All Songs Considered New Music Friday: Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' and the best albums out April 19
Apr 19, 2024
NPR critics Ann Powers and Hazel Cills discuss Taylor Swift's new album 'The Tortured Poets Department' and highlight other notable album releases. They explore Swift's vulnerable songwriting, Pearl Jam's intense new album, and commend Stephanie Lambert's courage in music.
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Taylor Swift's Return to Personal Songwriting
- Taylor Swift's new album, "The Tortured Poets Department," sees her return to sharp, personal songwriting.
- This album focuses on breakups and complicated relationships, exploring themes of insecurity and doubt.
A Novelistic and Universal Album
- Musically, Swift's new album is in a great place, using a comforting, closed universe sound.
- The album's arc is novelistic, intensely personal yet universal, like auto-fiction.
Balancing People-Pleasing and Defiance
- "I Can See It With a Broken Heart" encapsulates Swift's balance of people-pleasing and defiance.
- It's a summery pop song with an underlying sadness, reflecting her complex relationship with fame.