aia
Member
Join Date: Sept 8, 2018 4:08:24 GMT
Posts: 408
Likes: 361
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 4:15:07 GMT
|
Post by aia on Aug 24, 2019 6:26:55 GMT
I listened to TS new songs from Lover album... First time listening, i dislike all the songs. I don't like how TS sung the lyrics, and I don't think the melody is good either...
Maybe after listen for a few times it'll be a grow for me...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Join Date: Mar 29, 2024 7:50:55 GMT
Posts: 0
Likes:
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 7:50:55 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 15:10:10 GMT
I listened to TS new songs from Lover album... First time listening, i dislike all the songs. I don't like how TS sung the lyrics, and I don't think the melody is good either... Maybe after listen for a few times it'll be a grow for me... There's always the Ariana Grande thread.
|
|
Dillon
Retired Staff
MOTM Sept '15; SOTY '15 Winner; BA Donator
"He's probably a circus freak!"
Join Date: Mar 13, 2015 20:08:37 GMT
Posts: 1,913
Likes: 2,259
Location: United States
Last Online: Mar 25, 2024 23:54:21 GMT
|
Post by Dillon on Aug 24, 2019 15:28:20 GMT
Cruel Summer kind of gave me Call It What You Want vibes in the verse and Getaway Car vibes in the chorus.
Paper Rings reminded me of Stay, Stay, Stay.
Cornelia Street reminded me of Delicate with the drum beat change in the second verse.
London Boy reminded me of This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.
And False God reminded me of Dress. And I mean this all sonically, not lyrically.
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 24, 2019 15:51:27 GMT
My full thoughts on each song:
1. I Forgot That You Existed - 4/5 My first time hearing this I thought it was pretty forgettable, but I thought maybe that is the point. From a thematic perspective, it makes sense to lead off the album this way, as she described it like a transition from rep to Lover. But sonically, I think Cruel Summer would have been a better way to open the album. Overall, I think it's a fine song, but kind of forgettable. Like she says in the song, "it isn't hate, it isn't love, it's just indifference." I do think it's kind of cute how the song has a little conversational tone to it though and she trails off at the end with "So like... yeah..."
2. Cruel Summer - 5/5 At first listen I thought this was good, but way overhyped by fans. About the second or third listen, I started getting into it more. It sounds amazing blasting it through really good speakers. My initial thought was that it kind of gave me Blank Space vibes for some reason. I feel like this is set to be the next single, even if summer is ending soon. I think this would be an excellent choice for a single and I think it will do really well on radio. It's super catchy and maybe a little more like her 1989 stuff that more people might like than the first 2 singles.
3. Lover - 5/5 On the first listen I thought this was kind of just ok, but now I really love it. I think it's one of the best songs she's ever made. I love the timeless sound of it and how much thought they put into the production, of using only instruments before 1970 to give it that timeless sound. This will be played at weddings for decades to come. It's also nice for her that she had always wanted to write a song like this and now she has.
4. The Man - 4/5 I don't know how I feel about this one quite yet. The lyrics are excellent, the sound is a little underwhelming. It's catchy. It brings up some very valid points about sexism and double standards. Specifically the lyric "They'd say I hustled, put in the work. They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve." I've been in that situation. The sound kind of for some reason makes me think of some sci-fi action thriller Matrix type movie from the '80s or early 2000s, no idea why lol My other thought on this song is that it's a good song, but kind of doesn't fit the "love" theme at all. Seems a little out of place on this specific album, it might have been better suited for another album.
5. The Archer - 5/5 Initially I was down on this track and thought it was just ok. But after several listens, it has really grown on me a lot. I think the subtlety and simplicity is what makes it special and beautiful. One of the best on the album IMO.
6. I Think He Knows - 4/5 At first listen I didn't like it, I thought the first chorus sounded kind of like cringey funk stuff from the '80s and it was weird, it didn't sound right for her style. But the song gets better as it goes on and the production fills out a little more at the bridge and final chorus. I don't know if I would consider this a top favorite but it's not a skip.
7. Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince - 4/5 I think this is one of the biggest headscratchers from this album, it's a lot to unpack and figure out the meaning. My issue with the song is how similar it sounds to So It Goes, which was probably my least favorite from rep (and a lot of other people's). I don't know, there's something about this song I don't really like that keeps me from otherwise enjoying it. The metaphorical high school lyrics make me think of those cringey teen shows like 13 Reasons Why and that new one that I forget the name of that the media is saying is too oversexualized and stuff. I don't like teen shows that glorify topics like sex, drugs, and mental illness. This song kind of makes me think of that and that keeps me from fully enjoying what is otherwise a decent track here.
8. Paper Rings - 5/5 Thank God we start getting to the better half of the album now. I loved this one on first listen, which was a rarity with this album. Most of the songs took a few listens to grow on me, but I loved this one from the start. It is so upbeat and fun and I love the vintage '80s sound. It gives me very nostalgic vibes, like something I've heard before. The bridge especially sounds familiar, like I've heard it before. Possibly my favorite on the record.
9. Cornelia Street - 4/5 A controversial rating, but I have to say I'm not quite feeling it as much as everyone else. It's a good song, but a little... boring? Kind of starts to drag in some places IMO. I noticed in the bridge the melody is an exact lift from the chorus of "Invisible," I'm guessing she did that on purpose maybe because she feels if she lost this lover she would go back to feeling like she was invisible. What an Easter egg, blast from the past!
10. Death by a Thousand Cuts - 5/5 I didn't expect this song to be as upbeat as it is. But I really love it! I liked this one from the start. It reminds me somewhat of another song by Maddie Poppe called "Skeletons." It's kind of interesting that she has a breakup song on here despite the fact she's in love. But that's what I enjoy about this album is that it explores all the different kinds of love, not just "Lover" kind of love.
11. London Boy - 5/5 I really liked this one when I first heard it. It has some clever lyrics, though I think she's gotten some criticism from locals similar to the criticism she got for Welcome to New York, so maybe this is just me as a dumb American thinking it's good lol It's catchy and cute though.
12. Soon You'll Get Better (feat. Dixie Chicks) - 5/5 I didn't think any sad song of hers could be more heartbreaking than Ronan. I don't know if I'd say this one is, but in a way it is more heartbreaking because it's about her mom, not just some kid she never actually knew. And the fans know her mom too. Her mom has been involved in her career since the early days and she goes out into the audience at shows and picks people for the meet and greet. She was the subject of songs like The Best Day and was in the music videos for The Best Day and I'm Only Me When I'm With You. The fans know and love her almost as much as Taylor herself. It is super special that she included the Dixie Chicks on here since apparently they are her mom's favorite country group. The simplicity and rawness with just the bare minimal instruments and production used really makes this song so special and emotional. The vulnerable lyrics make me think of Speak Now-era stuff like Never Grow Up. Most especially, the way her voice sounds at the end of the chorus when she sings, "'Cause you have to" made me instantly think about the way a child sounds when they don't really understand something that's going on and they plead with this innocence in their voice, like "But Mommy, you HAVE to!!!!" She's nearly 30, but singing about how she doesn't know who she'll talk to or what she'll do without her mom. The transition from teen Taylor singing about happy childhood memories with Mom to now the adult Taylor pleading with childlike innocence and naivete for her mom to get better is what makes this song so incredibly raw and emotional. It was so hard not to cry while listening to this in public lol
13. False God - 4/5 Initially I was pretty unimpressed by this one but it grew on me after a few listens. It's a very different sound than what we normally hear from her, but I like it. I kind of had hoped the topic would be a little more substantial though, like there were rumors it was about Trump or American politics, or celebrity worship, but it's just worship of a relationship and that's just not a very exciting or original topic IMO.
14. You Need to Calm Down - 5/5 I really love this one. Initially I thought it had good lyrics but an ok melody, now I love it and think it's super catchy and I always find myself singing it to myself (same with The Archer, actually). The lyrics are brilliant.
15. Afterglow - 5/5 I see so many people sleeping on this one and I have no idea why. I think it's a great track, my other top favorite on the album. I relate to it a lot and I just love the dreamy sound.
16. ME! (feat. Brenden Urie of Panic! at the Disco) - 5/5 It certainly has its flaws as a song but damn it all if this isn't one of the catchiest songs she's ever put out. I do agree with critics it's very cartoonish though. But I think that was intentional on her part. It was supposed to symbolize a dramatic transition from rep to Lover and it succeeded. This is still my guilty pleasure fun pop song.
