And Possible Easter Eggs
Swifties, how are we doing? Taylor never ceases to amaze us, and she’s almost outdone herself this time. The moment the clock striked 11:00pm Central Time, I dropped everything to listen to her new album. Of course, Spotify chose that exact moment to crash, but after a few minutes, the first notes of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)(Taylor’s Version)(From the Vault)” were blasting through my friend’s phone speaker. We sat on a bench in the freezing wind for ten minutes on State Street just to listen. And when I tell you we were all tearing up, I’m not exaggerating (of course, if you’re a real Swiftie you’ll already know and understand this). The rest of the night time was paralyzed, the only thing that mattered was listening to every song on the album. It took a while to get through thirty songs – two hours and ten minutes to be precise – but it was worth it.
I cried when I heard “Better Man,” since it’s one of my favorite songs ever and we finally have a recorded version of Taylor singing it. It’s different from Little Big Town’s version, but in a good way. The harmonizing is impeccable. “Nothing New” is the next track from the vault, and it’s a duet with Phoebe Bridgers. Their voices flow so well together, and even though it’s a sad song about losing fame and aging, they sing it so beautifully and with so much meaning. “Message in a Bottle” completely shocked me. It definitely is leaning towards “1989”, but I love it! It’s more hopeful, and possibly parallels “Come Back…Be Here” since Taylor asks how London is. “Message in a Bottle” also showcases her ability to effortlessly execute vocal runs and belting.
“Forever Winter” is absolutely heartbreaking. The helplessness of having someone close to you struggling with mental health is really captured in this song. It paints a painful picture of mental health struggles and suicide. “Run” featuring Ed Sheeran is next, and as always, these two absolutely kill it together. The lyrics tell a beautiful story of dreaming about escape, and are similar in theme to “I Know Places,” but at a much slower and intentional pace. “The Very First Night” is one of the more upbeat songs of the vault tracks, and very catchy.
Now, what we’ve all been waiting for: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” It didn’t disappoint. Honestly, I’m not sure how much I’ll listen to the shorter version after hearing this. An absolute masterpiece. It was always meant to be heard at its full length. The new lyrics are amazing, with more slams against Jake Gyllenhaal. Heartbreaking, of course, to hear Taylor’s pain, but lovely to listen to. Her directing of the short film is just another testament to how talented that woman is. The accuracy of the age gap, the screaming match, the dancing in the refrigerator light and the upstate escape were depicted so well. Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien really sunk into character and gave stunning performances. It was clear how much work went into production. No other track in the album compares.
Not only did we get an “All Too Well” short film, we also got a music video for “I Bet You Think About Me,” which was not what I was expecting at all. I love how Taylor stands out in her red outfits (can we talk about the pantsuit oh my gosh), and the details of the set are amazing. The table she sits at is number 13 and the cake tiers correspond with her previous albums. These include seagulls on the lowest tier for “1989” and her “Red (Taylor’s Version)” album ring, along with her ring from the original album. The song itself nods at her country past, featuring Chris Stapleton. It pokes fun at a past relationship, but also has a hint of nostalgia.
I’m excited for whatever is in store for us next. Some theories point towards “1989” and the possible release of “Wonderland”, based on several hints that were dropped in the short film, music video and from Taylor herself on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Rabbits being pulled out of hats, the painting of roses and the blue book cover featuring a tree can only mean one thing: we’re about to go down a rabbit hole.