Taylor Swift released her eighth album, “Folklore,” last week; created wholly during the quarantine, it marks a new musical direction for the singer-songwriter. Working primarily with Aaron Dessner of the National, Swift moved away from the pop explosions of her last few albums and toward an album laden with indie rock and art-folk gestures.
Swift is 30 now, and likely entering a new career phase, one less subject to pop’s whims. “Folklore” is her warmest-sounding album in years, and also emphasizes the detailed songwriting that’s become her signature.
On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about what “Folklore” portends for Swift’s musical evolution. Is it a signifier of musical authenticity, or a locked-in-the-house lark? An embrace of a genre that had once kept her at arm’s length, or a logical evolution of styles she’s been chipping away at for years?
Guests:
Jon Pareles, The New York Times’s chief pop music critic
Caryn Ganz, The New York Times’s pop music editor
Joe Coscarelli, The New York Times’s pop music reporter
Source: Music - nytimes.com
