So imma put in my 2-cents 'cause as T-Swizzle would say "If you don't like it, you can go fuck yourself!" (Does she say that? Prob not, but roll with it).
I'm, admittedly, not a TS fan. I'm also not not a fan - if that makes sense? I'm long past a time in my life in saying that this or that music is "bad" or "sucks" - with maybe a few exceptions. I can't deny that a person who has had longevity, legions of fans, and sold millions has got talent. That also doesn't mean it has to be for me; 'cause not everything in this world is for me and that's okay. I can probably only think of a few TS songs off the top of my head. The Shake It Off one - yea, that's catchy as hell. The one where she sings about never, ever getting back together....wheeeee (that one is an earworm....I used to work in a warehouse that had a radio with reception that came in for only one adult contemporary/pop station and I heard that song everyday - you betcha that I was wheeeing right along with her!). And the song that has the video where she is with a bunch of female baddies and shit blows up....is it called Bad Reputation??? Yes, I could easily look this stuff up but y'all are the experts so you know what I'm trying to reference.
RE: the Kanye v TS thing I've been seeing pop up here. Don't care. Don't have a substantial opinion. Obviously know the background 'cause I've not lived under a media rock the last handful of years. But, again, don't care. The music exists outside of that.
Anywhooo....hearing all this talk of folklore piqued my interest. Like I've said, I'm not super familiar with her discography unless it's been all over the airwaves. And, quite honestly, I'm usually so insulated with putting on records, CDs, or stuff from my digital library that I miss a lot of stuff that hits the radio. But from what I can gather, this album represents a departure from her larger oeuvre? Now for those of you who are big into her - is this like a complete 180 in sound or more of a - while unexpected, not totally leftfield - pivot?
With that said, I am listening to it for my second time through while I type this. I gotta say, I like it. I also like not really knowing her music outside of a few songs - this way I don't have the baggage of expectations, what I think a TS album SHOULD sound like.
Judging it on its own as a standalone album irrespective of her other work (and this is a kneejerk rating), I'd give it a 7.5/10. I see on Metacritic that, ATT, it's sitting at 94/100. That is a little over flattering IMO but it doesn't make my head spin to see that.
I couldn't see myself grabbing this on vinyl, but it would potentially be a CD grab for me.
Immediate standout track: the last great american dynasty (steeped in storytelling); I also liked my tears ricochet and august (the instrumentation is great on this track and some of things she does with her lyrics and voice are great; "but I can see us lost in the memory..." that refrain is sweet [in fact, a bit of the melody reminds me of Donna Lewis "I Love You Always Forever"] and the song ends really strong); I'd have to give it more listens to form fuller opinions about individual tracks.
Edit: this is me trying is growing on me; i also like the build up and light crescendo of illicit affairs (like a soft drizzle that builds to a steady rain), although I found the beginning of the song to be a bit forgettable (the drizzle part) and thought it finished much better; invisible string is another song with strong lyrics and I like the plucked string accompaniment (at first I thought it was a banjo but reading the credits, it sounds like a plucked viola/violin) - in fact, invisible string has really come up as a great track to me. Cardigan has some choice lyrics ("A friend to all is a friend to none; Chase two girls, lose the one" [THE ONE])
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