17. It's Nice to Have a Friend - 4/5 I don't know what to think about this song. It seems to be the least favorite by most fans and I would agree. I don't think it's bad though. The sound reminds me of Asian music. It's a very interesting sound and production style. I don't hate it. But I probably also wouldn't go out of my way to play this super often. I think this could have honestly been left off the album and it would have made no difference. It was an unnecessary filler IMO.
18. Daylight - 5/5 I see more people sleeping on this one too and I don't know why. I think it's a pretty good closing track. I would have preferred Daylight as an album title, but I also think Lover sums up the theme pretty well. I love the throwback to "Red": "I once believed love would be burning red, but it's golden like daylight." I also love how the song ends with the spoken word passage about how we should be defined by the things we love, not the things we hate or are afraid of. And that's such a beautiful, inspiring message to leave the listener with.
Overall rating: For now it's a 4/5. Some hits and misses, a mixed bag. It seems like for a lot of people the tracks were growers, so it loses points if you have to listen a few times to think the songs are good. However, it's super special how she has come full circle with this album. In the prologue of RED, she wrote about how she would maybe one day write a whole album about true love, if she ever found it. And now that album is Lover. And best of all, she owns the master recordings to every song on it. This is the album she has always wanted to make.
1989 remains my favorite album from her and likely always will be. It's not just the music, but I associate it with such a positive time in my life. I don't think anything will ever be able to top it. But Lover is an overall good album too. Not my favorite, not her best. But there are many things about it that make it the strongest album of her career so far in terms of things like lyrics and approaching heavy topics like sexism, politics, and the prospect of death or losing a loved one. She accomplished her goal of making the album she always wanted to make. She owns the masters. The artwork and the aesthetics this era are amazing, I love the pastel colors and clouds!
I streamed on Apple Music and went with Version 1 of the Target deluxe after seeing some posts on Instagram about what's in each version. Haven't read the diary entries yet (but I believe it has the actual first draft lyrics of All Too Well in it, while version 4 has the final draft). I also haven't listened to the voice memos yet.
I will conclude my review with my favorite lyric from each song:
I Forgot That You Existed - "How many days did I spend thinking 'bout how you did me wrong, wrong, wrong/Lived in the shade you were throwing till all of my sunshine was gone, gone, gone"
Cruel Summer - Can't decide between "Hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine, I'm dying/Say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times, we're not trying" or "And I snuck in through the garden gate/Every night that summer just to seal my fate" (Forgot to mention above that when she screams in the bridge, her voice reminded me of Miley Cyrus lol)
Lover - "Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand?/With every guitar string scar on my hand/I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover/My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue/All's well that ends well to end up with you/Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover"
The Man - "They'd say I hustled, put in the work/They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve/What I was wearing, if I was rude/Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves"
The Archer - "I've got a hundred thrown out speeches I almost said to you," "I cut off my nose just to spite my face and I hate my reflection for years and years," "All of my enemies started out friends"
I Think He Knows - "Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh/We can follow the sparks, I'll drive"
Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince - "You play stupid games, you win stupid prizes"
Paper Rings - "The moon is high, like your friends were the night we first met/Went home and tried to stalk you on the Internet," "The wine is cold like the shoulder I gave you in the street"
Cornelia Street - "Memorize the creaks in the floor"
Death by a Thousand Cuts - "I ask the traffic lights if it'll be alright, they say 'I don't know'," "But if the story's over, why I am I still writing pages?"
London Boy - "They say home is where the heart is, but that's not where mine lives"
Soon You'll Get Better - "The buttons of my coat were tangled in my hair/In doctor's office lighting, I didn't tell you I was scared," "You'll get better soon, 'cause you have to"
False God - Not really any standout lyrics in this one for me but I'll pick "I know heaven's a thing, I go there when you touch me honey"
You Need to Calm Down - "Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?", "Shade never made anybody less gay," "And we see you over there on the Internet comparing all the girls who are killing it," "I'm just like 'Damn, it's 7 AM!'"
