25/08/2019

My Thoughts On Taylor Swift's New Album 'Lover'!

(beep)

omg omg omg Taylor Swift released a new album a few days ago and I can't even begin to explain how busy and hectic my life has been, meaning I couldn't listen to it on release like I wanted and I had to wait. But let me just say, it was worth it.

After releasing 6 incredible, beautiful and mind-blowing previous albums, the whole world was excited to hear the next chapter. Going from her previous Reputation era to the new Lover one has been an amazing transition, and I just hope Taylor feels good and better.

Like normal with my weird reviews, I will type my thoughts as I listen to each song and then round it up at the end. I have only listened to the singles/songs that were released prior to the album: ME!, You Need To Calm Down, The Archer and Lover (also shoutout to the Lover music video, you are in love dancing in a snowglobe round and round vibes yes please thanks I love 1989 so much) but I will also leave my thoughts on them as they appear through the album.


So this is it, this is Lover...

I Forgot That You Existed

Simple and cute. In leading on from reputation, nice to have a similar singing style but a much happier backing track. A really nice way to gap the bridge between the sass of Rep and the beginning of this magical era by just shrugging off all that badness and getting over it. I think it's one I'll add to my playlist and have in the background. I don't know, it's not what I expected the first song to be but now I'm hearing it, I can't think of a more perfect tune to kick off this era.

Cruel Summer

Ooh it's kinda rep vibes but also 1989 vibes and I love it. It's chill and summery and a bop. It's weird that an album all about love has opened with 2 songs not really focusing on unconditional love which is what I really heavily expected. I guess we feel love and give love and accept love in different ways and sometimes the best way we can show ourselves love is to get rid of the bad people. This is gonna be the best on tour! It's really pop-y and I just love it. It's so full of feeling. I love this idea of summer love in the movies and just knowing it's not going to work but it's still quite beautiful, I feel Taylor's lyrics in this just perfectly sum that up. 

Lover

Ok so this is the most recent single from the album and also it's namesake. It's weird to go from those 2 previous songs to this beautiful love song that I'm sure many swifties will have as their first dance song. It's just so gorgeous and stunning, so I completely get why. Just kinda throws off the vibe for me a bit going from cruel summer to this. I'm sure it all makes sense overall, just not right now! "I've loved you 3 summers now but honey I want them all" OMG I JUST WANNA SQUEAL WITH DELIGHT HOW CUTE IS THAT IT GETS ME EVERYTIME!!!! It's funny to go from something like Speak Now and Love Story to this, especially with the bridges of both songs. That growth YASSS! To go from not really fully having the person to completely loving and feeling it all without the feeling of hurting people is amazing and I love that we've been able to see Taylor grow through love and love grow through her throughout the years. "Magnetic force of a man" GORGEOUS VIBES????? I just think this is the most magical song.

The Man

Ooh yes throw those hot lyrics. Omg this is so interesting because in the music video for You Need To Calm Down, Taylor references Cher with a hanging quote reading: "I am a rich man", which is so iconic. I think there will always be something attacking women in every industry, but online, the music industry gets a lot of attack so it's really cool to see someone as big as Ms Swift talking about it in this way! Hopefully people start to realise and change! The truth in these lyrics is so amazing, and paired with the beat, I frickin love it. What a powerful song!!! "If I was a man, then I'd be the man" TRUTH ONLY LADIES!!!!

The Archer

Ok so this was the third song released from the album and I only listened to it that 1 day and I wasn't that fussed, but WHAT A PERFECT SONG TO COME AFTER THE MAN! like truly! "I've been the archer, I've been the prey" you've got to admit that Taylor writes some of the BEST lyrics you'll ever hear. This song is so whimsical and the melody is so different to the hardness of the lyrics which I really like. I love this softness. Like I Know Places from 1989, it's like 2 people have come together and they're gonna get hurt so they either need to hide or fight back. IKP is like the start of the song with the press and people chasing and accusing, and this comes after, when Taylor is telling the person she's with that it's ok to leave but if they wanted to stay, they'd be able to work it all out. I just love songs that tell stories and I think this is just a magnificent example of that. (obviously these are just my own thoughts!!)

I Think He Knows

Clickity click. OMG YES THAT BEAT MMMMM YES! ok I liked it but omg I LIKE IT! I love that Taylor isn't afraid to address and bring up her younger self in songs and talk about the feelings she had Vs the ones she has. I love this omg! I think this is one of my faves from the album, the mixture of lyrics and the beat is just PERFECTION. Highly recommend!!! This is gonna POP on tour!

Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince

Ok, when I saw the title for this song I imagined something like Hollywood from Marina and the Diamonds and it's nothing like that hahha. This to me is a classic Taylor song with a new and fresh beat. The lyrics are beautiful and really heartbreaking. Yeah, this really reminds me of old Taylor. I love how this album fully explored love in all its aspects, and this is a perfect example of that. A bop ok cool. looking at the meaning behind this song, Taylor says it's set in a metaphorical high school and finding one person who really cares about you through all the chaos. To be honest, I didn't really get that through my first listen, but I'm sure when I listen again I'll say OHHHHH!!!

Ok I'm just dumb. I've listened again and when I first heard it I was on the tube and it was loud so I thought Miss Americana was having her heart broken by the Prince, but he's actually the one who is the love and light in each situation. Makes sense now lollll. I really like it, it's a mood.

Paper Rings

Omg um hello is this Taylor? This is such an amazing jam! It sounds like she doesn't like the person through initial listening, but looking at what Taylor says it really makes sense. If you find love, material things don't matter at all. You don't need fancy things and metal rings, paper and picture frames are just fine. "I love shiny things but I'd marry you with paper things" omg I'M FREAKING OUT HOW CUTE!!!! This is one of my faves. I really love how pop-y this is and it sounds nothing like a Taylor song but also has everything about Taylor all over it. This is just so cute and I am in love with this song.

Cornelia Street

Ok I love how each song on this album sounds so different. This is really sad. I can feel strands from her past albums, all in this song which is really beautiful because the song is made up of different strands of history, all taking place on the street. It's REALLY reminds me of Dress from her album reputation. Obviously it's so so different but it sounds similar to me. It's really heartbreaking, but beautiful.

Death By A Thousand Cuts

Ooh I like this. I love how each song sounds so different, but each song is still so Taylor swift. I love the beat and how cool it is but it's still really sad. It's quite nice to go on this album journey and experience all the ups and downs of love. How we can feel so close to someone and then so far apart, it's just so interesting how Taylor has chosen to explore it and capture it in each song.

London Boy

OMG THIS IS THE ONE IVE WANTED TO LISTEN TO! Aw this is so cute towards her bf Joe Alwyn, and I love it because since moving to London I have loved experiencing it all and the fact in listening to what her and Joe have been up to is so cool! I love the lyric that home is where the heart is but that isn't where hers lives, it's such a lovely idea that she's found a home in a different place but specifically because of someone specific. This is gonna be amazing to hear in London on tour! It's beautiful to hear that she doesn't care where she is or what they're up to, as long as they're together! She is ready to emerge herself in his whole world, as long as he knows that she fancies him!

Soon You'll Get Better (ft Dixie Chicks)

Aw this is like classic Taylor and it's so beautiful and angelic and such a perfect pairing with the Dixie chicks. This must've been such a tough song to work on. Dedicated to her mother and her fight with cancer, it's so heartbreaking to hear something so personal to not just Taylor but her whole family. I love the country aspect, throwing it back to her roots and just how perfect the song is. I think it'll be a tough one for Taylor to sing live, she's really strong and I hope that the lyrics stay true and that good health comes.

False God

Ooh a bit jazzy. This is a really interesting side to love that she's exploring and I love the metaphors that she's using to help tell her story! I'm not super keen on the flow of this song, like, it's cool, but it's pretty chill and just not doing anything for me. I think I'll add it to my chill playlist. It's a really beautiful song, I'm just not really bothered by it, I hope that makes sense haha! Nice to see Taylor is referring to love as a false god and using religious metaphors to show how sometimes relationships need a powerful thing like that to hold onto.

You Need To Calm Down

YASSSSS when Taylor released this single I instantly fell in love! It's so badass that she's really taking control and not stopping after her reputation era and showing herself and her friends love by standing up for what she believes in and not letting the haters get her down. It's such a tune and I love it.

Afterglow

What a beautiful song. Another one that proves Taylor's lyrics really need to be listened to. I love that she is really taking ownership, whether of her life, choices or mistakes, and beautiful that this song is about forgiveness which is such an important part of love. What a glorious song. All loves go through ups and downs so it's lovely to hear what Taylor's thoughts are on how to get out of it.

