchell under the pseudonym William Bowery. This influence can best be heard on tracks like "betty" and "seven".
The genius behind folklore rests in the three-part teenage love triangle found within the 16 songs. In a live Q&A, Swift explained the meaning behind "cardigan", explaining that "the song is about a lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently within our memories, why it leaves such an indelible mark". Fans have theorized that the song is told through the perspective of a young girl named "betty" as the later song's title suggests. Later in the album, "august" tells the story of another young girl caught up in a doomed summer romance with who fans believe is Betty's boyfriend. In the actual song "betty" the speaker, James, must deal with the aftermath of cheating on his girlfriend over the summer.
Swift proves herself as a gifted storyteller once again by hiding three different character's perspectives of one summer between thirteen other songs. Of these three, "betty" is undoubtedly the standout track. The harmonica opening gives the song a refreshing early 1960s flair, while Swift's heartwrenching lyrics create a devastatingly vivid picture. "betty" is a classic Taylor song that any OG fans will adore.
Collaboration fuels the album. As a Jack Antonoff fan, he and Swift's collaboration on "mirrorball" is my personal favorite. Taylor's ghostly vocals and Antonoff's signature melancholy pop sound make for the perfect solo dance party bop.
folklore sounds exactly the way the promo photos look: romantic, sleepy and intimate, with a chilly black and white sheen that brings a newfound maturity to Taylor's discography. While Lover was a rainbow-infused pop-dance album made for pool parties, folklore has a distinct autumnal sound. With tracks named "cardigan" and "my tears ricochet," Swift evokes images of crushing leaves, rainy sidewalks, and pumpkin patches. It makes you nostalgic for memories of study sesh time at a local coffee shop. In a time when summer (and most of 2020, TBH) has lost any appeal, TS8 serves as the perfect anti-summer album.
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