Review: Taylor Swift’s Evermore
Dahlia Olivo, 22’and Jayna Rohslau, 22’
Well, she has done it again. On December 11th, Taylor Swift released her second surprise album of 2020: Evermore (the first was Folklore, which was released on July 24th). With 15 tracks and two bonus tracks, Evermore is a collection of songs that capture the multitude of emotions one experiences during isolation, when one is left alone with nothing but their own thoughts to keep them company. Being major Taylor Swift fans, we felt it was our duty to review this album song by song, disclosing our favorite lyrics and individual thoughts on each.
Note: For availability reasons, we will be reviewing only the 15 songs on the standard version of the album and not the two bonus tracks on the deluxe version.
(Jayna would also like to note: If you are reading this article and have not listened to Evermore yet, what are you even doing)?
willow
Jayna: “willow” holds special meaning to me because I was almost named Willow. Besides that funny coincidence, this song has a very laid-back feel to it in comparison to the more intense songs to follow. However, this is not to say “willow” is not emotional, because it is about love and the hope that comes with pursuing a new romance. This song features many metaphors, comparing life to a willow on several occasions. Because life… makes you weep? It is a good song, even if the metaphors went right over my head.
Rating: 8/10
Standout Lyric: “I come back stronger than a ‘90s trend”
champagne problems
Dahlia: In “champagne problems”, Swift uses her artistic lyrics to tell the story of a rejected proposal. This song captures the feeling of someone realizing that they are not ready to commit to someone at the worst possible moment. Swift’s soft vocals with the accompaniment of a gentle piano bring out the sadness of this song in a raw form.
Rating: 9.5/10
Standout Lyric: “Sometimes you just don’t know the answer ‘til someone’s on their knees and asks you”
gold rush
Jayna: I mean, haven’t we all been there? Someone seems so perfect, “with (their) hair falling into place like dominos,” and everyone wants to be with them. But ultimately you know it would never work, so you’re stuck fantasizing and staring “into the gray of (your) day-old tea, because it could never be.” The relatability of the lyrics are one of Swift’s strengths: even though she is incredibly beautiful, rich and successful, she can still write songs that regular people can connect with on a spiritual level (or at least in my case).
Rating: 9/10
Standout Lyric: “I don’t like that falling feels like flying ‘til the bone crush”
‘tis the damn season
Dahlia: The title of this song makes itself out to be a fun, lighthearted song about the holidays. However, “‘tis the damn season” proves itself to be nothing of the sort. This song captures two feelings, the first being the strange sense of sadness one feels when coming home for the holidays. This song also encapsulates the regret someone feels when remembering an abandoned friend or lover, as well as the curiosity of what could have been if they had made different choices. The mixture of pounding drums with the gentle strum of guitar perfectly captures the feelings of anger and sadness presented in the lyrics.
Rating: 8/10
Standout Lyric: “The road not taken looks real good now”
tolerate it
Dahlia: This is easily one of the saddest songs on Evermore. Here, Swift puts the listener into the shoes of someone who finds themself giving all of their love to someone who does not appreciate it. This song clearly takes place far past the “honeymoon phase” of a relationship, once the initial excitement dies down and everyone’s true colors start to show. Swift expresses sorrow, exhaustion, and frustration in her lyrics, which she delivers poetically.
Rating: 9/10
Standout Lyric: “I made you my temple, my mural, my sky/ Now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life”
no body, no crime (feat. Haim)
Jayna: This is an extremely catchy country song that tells the story of a woman with a best friend who goes missing. The narrator suspects that Este, her best friend, was murdered by her husband in favor of his mistress. From there, the narrator murders the husband, dumps his body into a lake and frames his mistress. The storyline of this song was refreshing to me because most popular country music seems to follow the same basic storyline (boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy drives around a small town in his pickup truck), and this song was more unique (murder)! I did find this song lacking in some of the emotional subtleties found in Swift’s other songs, but that is probably the point. It’s meant to be fun (like murder)!
Rating: 9/10
Standout Lyric: “No, no body, no crime/I wasn’t letting up until the day he died”
happiness
Jayna: First of all, the title of the song is misleading. “happiness” is not about a happy character by any means. Rather, it is an ambient ballad about the trials and tribulations of a woman emerging from a seven-year relationship. The tone, far from upbeat, is aided by synthesizers, violins, an organ, and piano, which all serve to give it a wistful tone. However, despite the sadness expressed in the song, Swift allows listeners some measure of hope. “You haven’t met the new me yet,” the narrator affirms, looking at the future even as they long for the past. Truly an excellent song, despite the long runtime.
Rating: 8.5/10
Standout Lyric: “Tell me, when did your winning smile/begin to look like a smirk?
And I pulled your body into mine every goddamn night/ Now I get fake niceties”
dorothea
Dahlia: Piano and drums are always a good combination in my mind. “dorothea” is written from the perspective of the friend or romantic partner referenced in “‘tis the damn season”, which makes sense considering the songs share a similar message. Like “‘tis the damn season,” “dorothea” shares a similar idea of reflecting back on a lost friendship or relationship. However, “dorothea” differs in that it feels more like a celebration of what was, rather than a focus on what was lost. While the piano in the song gives it somewhat of a melancholy feel, the drums cause it to feel upbeat and lighthearted.