ME! (Ft Brendon Urie)

Like previous songs that have worked so well after each other, to follow afterglow with this song is amazing. This was the first single released from the album and I remember thinking it was just so so different and maybe this album would be quite theatrical, but it's been lovely to have this mix of highs and lows and styles of songs! I think self love is such an important thing but to have someone completely accept you for who you are can be tough to find, so I think this song is beautiful. At the end of the day, the best person you can be is yourself and one day you will find someone who loves every single part of you.

It's Nice To Have A Friend

Oh this sounds so different with the steel drums. Oh we're like back in the debut Taylor swift era, looking back at her childhood and having someone who means a lot to you. This album, Taylor has treated us to seeing her old diary entries and I can imagine her flicking through and feeling inspired by moments from the past, no matter how small. OH THE TRUMPETS SOUND LIKE A CHRISTMAS SONG. Omg wedding mentions, omg it's cute it's like following the life of 2 people who start to date and then get married, and just having a best friend in that. Not something sexual, just the beautiful friendship side of it. That's love. What a beautiful story.

Daylight

What a beautiful song. I feel that Taylor's past albums, especially her last, we're defined by her reputation (obviously the pun is intended), relationships, dramas and current stresses whereas this album has been fresh and beautiful. This song happily captures that there can be bad but that doesn't mean there won't be good. She has come out of a dark night and now there is only daylight. Good love, bad love, self love, true love, whatever it is, it's all needed to help see the light. This is the best song to close the album. The song ends with such a beautiful quote, that you should only be defined by what you love, not what you hate. I completely agree. How perfect to end this selection of incredibly powerful songs.

So that is Taylor Swift's new album Lover. Overall, it's such a beautiful collection on conversation of all kinds of love. Whether dark or bright, we all go through ups and downs with love but at the end of it all, the goodness will come, even if it doesn't seem like it will. It will be golden. I think it's the most beautiful album that is so important to Swift right now, and I love how it draws on her previous albums through similar lyrics and sounds yet is so standout that for me, it has to be one of my favourite albums of hers as a whole WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO SAY AS HER WHOLE DISCOGRAPHY IS BEAUTIFUL BUT YEAH, this is just utterly gorgeous. Well done Taylor, you've done it again. I hope the love stays with you and only blossoms and grows.

So those are my thoughts on Lover! AHHH what an album hey!! My favourites are: I Think He Knows, Paper Rings, London Boy, Soon You'll Get Better, It's Nice To Have A Friend, and Daylight, if you didn't have time to listen to the full album or just wanted a handful to get into it! Most of these songs will be going on my playlists and I can't wait to learn them and sing them when she goes on tour!

Well, I have to go and get ready for the day so I'll leave you to fangirl and listen to the album on repeat because SAME! I hope you get tickets to one of her shows future anna!

(beep)

10/08/2019

A Year In London!!!


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It's funny, I'm celebrating a year in London by going home for the weekend. Haha!
In July time, it suddenly hit me that I hadn't just been in London for a few months, it had nearly been a year. It's crazy to think because I recently starting putting together a scrapbook of all the tickets I've collected since being here and things I did last year feel like they only happened a few weeks ago. They say time flies when you're having fun, and I've spent so much of this year having the best time, it really has flown.

It's funny to think back to last year. I truly think it was the best year of my life. I followed both Bastille and Katy Perry on tour, went to festivals, did so much, and most importantly, I made the biggest change ever and moved to the big city! It was always something I dreamed of doing and the fact I did it, have done it, and am doing it truly blows my mind.

This year I've been able to prove to myself that I can do anything. Yes, I can feel scared and alone and sometimes the only thing I can do is cry, but after it all, I know I can build myself back up and be happy. I really see myself living in London for a while. Of course I miss home, I'm literally on my way there right now haha! But for me, London is the perfect place for me right now.

I guess I wanted to just quickly not down my thoughts on this year, the ups and downs, but overall just thank the people who have stuck by me and made me feel ok when I felt I couldn't. It's been tough, but we did it.

Here's to the next year, and who knows after that! I just hope I'm still ok and happy, and so are my family and friends.
For now though, I'm going to eat hula hoops and listen to my chill Spotify playlist and hope this train ride goes fast so I can be in the countryside with my family and friends who I dearly miss.

I'm proud of you lil anna. Keep going, please.

(beep)