Taylor Swift’s 'Midnights': A Breakdown
Taylor Swift releases her 13 album titled "Midnights." Source: Madison Lisowski '23
Did you know that she’s a mastermind? Since the re-release of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in November of 2021, patient fans have awaited new music from Taylor Swift. On Oct. 21, Swift finally delivered with thirteen tracks on “Midnights,” seven additional tracks on a separate “3 A.M. Edition” and secret bonus tracks on her CDs and vinyls. If there is any word to describe this woman, it is “fearless”.
Many were unprepared for her to drop so much additional music. But, no matter what Swifties were expecting in this album, it was not this. Each new album comes with a new ‘era’, and this pop, mid-century modern one opened a whole new door. Fans are left incapable of comparing Swift’s old music with her new because of how different her new sound is.
Lavender Haze
“Meet me at midnight” starts off the album with an upbeat pop single. While the lead song sounds quite like her album “Lover,” track “I Think He Knows,” it is a catchy tune that will get stuck in your head for days to come. The song especially stands out when she layers her harmonious vocals on top of each other, which sets the tone for the rest of the songs. A standout quote is “All they keep asking me is if I'm gonna be your bride. The only type of girl they see is a one night or a wife.” The term “lavender haze” is apparently a 1950s term that describes the honeymoon phase of a relationship, indicating that this “sleepless night” talks about the early days of a relationship.
Maroon
Can an artist really own a color? Ask Ms. Swift, who not only took control of the primary color “red” through both a metaphorical song and one of her best albums. Now, she takes over every single shade and variant of red through “Maroon,” almost giving up her ownership of “burning red.” A slower, artsy-type song takes us through her most recent relationship with Joe Alwyn. The deep bass creates a smooth feeling for Swift to disclose her thriving relationship with listeners.
Anti-Hero
This song is so far the #1 radio hit off of this album. In a social media video, Swift shared that this song is about other people’s perceptions of her, calling herself the “anti-hero.” Lots of rhyming is featured, along with strong vocabulary and questionable lines like “sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby and I’m the monster on the hill.” The song encapsulated the feeling of society’s pressure on your back, in addition to self-pressure. Still, the single will most likely be repetitive on the radio for the next few months.
Snow on the Beach
This may be a hot take, so I apologize, but to me, “Snow on the Beach” was the most disappointing song on the entire album. The song itself is not bad by any means, but after Swift announced that the song would feature Lana Del Rey, fans were ecstatic for this collaboration. But when we listened to it for the first time, what we did not hear was any Lana Del Rey. Her voice is used to balance Taylor’s vocals but still fails to give what fans were hoping for. With that aside, the song is a cute take on the realization that you are with the person you never expected you could be with. The explicit song builds over time, with more of a bedroom pop feel to it. In general, dissatisfying, but still a solid song.
You’re On Your Own, Kid
This gradual change of pace was a great shift from the slowness of the prior song. A steady guitar beat tells the story of a younger Taylor growing up and realizing that no matter who she brings into her life, she is on her own. In my opinion, this song has the best growth from the verses to the bridge to the chorus. For a track 5 song, though, “You’re On Your Own, Kid” does not compare to Swift’s iconic ballads “All Too Well” and “Dear John.”
Midnight Rain
Also a bedroom pop hit, “Midnight Rain” sounds a lot like it was released in the 1980s with all of the techno and electronic beats. What I really appreciate from this song is the manipulation of Swift’s voice levels and octaves in post-production edits. Comparing her significant other to sunshine and herself to midnight rain, Swift does it again with another self-deprecating tune. Overall, the song is not one of her best but still was interesting and unique from her earlier music.
Question…?
Sampling your own song is uncommon in the music industry, but here Swift goes again with breaking all the rules. She begins “Question…?” with a clip from her 1989 hit “Out of the Woods.” An upbeat shift from the last few tracks, this song is presumed to be another radio hit in the near future. While this song was most likely based on her 1989 era, her songwriting has definitely matured since then. The techno sound lingers in at the end of this track, as well as a plethora of relatable lyrics scattered throughout the chorus. For lack of a better term, my friends and I would describe this as a “bop.”
Vigilante Shit
This “Reputation”-esque hit was hands down the most stand-out on the album. Between the pounding bass and minimal instrumentals, both Swift’s voice and lyricism carry the song. “I don’t dress for women, I don’t dress for men. Lately I’ve been dressing for revenge,” had myself and the rest of the listeners screaming. Such a different and powerful song, “Vigilante Shit” happens to be the first that Swift has ever sworn in a track title. Whether you are a fan of this song or not (I am), we can all agree that this is the most distinct, despite her monotone notes.
Bejeweled
A fantastic bridge comes out of this juvenile hit. It may not be one of my personal favorites, but the uplifting and upbeat pop definitely makes you feel some kind of way. The song tackles the story of Swift “going out tonight” and bedazzling the room. Furthermore, Swift discloses that she may be getting “too old” for this kind of pop career, but proves herself and Jimmy Fallon wrong by releasing this youthful hit. The music video, however, pointed to signs that “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” might be the next album drop, but that is a whole additional article.
Labyrinth
Months ago, Swift hinted at “Midnights” in her New York University commencement speech with her quote “breathe in, breathe deep, breathe through, breathe out.” With another great bridge, she hits some really high-pitched notes in this tempo-paced tune. How many songs can Swift write about falling in love? Maybe too many, but I am glad to add this one to the list.
Karma
“Karma’s a relaxing thought,” she says. Another possible radio song, “Karma” is one of my top tracks from the album. While it falls more under the pop category, it is a mash of her 1989 and “Reputation” eras – pleasing to all who press play. Swift writes this song in response to all of her haters throughout her career, claiming that now she is thriving, while characters such as Scooter Braun and Kanye West are not. “Me and karma vibe like that.”
Sweet Nothing
Cute, sweet and peaceful are the only words to describe this love song. “Sweet Nothing” gently talks about how all Swift’s lover wanted from her was her presence, which makes listeners from across the globe crave a relationship. The G major keyboard chords and simple lyrics make the song one of her more positive midnights.
Mastermind
The closing track, “Mastermind,” shares how Swift has pre-planned all of her chess moves, both in the music industry and with her relationships. Her self-awareness aligns with her idea of dropping easter eggs in songs, speeches, music videos and interviews. After the first listen, “Mastermind” is a deep track that picks up with a techno-spacey sound. Over time, I decided that this head-banger is the perfect closing to the album. And I do agree, Ms. Swift; you are quite the mastermind.
As a Taylor Swift fan for quite some time, I definitely have my preferences on which songs and albums I like better than others. “Midnights” took Swifties into a whole new ballpark, with hints of music and themes from her earlier albums, but also an entirely new sound. I am thoroughly impressed by this release and by how well it is doing on the charts, but I am not surprised in the slightest. Still, the surprises keep coming with the drops of new music videos every few days, hidden tracks on CDs and strange announcements. Again with her “mastermind” tendencies, she will leave us not knowing what to expect next.