Who knew what latest era would bring? Or even what it would sound like? Would it build off the or the ? or the of her latest re-records? Or its two predecessors in black-and-white covers: the and the ?

含羞草研究社淭he Tortured Poets Department,含羞草研究社� here Friday, is an amalgamation of all of the above, reflecting the artist who 含羞草研究社� at the peak of her powers 含羞草研究社� has spent the last few years re-recording her life含羞草研究社檚 work and filtered through synth-pop anthems, breakup ballads, provocative and matured considerations.

In moments, feels like a bloodletting: A cathartic purge after a major heartbreak delivered through an ascendant vocal run, an elegiac verse, or mobile, synthesized productions that underscore the powers of Swift含羞草研究社檚 storytelling.

And there are surprises. The lead single and opener 含羞草研究社淔ortnight含羞草研究社� is 含羞草研究社�1989含羞草研究社� grown up 含羞草研究社� and features . It might seem like a funny pairing, but it含羞草研究社檚 a long time coming: Since at least 2018, Swift含羞草研究社檚 fans have known of her love for Malone含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淏etter Now.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淏ut Daddy I Love Him含羞草研究社� is the return of country Taylor, in some ways 含羞草研究社� fairytale songwriting, a full band chorus, a plucky acoustic guitar riff, and a cheeky lyrical reversal: 含羞草研究社淏ut Daddy I love him / I含羞草研究社檓 having his baby / No, I含羞草研究社檓 not / But you should see your faces.含羞草研究社� (Babies appear on 含羞草研究社淔lorida!!!含羞草研究社� and the bonus track 含羞草研究社淭he Manuscript含羞草研究社� as well.)

The fictitious 含羞草研究社淔resh Out The Slammer含羞草研究社� begins with a really pretty psych guitar tone that disappears beneath wind-blown production; the new wave-adjacent 含羞草研究社淢y Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys含羞草研究社� : 含羞草研究社淚 felt more when we played pretend than with all the Kens / 含羞草研究社楥ause he took me out of my box.含羞草研究社�

Even before kicks off her verse in 含羞草研究社淔lorida!!!,含羞草研究社� the chorus含羞草研究社� explosive repetition of the song title hits hard with nostalgic 2010s indie rock, perhaps an alt-universe Swiftian take on Sufjan Stevens含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淚llinois.含羞草研究社�

As another title states, 含羞草研究社淪o Long, London,含羞草研究社� indeed.

It would be a disservice to read Swift含羞草研究社檚 songs as purely diaristic, but that track 含羞草研究社� the fifth on this album, which her fans typically peg as the most devastating slot on each album 含羞草研究社� evokes striking parallels to her relationship with a certain English actor she Place it next to a sleepy love ode like 含羞草研究社淭he Alchemy,含羞草研究社� with its references to 含羞草研究社渢ouchdown含羞草研究社� and cutting someone 含羞草研究社渇rom the team含羞草研究社� and well 含羞草研究社� .

Revenge is still a pervasive theme. But where the reprisal anthems on 含羞草研究社淢idnights含羞草研究社� were vindictive, on 含羞草研究社淭he Tortured Poets Department,含羞草研究社� there are new complexities: 含羞草研究社淲ho含羞草研究社檚 Afraid of Little Old Me?含羞草研究社� combines the musical ambitiousness of 含羞草研究社渆vermore含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社渇olklore含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� and adds a resounding bass on the bridge 含羞草研究社� with sensibilities ripped from the weapons-drawn, obstinate 含羞草研究社淩eputation.含羞草研究社� But here, Swift mostly trades victimhood for self-assurance, warts and all.

含羞草研究社淲ho含羞草研究社檚 afraid of little old me?含羞草研究社� she sings. 含羞草研究社淵ou should be,含羞草研究社� she responds.

And yet, 含羞草研究社淭he Smallest Man Who Ever Lived含羞草研究社� may be her most biting song to date: 含羞草研究社淵ou didn含羞草研究社檛 measure up in any measure of a man,含羞草研究社� she sings atop propulsive piano. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檒l forget you, but I won含羞草研究社檛 ever forgive,含羞草研究社� she describes her target, likely the same 含羞草研究社渢attooed golden retriever,含羞草研究社� a jejune description, mentioned in the title track.

Missteps are few, found in other mawkish lyrics and songs like 含羞草研究社淒own Bad含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淕uilty as Sin?含羞草研究社� that falter when placed next to the album含羞草研究社檚 more meditative pop moments.

Elsewhere, Swift holds up a mirror to her melodrama and melancholy 含羞草研究社� she含羞草研究社檚 crying at the gym, don含羞草研究社檛 tell her about 含羞草研究社渟ad,含羞草研究社� is she allowed to cry? She died inside, she thinks you might want her dead; she thinks she might just die. She listens to the voices that tell her 含羞草研究社淟ights, camera, bitch, smile / Even when you want to die,含羞草研究社� as she sings on 含羞草研究社淚 Can Do It with a Broken Heart,含羞草研究社� a song about her own performances 含羞草研究社� onstage and as a public figure.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 miserable and nobody even knows!含羞草研究社� she laughs at the end of the song before sighing, 含羞草研究社淭ry and come for my job.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淐lara Bow含羞草研究社� enters the pantheon of great final tracks on a Swift album. The title refers to the 1920s silent film star who burned fast and bright 含羞草研究社� an early 含羞草研究社淚t girl含羞草研究社� and Hollywood sex symbol subject to vitriolic gossip, a victim of easy, everyday misogyny amplified by celebrity. Once Bow含羞草研究社檚 harsh Brooklyn accent was heard in the talkies, it was rumored, her career was over.

In life, Bow later attempted suicide and was sent to an asylum 含羞草研究社� the same institution that appears on 含羞草研究社淲ho含羞草研究社檚 Afraid of Little Old Me?含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淐lara Bow含羞草研究社� works as an allegory and a cautionary tale for Swift, the same way 含羞草研究社淢abel Normand含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� another tragic silent film star 含羞草研究社� functioned for the Fleetwood Mac star.

Nicks appears in 含羞草研究社淐lara Bow,含羞草研究社� too: 含羞草研究社淵ou look like Stevie Nicks in 含羞草研究社�75 / The hair and lips / Crowd goes wild.含羞草研究社�

Later, Swift turns the camera inward, and the song ends with her singing, 含羞草研究社淵ou look like Taylor Swift in this light / We含羞草研究社檙e loving it / You含羞草研究社檝e got edge / She never did.含羞草研究社� The album ends there, on what could be read as self-deprecation but stings more like frustrating self-awareness.

Swift sings about a tortured poet, but she is one, too. And isn含羞草研究社檛 it great that she含羞草研究社檚 allowed herself the creative license?

Maria Sherman, The Associated Press