by Caitlin Pingree ‘23

If I had to choose one word to encompass the lyricism and craftsmanship of Taylor Swift’s most recent albums, it would be ethereal.  Folklore and Evermore are perfectly paired sister albums created by Swift within the confines of quarantine with collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner.  Swift delivered the albums to fans by surprise in July and December respectively.  Folklore, being the first of the two albums, sets up a woodland world in which stories float off of the page and emotion is laid bare.  Swift weaves together a narrative within each song, and bares the tale of a teenage love triangle in the songs “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.”  These songs are among my favorite tracks, in addition to “peace” and “this is me trying,” both of which talk of mental health and how it affects people and their relationships.  The intricacy of Swift’s lyrics paired with the soft, delicateness of Antonoff and Dessner’s instrumentation and production makes the album one of Swift’s best works to date; it recently won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.  Swift decided to continue this new era with the creation of Evermore.  In a similar style to Folklore, Swift entertains us with songs that portray stories about a range of topics, from cheating husbands to runaway brides.  Swift almost outdid herself in lyricism on this album for me, with standout tracks like “champagne problems,” “tolerate it,” and bonus track “right where you left me.”  Although the album does not feel as cohesive as Folklore, each distinctive song makes it shine all the same.  Antonoff and Dessner once again excelled in their work, making Swift’s sound intentional and unique.  Where Folklore feels like Spring and Summer embodied, Evermore is a crisp Fall or Winter day.  These albums could not have come out at more perfect times within the last year and I am thankful that Swift’s boredom in quarantine gave way to these works of art.  Folklore and Evermore will definitely withstand the test of time, as I know I will be listening to these albums well into the future.