Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poet's Department - album discussion thread

[OldHabitsDieScreaming]

Hello Swifties! Thought I would start a thread to chat about TS11 or TTPD or whatever we're calling it 😁Don't know about you but the excitement is building for this old-enough-to-know-better Swiftie and I'll be taking the long way into work tomorrow so I can listen to it in Peace...(see what I did there?)

So this thread is for anyone who loves TS and wants to talk/think/muse/swoon over the newest output from the hardest-working woman in music!

Personally I'm intrigued and delighted that Aaron Dessner seems to have co-writing credits on several tracks - I'm a committed Folklore/Evermore fan and more in a similar vein will be very welcome!

(Oh, and while hopefully this doesn't need saying, please don't bother posting to say how shit/overrated/talentless you think TS is. This is a fan / appreciation thread about a specific piece of work and it would be lovely to keep it that way.)

The start also reminded me of Death by a Thousand Cuts

@TTPD - whoever it's about, its also obviously about how abusive the music industry is for young girls who get taken advantage of by older men.

There's a lot of possible cross-references to other songs throughout the album (and I'm sure there's loads I've missed because I'm not so familiar with her older songs).

The "I look in people's windows" line in the song of the same title has the same vibe as "I look through the windows of this love" in DBATC.

Just put this song on - I can't believe there are 31 songs. I need a week off work! I'm only on a first listen with most of them (except But Daddy I love him, loml, - and So Long London as me and the kids had to pore over the track 5 first!).

But agree there's definitely reminders, circles back etc. to other songs - I love when she does this. The tune of The Bolter reminded me of Is it Over Now?

I think Peter is probably about Connor Kennedy.

I sort of hate she put out so many tracks, it’s far too much to process as one singular piece of work, and there is inevitably bloat. Lover was an 18 track album and not many people’s favourite despite having Cruel Summer, Lover, Cornelia Street, DBATC, Afterglow, False God, Daylight… I fully think the reason people overlook Lover is the bloat bringing it down, if it was a 13-15 track album people would be obsessed, as it is people don’t see past the bloat. It’s frustrating to see her doing it again.

I agree @SummaLuvin and I don't think there's really enough variety in the tracks to make it worth sitting through it all.

Also, I’m tired of her and Jack working together on bang average production and patting each other on the back about how brilliant they both are. They are both brilliant but their tracks on TTPD really don’t show anything other than complacency in production. I said what I said 🙃

Such good points. It's like she can't bear to 'kill her darlings', i.e. do some proper editing/de-bloating. I thought it was interesting that Lover was the first album with her new company where she obviously had much more control and she made it so long.

There are some amazing songs on there but it could definitely have done with being a touch lighter.

Also, where am I going to find the time to digest 31 songs?!

Radio station in Aus today played new songs all day. So I got to hear some of it.
One I didn’t like was about being an alcoholic. I have to find out more about it.

Yeah, I think the accusations of quantity over quality are inevitable and probably reasonable. On first listen there's a lot that sounds 'samey' - that may of course change as one gets to know the individual tracks better though. But 31 songs is a heck of a lot to digest...

On the other hand, I'm in utter awe of her work rate - I have no idea how she does it. She clearly loves to create and communicate and I tend to think, good for you girl. A lot of this album does seem to be 2 fingers up to the industry (turn ✌around!) and her confirming that she will do what the fuck she wants, regardless of public opinion.

Hmmm, I disagree, I actually think this is her best work; ok not so pop generic on many instances but I think the songs are predominantly excellent , I have had them on in the background as I do some work and am finding I pause and listen to th4 lyrics.

it is much more grown up though, and far away from her teen pop years, for me she’s maturing and evolving as an artist, and leaving the teeny bop years behind, lavender haze was the first foray into that.

so yeah, for me, it’s her best work.

The song I heard was called was called Fortnight, words about being a functioning alcoholic.

I love everything else she has done.

This is what I'm finding with the anthology tracks (though like the sound and vibe, and I only have them on in the background). What's with all the names too?! Peter, Cassandra, Aimee, Sam, Chloe - whose celebrity children are these anyway 😂

But she CANNOT possibly sleep producing, recording and launching this much work with a tour and re-records. I need to know her brand of concealor man!

@SashTea the Aimee one is about Kim K "thanK you aIMee"

I think she's mostly just making music for herself, she doesn't NEED to make any more so why not just put loads out, music listening has changed and isn't restricted by storage size of physical mediums.

I find it impossible to judge at this point. Some have absolutely jumped out for me as beautiful, brilliant and legendary but I usually need lots of listens to digest and really appreciate each song, but also the piece of work as a whole. I'll have to do this in two halves and not sure if it will end up feeling like there's too much material overall. Or maybe just too much for my brain - and an over exposure of material so I dismiss chunks out of necessity.

First impression is the two are very different, first has some Taylor pop but with lots of folkevermore interwoven (which I love). Second seems stripped back and calmer, but I haven't even heard it all yet. Damn work calls!

Oh my! Thank you!

Way too long is my review too. So Long London, loml, Florida and But Daddy I Love Him are the only ones which stood out from the main album for me. Listening fatigue hit in before I’d finished the main tracks and while I’d say I preferred the second half of the album that’s mostly on vibes. Releasing in quantity regardless of quality is clearly what she wants to do. Lover, all the vault tracks, the length of everything in the Midnights universe and now 31 songs on this project? Maybe she’s just trying to release something for everyone, but I’d rather a sharp, divisive project which stands for something.

I’m also over Jack’s production on this. It’s so boring and samey. Obviously it’s Taylor’s album and she’s clearly loving it. I just don’t know how a guy who has produced songs as diverse as OOTW, Getaway Car and August is happy with the same sound. I remember a Twitter post from when Midnights was released where a guy guessed within about ten second of each track if it was a Jack track or not. I could have done the same with this. Blaming one producer feels lazy, but there’s a definite pattern in songs I’ve liked and skips on TTPD and Midnights.

I'm liking it so far
Florida
Ioml
I can fix him
So long London are my
Stand outs so far

@SashTea Cassandra sounds like Cassandra of Troy - cursed by Apollo to be able to tell prophecies, but no one would believe them.

I'm much preferring the second half.

I feel a mix of delight at lots of extra material and also stress in wanting to digest it all as quickly as possible!

I might focus on the first half first and then move onto part 2 when I feel ready 😆.

So far I really love Florida, So Long London, My Boy Only Breaks His Favourite Toys and I Can Fix Him. But I usually find my faves on first listen end up being completely different to the ones that I end up loving long term!

I've finished the album and Spotify played Austin by Dasher who Id never heard of but fit in quite nicely as a bit of country and Swiftesque

It's far too long and very samey.. My favourite tracks are The Tortured Poets Department, and thanK you aIMee.