After almost two grueling years of waiting for an original album from 32-year-old singer-songwriter and dominator of the music charts Taylor Swift, we have finally been given a new, energetic and pop-style record, featuring thirteen original album songs and seven additional pieces. “Midnights”, released on Oct. 21, 2022, is Swift’s tenth studio album and features 20 songs ranging in mood, lyric qualities and overall purpose within the collection.

I would first like to admit that I am not necessarily the biggest “Swiftie” on the planet, so I am coming from a relatively outside perspective. To get this out of the way, this is not my favorite Taylor Swift album in the slightest; however, I see the personality and merit to the album as a whole and understand why it may be some fans’ favorite thus far. 

My biggest gripe with the album as a whole would have to be the similarity of the tracks when played in succession. This broken-record feeling went more away after a couple of listens of the album, but a lot of the songs sound very similar in terms of the backing tracks, BPM and vocals. Not to mention that some specific songs are pretty lackluster throughout and don’t offer much in terms of dramatics like many other Swift songs exhibit. 

For example, one of the songs I was most disappointed with has to be “Vigilante Shit”. I’ve seen this song get placed into a more “Reputation”-esque grouping, as the content very much reflects the overall themes in Swift’s sixth album. However, I find “Vigilante Shit” rather boring in comparison to songs on “Reputation” such as “Don’t Blame Me” and “I Did Something Bad”, which use high levels of quality production and bass-use to their benefit. 

“Vigilante Shit” and (unfortunately) “Sweet Nothing” have repetitive qualities and the feeling that something else is coming but never does. I think both songs have their good quirks; for example, “Vigilante Shit” has a “bad-ass” feel which is inherently empowering, and “Sweet Nothing” has a beautiful theme of acknowledging the little things about being in love. However, I think we’ve seen Swift accomplish both of these themes before more effectively. 

Despite my disappointment with a few songs on the album, I definitely have found myself coming back to a few on a regular basis. Hearing new music from Taylor Swift seems to be a ritualistic affair in itself, so finding all time favorites on a not-so-favorite album is not unheard of for many people. 

“Lavender Haze”, the opener for “Midnights”, has to be one of my favorites from all twenty songs. This may be because it sounds eerily similar to “I Think He Knows” off Swift’s seventh album, “Lover”, but I think it has its own unique qualities. The chorus is especially catchy, and has the sense of dramatics that I feel was missing from some of the other songs. Swift, in my opinion, made a great choice in making “Lavender Haze” the album’s opener, as its representation of being in the “all-encompassing love glow” of a relationship is fun and has a perfect pop song feel.

A similar song that I believe fits the overall feel of the album is “Bejeweled”. “Bejeweled” has proven to be popular both among fans and average listeners of Taylor Swift on TikTok and in my opinion, it’s for good reason. “Bejeweled” is another pop-sounding self-love song that is not only extremely catchy but also lyrically complex in its verses, which facilitates an in-depth yet very lively listening experience. 

Finally, “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is one of the most heartfelt songs on the album, in both production and overall meaning. I can see this song as a track on “Red”, both because of the material and sound; in all honesty, the bridge saved this song and shot it up to one of my favorites on the album. It has a dramatic build-up into the second bridge that reflects on the feeling of childhood and the fear of not having anyone to fall back onto. 

“Hits Different” has to be my favorite song off the album, and the fact that it’s only available on the Target Exclusive CD is honestly infuriating (although I understand why it was done in terms of sales). Although not necessarily lyrically life-changing, “Hits Different” has that perfect balance of heartbreak and the urge to break out into a flash mob. 

The additional seven songs that were added to the album at 3 a.m. the night it was released also offer even more earnest pieces that touch on Swift’s past. Swift did a lot of things right with this release, but if she knows one thing, she knows how to put on a show; the 3 a.m. addition of the album had fans up into the depths of the night on Oct. 21, and the months preceding the release were full of clues, easter eggs and cryptic videos that kept fans engaged and excited up until the night of the release. 

Overall, “Midnights” exhibited interesting lyrical choices, a primarily synth-pop feel and a wide range of heartfelt and enjoyable content. Although not my favorite album in terms of lyrics, similarity and features (Lana Del Ray I’m looking at you), I can still admit “Midnights” has a lot to offer when it comes to musical talent and perspective. “Red” and “Folklore” will still be my favorite Taylor Swift albums, and that may be a huge reason why this complete 180 of an album isn’t my favorite of hers. I guess you can say it will be many midnights until anything beats “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”.