Taylor Swift- Evermore
Label: Republic
Producers: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner
We should’ve known that Taylor Swift would have one more glorious surprise up her sleeve before the God-forsaken year that is 2020 finally left us. A mere five months after the world’s biggest pop star completely reinvented both her artistic identity and strategic record release process by surprise dropping the alt-masterwork, Folklore, she follows the same suit with the out-of-left-field unveiling of its sister-record, Evermore. As that monicker implies, this new installment continued to reside in the intimately moody chamber-pop realm of its predecessor, while invoking an additionally timely layer of wintry reflection. Therefore, it only further distanced Swift (at least for now) from the grandiose melodies and gigantic pop hooks that have led to her ultimate world domination, as she and Folklore co-concocters Jack Antonoff and The National’s Dessner brothers continued to explore the same confessional, folk-tinged narratives that have defined Swift’s pandemic-era output. And while there’s no denying the power-pop euphoria of albums like 1989 and Lover, it’s also undeniable that these newest soundscapes prove to be the ultimate showcase of both Swift’s masterful song craft, but also her physical voice, a now mature and nuanced vessel that hardly resembles that of her early county-pop hits. It’s also important not to mistake Evermore as a mere album of outtakes or B-side extras left behind in the Folklore sessions. Its status as a companion piece has inevitably drawn those critical comparisons, but this record also stands on its own as a fully realized singular body of work, with its own unique stories to tell.
Swift begins the record with hit single, “Willow”, a hypnotizing gem colored with her elegant whisper and an alluring, dreamy ambience that effectively carries forward the magic of Folklore’s “Cardigan”. It’s beautifully reminiscent of the haunting Americana-folk sound of The Civil Wars, a band that Swift collaborated with back in her country days, a pairing that now plays like a glorious premonition of this new arc in her artistic trajectory. Perhaps the most rewarding quality of this latest sonic evolution on Swift’s part is that she hasn’t sacrificed the cutting bite and wit of her pen as collateral. Splendid lyrical couplets abound throughout this song and those that follow, among them the clever “Life was a willow/And I bent right to your wind/But I come back stronger than a 90s trend.” Preach!
Her gift for painting vivid stories and character portrayals continues to reach new heights throughout Evermore. “Tis the Damn Season” follows a narrator who, upon returning to her hometown for the holidays, encounters an old lover and finds herself not only contemplating a brief reunion, but also reflecting upon what could have, and perhaps should have been: “And I wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I’m faking/And the heart I know I’m breaking is my own/To leave the warmest bed I’ve ever known.” “Tolerate It” cuts even deeper with its solemn dose of domestic devastation, sung from the perspective of a doting housewife whose entire world revolves around a man who doesn’t even come close to reciprocating: “I made you my temple, my mural, my sky/Now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life.” The harsh rejection and loneliness evokes some of Lori McKenna’s most heart-wrenching tales of marital discord, and to hear such mature examinations of adult relationships from an artist whose musical identity was initially built upon her high school experiences is incredibly rewarding. The piercing “Champagne Problems” likewise further demonstrates how far her intricate storytelling gifts have evolved. It depicts the heartbreak of a failed proposal, with Swift’s character owning all the heartbreak she’s caused, and accepting the cruel judgment she faces as a result. It’s the hallmark of a gifted songwriter to so remarkably cover the intimate and critical details of such a far-reaching story so efficiently and with such potent poetry.
Romantic entanglements are not the only relationships that Swift puts under the microscope, and refreshingly so. “Marjorie” is a moving tribute to her grandmother and effectively captures all of the bittersweet nostalgia one feels in embracing the continual presence of a loved one who has passed. Her yearning for the opportunity to discuss one’s current life circumstances with someone who is no longer here is universally raw. Meanwhile, the plucky charms of “Dorothea” portray a dormant friendship from the vantage point of one left behind in her hometown, while the other is long gone in a world of fame and fortune. To hear Swift pining as the former character is a clever and intriguing role reversal to say the least.
Another element setting Evermore apart from its sister is the increased presence of collaborators, and Swift has gathered an impressive variety of alternative and Americana stalwarts that her newest direction has naturally rubbed elbows with these past few months. Marcus Mumford provides gorgeously rugged harmonies on the warm and richly textured, “Cowboy Like Me”. The National’s presence extends beyond the producer’s seat when they join Swift for a full duet on the vivid “Coney Island”, which mourns a lost romance from one’s younger days, and does so with just the slightest glimmer of old Springsteen boardwalk romanticism. Bon Iver and Justin Vernon return to revisit the chemistry found with Swift on Folklore’s “Exile” with the album’s aching title track. The morose yet cathartic breakup ballad builds fabulously, exorcising a seemingly never ending pain before breaking through to the other side of heartache, with hope for the future. The most exciting collab’ by far however proves to be “No Body, No Crime”, a deliciously sinister mystery of adultery and murder that pairs Swift with rock it-girls, Haim. A slithering trip into Southern Gothic territory, it’s the glorious culmination of Swift’s early, and often obnoxious, attempts at revenge anthems. Let’s just say those narrative tendencies are undoubtedly all-grown up now. This is more than just an extension of other post-millennium triumphs like The Chicks’ “Goodbye Earl” or Carrie Underwood’s impressive slate of Gothic-tinged hits. It connects all the way back to the murder ballads of early folk music and country music’s golden age. OK, it may not be as plain-spoken and dastardly as say, Johnny Cash’s “Delia’s Gone” or Porter Wagoner’s “The Cold Hard Facts of Life”, but then again, what is? Haim’s haunting harmonies pair perfectly with the sly banjo and harmonica riffs and Swift leads the way admirably, with her unforgiving turns of phrase and lyrical quips being the ultimate highlight: “And I’ve cleaned up enough houses to know how to cover up a scene.”
When 2020 began 18 months ago, none of us had even pondered what a “quarantine record” was, or that such a term would grow to define much of the year’s musical story. It’s safe to say however that Taylor Swift has pretty much cemented her ownership of the term, and that out of these circumstances has come one of the most captivating and rewarding reinventions any major pop star has undergone in some time. Evermore is another stirring chapter in the continual evolution and creative expansion of Swift’s artistry. Like Folklore before it, the record’s moody pacing may be the one issue some listeners take with it, and while it certainly would’ve benefited from a track like “The 1” or a few more variations in tempo, it’s also those icier qualities that make it such a revelatory body of music. This record is an evocative and enchanting showcase and more than holds its own with both its predecessor and the rest of the pandemic era’s most revered pop albums.
Track Listing
- “Willow” (Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner)
- “Champagne Problems” (Swift, William Bowery)
- “Gold Rush” (Swift, Jack Antonoff)
- “Til the Damn Season” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Tolerate It” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “No Body, No Crime”- featuring Haim (“Swift)
- “Happiness” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Dorothea” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Coney Island”- featuring The National (Swift, A. Dessner, Bowery)
- “Ivy” (Swift, A. Dessner, Antonoff)
- “Cowboy Like Me”- with Marcus Mumford (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Long Story Short” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Marjorie” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Closure” (Swift, A. Dessner)
- “Evermore”- featuring Bon Iver (Swift, Bowery, Justin Vernon)
The 706 
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