It's pretty much impossible to begin exploring folklore without taking some time to process the sound change. Sunny, upbeat melodies have been a common thread in Swift's music from her country origins to the mainstream pop success she's enjoyed over the past decade and to have them disappear on a whim is very unexpected-especially on her eighth LP. However, whatever shock existed over this new direction quickly morphed into admiration for the abundance of merits that came from it.
What's most striking about folklore is how deeply it embodies its title. From the lush production predominantly provided by The National guitarist Aaron Nessler to the soft, delicate vocals to the narrative-driven lyrics that are mostly told from a third person perspective, the record boasts a whimsical quality that makes it feels like a vintage collection of short stories. Despite its subdued, sometimes dreary content, the eagerness and joy that Swift displays in crafting these tales is deeply embedded in the roots of this record.
She approaches these (mostly) fictional tales with the same level of passion and detail she gained from detailing her own plights with love, heartbreak, etc. Each track is treated as an opportunity to concisely explore the head and heart of a new person, which allows her to deploy some haunting melodies/vocal textures that she's never gotten the chance to utilize in the past while still playing to her strengths as a pop songwriter who knows their way around a catchy melody. Swift has been an international superstar for long enough that she could afford to play it safe with her established sound until she's done with music, so the fact that she chose to follow her heart and make an unapologetically ambitious record that utilizes a dramatically different style that could've alienated her massive fanbase speaks volumes about her both fearlessness and belief in her gifts as an artist.
On top of Swift's seamless acclimation to a new sound, she was also able to eliminate the nagging consistency problem that plagued all of the prior records of hers that I'd heard (1989, Reputation, Lover). Every time it appeared she was settling into a groove on her past efforts, a few annoying tracks or dull, phoned-in ballads would come in and crush whatever momentum she'd built up. On folklore, those nagging issues have mostly been worked out. While there's still some instances of tracks missing the mark ("my tears ricochet", "epiphany", the Bon Iver-assisted "exile"), the consistently bittersweet atmosphere and overall tightness of the songwriting prevent these missteps from having the same crippling effect of her past ones. Having a clear, focused vision for a record is what separates great talents from good ones and it was awesome to see Swift finally put it all together here.
folklore is the work of a fully liberated artist. None of the industry pressure or outside interference that tends to come with being a global star were present in the creation of this record and that uninhabited creative freedom allowed Swift's biggest creative swing to-date to turn into a booming home run over the center field wall. Whenever she returns to releasing an album in a more traditional fashion (singles, announcement of a release date well in advance, etc.), we can only hope the level of freedom and confidence in her artistry that she displays here will remain in tact.
Grade: B+
Standout Tracks:
1.seven
2.august
3.cardigan
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