Jacky A

It has weak production and cringey lyrics. A few hidden gems can be found, but overall just not up to par with Evermore, Lover or Reputation. The anthology and bonus tracks are the better on the album, notably Black Dog. Daddy is a fun needed bop but the suspected muse is problematic. A lot of questionable tracks such as So High School lean emotionally stunted with roll your eyes lyrics alluding to sex while his friends play grand theft auto, and knowing “ball and I know Aristotle”. Other tracks allude to masturbation over thinking of former problematic muse (really?), praise mediocre artists (puth), romanticize the 1830s pre civil war/slavery abolished (wow), and the rest of the songs are a huge drag sonically with the exception of Who’s Afraid, of a way too long song title, but otherwise interesting track. Other off putting things are the need to have tracks attacking Kim, it’s beating a dead horse and mentioning her kid should be off limits. It’s also odd that she would come out with a song about getting a guy back when Olivia Rodrigues hit song is exactly that, it feels like a competition with the “younger edgier” girl instead of being a mentor, and Fiona Apple already did the perfect “get him back” song a decade ago. For someone who self proclaims to be a feminist, having 31 tracks about men and not one powerful pop empowering song for women/girls is a let down. Albatross and the song with like five peoples names I can’t remember do redeem the second half. All in all skip all but So Long London, Daddy and Black Dog on the first half, then enjoy most of the anthology half.