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I think Taylor Swift has mastered the art of songwriting.
Those were my first thoughts about halfway through her new album Midnights. It’s easy to recognize that Swift’s latest effort isn’t something you can fully digest the first time you hear it. Most of her projects are like this. Given the relatively short 44-minute run time, saying something like that must mean she’s putting her best effort into nearly every line. This is exactly what happened.
The thing about “Midnight” is that, in my opinion, there are no radio hits. Not like “Shake it off” in “1989” or “Look What You Made Me Do” in “Reputation”. That’s what makes this album such a fun and great work. You could argue that “Anti-Hero” is the album’s most important radio song, even though it has a well-written and cohesive Swift single that usually doesn’t.
“Midnights” is an album about that, and it executes perfectly. Each song perfectly portrays a different midnight thought or action, as any overthinking depraved, avoidant, or love-hungry would do. The pitch changes are almost as drastic as Midnight’s thoughts, and the almost comical lyrics work because of her commitment to the subject.
Also, the more serious lines are felt more because their sincerity seems to be there. “I threw a party and starved my body like I was rescued from a perfect kiss,” from my favorite song on the album, “You’re on your own, kid.” Emotional chasing, and how putting yourself in the limelight can lead to the best and worst outcomes. The great thing about this song is that it builds slowly and tells a whole story. The beginning, middle and end are perfectly combined. The music hits around 1:44 and takes us to a Swift who has grown up. She described how heartbreak helped her become independent, and while losing friends and loved ones is a tough thing to do, everything that takes courage is a step in the right direction. On top of that, she added a little “yes, you can face this” in the final chorus. Making it not only possibly the most touching song on the album, but also the most uplifting.
Other standout tracks include “Maroon”, “Question…?”, “Sweet Nothing” and “Snow on the Beach”.
The album’s ending is so unique that I could write a separate article about it. “Mastermind” isn’t your typical epilogue, it sounds like the seventh or eighth track on any other album, but it’s not. For some reason this works perfectly.
“The Mastermind” is essentially Swift admitting that she was the mastermind of her meeting with another person and ultimately falling in love. Plan for potential coincidences and conversations that may or may not happen. The perfect ending to an album about midnight. Because what’s more common than a fake midnight scene? The song before “Sweet Nothing” was the slowest on the album, and it’s sure to grow on a lot of people over time. She describes how she succumbed to being in a relationship that left her with nothing simply because she wasn’t alone.
Every song on “Midnights” perfectly showcases what millions of people I can imagine go through and how they feel at midnight. I’m not sure how accessible the radio is compared to albums from years past. However, it’s still Swift. “Anti-Hero” could become the No. 1 song in the country in the coming weeks. Regardless, the album executes its theme almost perfectly, with Swift and co-writer Jack Antonov’s songwriting crystal clear. “Midnights” is a great album that will be played for years to come.
It should be midnight.
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