folklore

folklore 

Title: folklore 

Artist: Taylor Swift   

Record Company: Republic Records 

Copyright: 2020  

Genre: Pop, Indie Folk  

Awards or Honors: Although it has not received any official honors because of the cancellation of music awards, it has become popular, and the number one streamed album on Spotify when it was released.   

Plot Summary: Folklore is a 16-song album that also includes a deluxe version with an extra song. The album features Indie folk-type songs like the last great American dynasty, the 1, exile, and cardigan. Cardigan and exile are the two most played songs, according to Spotify. The album is a change from the more upbeat pop tempo songs of previous albums and features more acoustic songs and instruments. The fourth song of the album, exile, features Bon Iver, a well-known indie-folk artist. He is the only other artist to feature on the track. The album’s themes included life in America, how to find happiness, relationships, regrets, happiness, and closure.   

The song is around 63 minutes long and was released one year after Swift’s last album, Lover. Other themes addressed in later parts of the album include dealing with changes, finding closure for herself, attempts to make amends, and reflection about how to move forward. The songs throughout the album all featured consistent themes of relationships ending and loss. The album cover is Swift standing alone in the middle of a gray, foggy forest, starting above to the sky.   

Artist Background: Taylor Swift is a Grammy award-winning singer born in Pennsylvania. Her grandmother was an opera singer, and she began performing from an early age. She displayed singing talent as a child and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career. Swift released her first album in 2006. After her first few albums as a country singer, she began to move towards more of a pop career, releasing 1989 and reputation.   

She has won numerous awards throughout her career and is one of the bestselling artists in the world. Folklore is her 8th studio album and was released in July of 2020. Swift has also appeared in commercials and movies, including Valentine’s Day. She also funded a $4 million music education building called the Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. (Taylor Swift, 2020).   

Critical Evaluation: This album takes a different tone and approach to her last album. This album features more indie and folk, with a nature focus. The album sound is slower and more relaxed and addresses an end of a relationship and all the loss and regret that goes along with it. The solo guitar and piano are instruments used throughout the album and give a more melancholy sound and mood. The sound quality and songwriting are excellent, as is the overall production. The songs all flow and demonstrate the more reflective and subdued tone of the album. The album is excellent and is another great work from Swift that will be appreciated by many fans.   

Creative Use: I would like to get kids interested in playing instruments by bringing in someone who can play the guitar and teach teenagers how to play chords and some songs if they are at a more advanced stage. The album features lots of songs with acoustic guitar, and I would want to bring someone who can teach teenagers and give them lessons during the summer. Many teenagers like music and want to learn, but they don’t have the tools. It would be a library weekly summer program to get teenagers interested in playing and introducing them to resources and people who can help them develop their musical interests. It would hopefully be free with help from donations.   

Speed Talk: Taylor Swift has released an indie-folk album that is both reflective and cathartic for listeners. The album features guitar and piano melodies that give the album a relaxed and subdued theme. Folklore will provide listeners with new music from swift and unique perspectives on relationships, regret, and moving on. 

Potential Challenges: There are no challenges in libraries to the song at this point.  

Reason for Inclusion: I included this album because of its popularity with people and because the album impressed me. Swift is one of the most famous artists in the world, and many teens listen to her work. Many people I knew loved the album, and after listening to it to consider writing a review, I decided that it was a great work of art that teens and others would appreciate. The production, songs, and overall flow of the album were positive, and I felt it was worth writing about. 

Taylor Swift Biography. (2020, July 24). Biography. Retrieved October 6, 2020 from https://www.biography.com/musician/taylor-swift