Afterglow - "Meet me in the afterglow"
ME! - "You can't spell awesome without me", "Like a rainbow with all of the colors"
It's Nice to Have a Friend - "Rice on the ground looks like snow"
Daylight - "I once believed love would be burning red, now it's golden like daylight"
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 24, 2019 15:53:16 GMT
Cruel Summer kind of gave me Call It What You Want vibes in the verse and Getaway Car vibes in the chorus. Paper Rings reminded me of Stay, Stay, Stay. Cornelia Street reminded me of Delicate with the drum beat change in the second verse. London Boy reminded me of This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things. And False God reminded me of Dress. And I mean this all sonically, not lyrically. Someone actually pointed out the very end of Getaway Car transitions seamlessly into the intro of Cruel Summer. Wouldn't be shocked if the song is about Tom Hiddleston, since Getaway Car is also. Agree with you about Paper Rings/Stay Stay Stay and Cornelia Street/Delicate. Probably also intentional, especially with Cornelia Street and Delicate because she mentions the same apartment in both songs I think? "Third floor on the West Side"
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 24, 2019 16:30:47 GMT
I totally forgot to mention how Daylight reminded me of Clean!
|
|
katy
Member
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 11:48:03 GMT
Posts: 4,742
Likes: 14,273
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 7:00:00 GMT
|
Post by katy on Aug 24, 2019 16:42:23 GMT
Hahahaha London Boy is fab but yes, in terms of travel it’s a logistical nightmare
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 24, 2019 16:54:23 GMT
Forgot to mention my ranking of the songs and albums!
My top 3 songs for now:
1. Afterglow 2. Cruel Summer 3. Paper Rings
Bottom 3: 1. I Forgot That You Existed 2. It’s Nice to Have a Friend 3. Miss Americana
Album rank: 1989 RED Speak Now Reputation Lover Fearless Taylor Swift
Honestly none of her albums are bad though.
|
|
biggerwow
Moderator
Join Date: Aug 18, 2017 21:37:25 GMT
Posts: 6,018
Likes: 11,476
Last Online: Dec 5, 2018 5:20:38 GMT
|
Post by biggerwow on Aug 24, 2019 18:17:54 GMT
She wrote Lover alone 👏👏👏
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 24, 2019 20:15:17 GMT
^ There's technically 3 songs she wrote alone: Lover, Cornelia Street, and Daylight. She hasn't written any songs for an album alone since 1989 and this is the most self-writtens on an album since RED (1989 only had 1).
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Join Date: Mar 29, 2024 7:50:55 GMT
Posts: 0
Likes:
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 7:50:55 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2019 2:05:14 GMT
|
|
aia
Member
Join Date: Sept 8, 2018 4:08:24 GMT
Posts: 408
Likes: 361
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 4:15:07 GMT
|
Post by aia on Aug 25, 2019 9:48:33 GMT
Lol Taylor copied Avril again in Lover... The music video and melody is similar to Tell Me It's Over...
|
|
BogoGog24
Administrator
I'm off again in my world...
Join Date: Mar 14, 2015 12:38:58 GMT
Posts: 14,642
Likes: 38,889
Last Online: Mar 29, 2024 1:32:21 GMT
|
Post by BogoGog24 on Aug 25, 2019 14:01:26 GMT
I don’t find them to be that similar at all.
And Lover is a far superior video than TMIO, easily.
|
|
biggerwow
Moderator
Join Date: Aug 18, 2017 21:37:25 GMT
Posts: 6,018
Likes: 11,476
Last Online: Dec 5, 2018 5:20:38 GMT
|
Post by biggerwow on Aug 25, 2019 22:06:18 GMT
Copied? LMAO nope. Don't start that please. They both got crowns.
I find Lover similar to Crush. And I heard a mashup with TMIO. They carry the same vintage vibe. But they are still very different songs lyrically.
|
|
Avengium
Member
MOTM January '16, MOTM October '17
Taylor Swift: "Relating with fans since 1989" 😍
Join Date: Oct 19, 2015 10:15:16 GMT
Posts: 2,247
Likes: 1,741
Location: España, Madrid, Linea 6, Metro Lucero
Last Online: Sept 8, 2019 13:04:46 GMT
|
Post by Avengium on Aug 27, 2019 10:05:03 GMT
About secret sessioners, they sign NDAs but they still leak things anyways.
About album versions, the fan box don't have diary pages at all. Only the 4 deluxes have diary.
About physical copies, Republic Records said Lover sold 2M first days worldwide.
|
|