The internet is all abuzz this week about the release of Taylor Swift’s new album “Midnights.” A self proclaimed Swiftie, as her fans like to label themselves, I was part of this excitement though I did not stay up and listen right at midnight when it was released on Oct. 21.

Based on Swift’s most recent work, including “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and sister albums from 2020 “folklore” and “evermore,” I had high hopes for “Midnights” and followed along closely to her social media posts leading up to its release. 

Upon first listen though, “Midnights” was a major disappointment. It was only during my second and third times through the album that I began to fully appreciate and enjoy the songs. But even after five days of listening almost exclusively to “Midnights,” I can confidently say that it is not a ‘no-skip’ album. 

My favorite song, “Anti-Hero,” ecompases a new side to Swift, as she goes in depth about self-loathing and regret, two topics she has rarely touched upon in the past. Compared to her works in her youth, Swift is taking full blame for her actions instead of always taking her anger out on her partners or exes. The song overall shows her growth as an artist and a woman, and in my opinion is what “Midnights” was supposed to be about. 

While “Midnights” has its own era, as Swift likes to call her albums, it borrows themes from her previous songs. “Vigilante Sh*t” seems like it is pulled directly from her “reputation” era and combines beats from “folklore” and “reputation” to create a smooth, catchy revenge song perfect for anyone embracing their inner vigilante. 

While these songs and others like “You’re On Your Own, Kid” and “Karma” showcase Swift’s incredible style and versatility, not every song on the album can claim the same title. 

“Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)” is the only song with a feature on “Midnights” and is an extreme disappointment. You have to strain your ears to even hear Lana Del Rey and the concept does not flow together like they intended. While the verses are bearable, the chorus is really where Swift went wrong. The titular line, “And it’s like snow at the beach/Weird, but f*ckin’ beautiful” technically makes sense in a very realistic way, but it comes off as just strange and choppy.

In a similar vein, “Glitch” has an uneven sound that is intended to mimic the theme of the song, but again it is poorly executed. Swift’s vocals overpower the music and the electronic static noises cover the instrumentals which leads to an overall messy and confusing track.

While I enjoy “Midnights,” I do not want to gloss over its flaws. I have been a Taylor Swift fan since I was a kid and I appreciate everything she has done for the music industry, but that does not mean that everything she produces is better than her last. 

“Midnights” has already broken two Spotify records for most streamed album in one day and most streamed artist in one day in Spotify history and these cannot be ignored, but overshadowing where Swift went wrong just because of her accomplishments is equally as insulting to her as an artist. 

Through “Midnights,” Swift proved she can once again reinvent herself and her music, though in a less successful way than her previous eras.

Image from Taylor Swift via YouTube