Rating: 9.5/10
Standout Lyric: “If you’re ever tired of being known for you you know, you know you’ll always know me”
coney island (feat. The National)
Dahlia: In this song, Swift sings with regret about taking a past lover for granted. In her lyrics, Swift illustrates feelings of pain and regret when wondering how she made her partner feel. The song is littered with visuals of the exciting amusement park aspect of Coney Island from the perspective of someone just sitting on a bench and looking at it in full. This causes the song to feel like it was written from an observant perspective, like Swift is at last seeing things for what they were. The lyrics are once again beautiful, and The National’s baritone vocals are a perfect match for Swift’s softer, yet prominent ones.
Jayna: To be honest, this is a skip for me. I like the lyrics, but the tune itself is not memorable at all.
Rating: 8.75/10
Standout Lyric: “When I walked up to the podium, I think that I forgot to say your name”
ivy
Dahlia: This is a folksy-sounding song that makes one feel as if they should be listening while sipping a hot drink by the fire. “ivy” is a song about someone finally finding that seemingly perfect person, despite already being married to someone else. This satisfaction is expressed in the lyrics, “My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand/ Taking mine, but it’s been promised to another”. However, despite the conflicting emotions one might feel in this situation, the song’s sound is calm and relaxed, like the narrator does not mind being in the position they have found themselves in. This song’s stand-out features are its descriptive lyrics and the rich harmonies spread throughout (especially towards the end of the song).
Rating: 10/10
Standout Lyric: “How’s one to know I’d live and die for moments that we stole on begged and borrowed time”
cowboy like me
Jayna: This song tells the story of two con artists who fall in love while scamming rich old people out of their money. With this unusual story premise, and like many other songs on Evermore, it is not easily classified into a single genre. Through its usage of hushed guitars, piano, mandolin and harmonica, “cowboy like me” manages to incorporate elements of both country and indie music. Furthermore, Evermore is full of character studies, and this song includes some of the best, sketching a portrait of a tumultuous relationship that the narrator looks back at fondly nonetheless. If you’ve watched The Queen’s Gambit, this song reminds me of Beth and Benny.
Rating: 7.5/10
Standout Lyric: “Forever is the sweetest con”
long story short
Jayna: In “long story short”, Swift ruminates on her past mistakes and expresses her joy for having overcome them. This song feels more personal than many of the other songs on Evermore, especially when Swift addresses herself specifically, singing: “Past me, I want to tell you not to get lost in those petty things”. This lyric may be referring to her past feud with Kanye West and/or past complaints from listeners, saying that she was singing too much about ex-boyfriends. The lover mentioned in this song is likely Joe Alwyn, her current boyfriend who also co-wrote three songs on Evermore under the alias William Bowery. I appreciated the more autobiographical tone of this song compared to the rest of the album. I liked all of the lyrics, but our choice for standout lyric most especially. As someone who has broken heels for the sake of fashion, I can relate.
Rating: 8.5/10
Standout Lyric: “If the shoe fits, walk in it ‘til your high heels break”
marjorie
Dahlia: In “marjorie”, Swift pays tribute to her late grandmother, and sings about how even though she is dead and gone, Swift can still feel her presence all around her. In the chorus, Swift repeats the line “What died didn’t stay dead,” signifying that her grandmother was somehow too important to die. In the bridge, Swift also writes about how she feels she took time for granted, and if given the chance, she would have cherished more moments with her grandmother while she was still alive. This feeling is relatable to almost anyone who has ever lost a loved one (myself included).
The music consists of gentle piano and finger-plucked guitar. There are noticeable building harmonies in the chorus, which creates the image of a chorus of people singing alongside Swift. This is yet another beautiful song; I’m certain Swift’s grandmother is proud.
Rating: 10/10
Standout Lyric: “Never be so kind, you forget to be clever/ Never be so clever, you forget to be kind”
closure
Dahlia: Here, Swift sings to an ex-lover, saying that she does not need them to attempt to fix things between them after the end of a relationship (apparently it was a rough ending). The song begins with chaotic, machine-like sounds; this continues for a few seconds before a piano comes in, followed by Swift’s vocals. However, the machine-like noises are still present in the background for the duration of the song. Theories have speculated that this may be in relation to her ongoing public dispute with Big Machine Records. Whether or not this theory is correct, these noises unfortunately clash with the calmer, more subtle energy of the rest of the song (aside from the powerful lyrics). Aside from this setback, this is a favorable anthem for anyone who wants their ex to just leave them the hell alone already.
Rating: 8/10
Standout Lyric: “I’m fine with my spite, and my tears, and my beers and my candles”
evermore (feat. Bon Iver)
Jayna: Initially, this song is a solid piano ballad with lyrics that seem to pay mind to the typical COVID experience. “Gray november/ I’ve been down since July,” Swift sings (Has anyone really been flourishing in quarantine? If you have, please let me know.). This song also has major breakup energy, so in years after quarantine it may bear a repeat. However, although the key change in the bridge is exciting, Iver and Swift’s voices do not blend well in this song. When Iver first started singing, my first instinct was to wrinkle my nose and say, ”Really?” even though I don’t, as a rule, talk to myself. It’s still a good song, but it would have been better if Bon Iver decided to get a life and stop collabing with Taylor Swift.
Rating: 8.75/10
Standout Lyric: “And I couldn’t be sure, I had a feeling so peculiar/ This pain wouldn’t be for evermore”
Overall, despite some minor flaws, Taylor Swift’s Evermore is outstanding, musically and lyrically. If you’ve made it this far and still haven’t listened to Evermore, stop reading this right now (mid-sentence if you must) and listen. You will not regret it. Personally, if we were given the chance, we would listen to this album for evermore (see what we did there)?
But hey, that is just us.