Louise Mc

This is one of the most real, relatable, and heartbreaking albums. It feels like the first album written by Taylor Swift that resonates more with an older audience than a younger one. Songs like "So Long, London" and "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" are devastating to anyone who has truly been heartbroken. Meanwhile, the intense songs about the heartbreak of shorter-term, seemingly unhealthy relationships provide insight into how we can convince ourselves of something that seems almost delusional. She also writes about how this can happen, detailing the conflicting process of emotionally investing in the fantasies described in "Guilty as Sin?" It's a truly clever album, with the heightened drama and emotion of the lyrics and the theatrical vocal style on songs like "Fresh Out the Slammer" almost poking fun at this type of delusional state, while others like "Down Bad" directly address this teenage petulant behavior. Although many songs are filled with words of anger, sadness, or depression, most of the tracks are quite introspective, coming from a place of acceptance. Even the apparent diss track "Thank You, Aimme" acknowledges the positive aspects of Aimme and is more reflective than outright angry. There are also several empowering songs like "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" and "Clara Bow," where Taylor Swift seems to realize for the first time in her career that she is, in fact, Taylor Swift. TTPD is the first album that has come out while I was experiencing the many emotional complexities in the songs. I have always been a few years ahead, life-stage-wise, than the TS albums, though I did become a major Swiftie following the release of Folklore. With TTPD, I feel like I'm getting to experience what the people who grew up with Taylor Swift experienced, and it's honestly mind-blowing. I've only listened to it three times so far, but I feel like this is quickly becoming my favorite album of all time.