Folklore - Beige Vinyl

Great seller, item arrived before expected and was in very good condition (listed as used but it looks new).

Well, here's an admission. I had heard the first album, all teen twangy C&W - ish music when she was sixteen. It was nice, throwaway stuff and I thought no more about her! Since then, I had thought that she was an absolute beauty to look at, but her music just didn't appeal. I knew about her songs, her collaborations but really didn't notice anything until I looked at the sticker which said "EXPLICIT CONTENT" and I thought ... hmm. Has she sold out and gone down the road of almost everyone else and started singing dirty? Well, to be honest, she uses two four-letter words a couple of times on a couple of tracks each, but she's no Joni Mitchell, who has always expressed herself in similar ways. However, it did pique my interest, so I took a listen to this. OK, I am a convert based on this album. Those of you who want her to sound the same every album should realise that she is still evolving even if she has now released eight albums. One thing I like is that it is so different from other albums - yes, I've been catching up. This is unlike 'Lover', the previous album which I also bought - and, incidentally, I like very much. Not a bad track on this album, sultry, sincere, serious, great singing, very folky but with a modern twist. Others have suggested this is her 'reference point' album (my words) similar to Joni's "Blue" album or "OK Computer". Perhaps, for me, it's more like Joni's "For the Roses" or "Court and Spark", landmark albums ("Blue" was too early in Joni's career). I agree simply because this is such a change to the cheerful, poppy material previously released - more subtle, more adult, more articulate, more reflective. YES, I am a convert and need to go back through her catalogue (I can't believe I've just written that.... ). I have 1989 and Reputation to listen to, but this is pretty wonderful. In fact, this is MAGNIFICENT!!!

Taylor Swift is a major talent, always capable of turning out an exceptional tune. But the more she drops down the pop/dance rabbit hole the less she floats my own boat. Until now. Folklore is going to be on the seminal albums of the year, quite probably this bumpy decade. Created under lockdown and a Swift turnaround (pun fully intended) from her last release, the concept intrigued me and does not disappoint. Lots of piano, muted beats and bright splashes of guitar with Swift’s voice floating over, sometimes huskily, sometimes intently sometimes soaring. Cardigan is lodged in my head and will not leave, other tracks make me smile, chill, or feel the intense pleasure and pain of love. Special mention goes to Betty where Swift is successfully channelling great American singer- story tellers, such as Paul Simon and Don McLean. Not quite every track is stratospheric and it can get samey at times, but I feel that is the point of the groundhog, lockdown vibe. This really is a record of its times, in every sense. Vocals in LA, most of the music and production in New York State, some of the orchestration coming out of France. These are not songs to be played at the back of a bus, busting out of a phone in isolation, but a mature album to fall into on the sofa, as the light fades. And despite being dropped out of the Covid blue onto the internet, Folklore is a champion for physical product. Not exactly a glance back at her Nashville recording roots but it is the kind of album I wish Tori Amos was still making; and that will very much do for me.

I didn't think I would like anything by Taylor Swift, but after my niece telling me to have a listen to her songs I found Folklore to be an excellent choice and so I bought it.

... but people kept telling me how great and different this album is from her usual music. To be honest, it *is* a good album, with a few tracks that stand out. She apparently made it during lockdown, which may explain why it is more introspective and pared down. I prefer this Taylor Swift to the usual, but for me there is still something missing: she can certainly sing and has great talent. Depth, soul, blues, something like that, maybe just age and experience, she's not there yet. Even this melancholic album is, well, shallow. But that is probably why she has such appeal to a young audience, and not much to an old git like me.

I was put off listening to Taylor’s music because she to me seemed to appeal to a young audience with her more poppy music. Then I heard her beautiful song from the Crawdaddy film (Carolina) and downloaded it. I decided to explore her music and read reviews for this album so bought it. Having played it today (only once so far) I really enjoyed it. Great musicianship with great lyrics. I am a convert! I know this is her early stuff and she has changed but I will definitely be looking at other CDs to purchase. Thanks to other reviewers for helping me decide to buy this album.

It's a great looking vinyl, and was the last one my wife needed to complete her collection, sadly we had to buy elsewhere as the one we ordered from Amazon disappeared under strange circumstances. We were given tracking details, which never worked, the due delivery date changed a few times, all the while the tracking still never worked, then I called Amazon who said the UK tracking wasn't recognised (you don't say!) and that delivery date had already passed, as it came from Amazon US there was no way of getting a replacement. Funny the tracking worked until it hit the delivery team here in UK... hmmm I wonder what happened to it??? When supplied from elsewhere though (and I should also add cheaper than Amazon) we found it to be a really nice album with an attractive vinyl.

I have long noted that folks confuse 'listening' and 'hearing', not to mention 'knowing' when they talk about music. You don't actually know a piece of music until you can remember it. Sometimes this takes a long time. The best music often falls into that area. Easy music is quickly boring - like eating chocolate - you just want more chocolate rather than actual nourishment. I had always placed Taylor Swift into that category - big hat Nashville productions, a pretty face and chirpy lyrics. I had never tried listening to her music but had heard it here and there many times. This record is quite different. She has co written with Aaron Dessner and the arrangements and mixes that he adds give this album massive depth. I listen to a wide range of music from Miles to Mahler to Hank Williams to Kraftwerk et al and these arrangements and settings flow from the same sense of the density of musical language. There is much debate around digital vs analogue formats and this recording in CD form is a massive step up the sonic ladder from the MP3. I look forward to the vinyl version which I note has sold out before its release. It is also music that needs to be heard on decent speakers or headphones which will unfold the detail within. I cannot recall a record which has so got in to my head since Carrie and Lowell. I began by thinking that the first three songs were OK and have moved further into the other songs over several months of listening to the MP3 stream on Amazon music. and yes I can remember these songs (initially almost despite my "Taylor Swift" prejudice). And then there's the lyrics. Her observations of how emotions and relationships and memory work together to represent complex human behaviour (is there any other kind ?) are subtle, detailed and various . Like all great lyrics these pass into one's own memories of the same things - creative empathy has always been the key to the relationship between artist and audience. Worth a read, as they say. You may yet be thinking of a different artist called Taylor Swift. Whoever she was before she's her own person now and this music puts her into an entirely other level. Listen without prejudice. Even Rod Liddle gave this record a rave review in the Speccie - she really has crossed some boundaries. ...