jparx

Good shout on Karma as a closer. It has Nice Things vibes.

It’s a classic for me. As with most Taylor records there are a couple tracks that could have been cut and left us with a more well refined package, but on the whole I think it’s excellent. Finding myself getting half a dozen of the songs stuck in my head at different points. The first 5 tracks in particular are really top quality.

All this yelling at clouds over something that was clearly a joke

Oh mate I'm desperately hoping she doesn't headline next year, I'm probably not going to be able to go!

I reckon she's doing a Midnights focussed tour next summer, then a greatest hits focussed tour either the year after or when the re-releases are finished, and that's when she honours the festival bookings.

Again it depends on the setting. Festivals - yes, 100% agree. Her own headline shows, which are likely going to sell out quickly after 5 years without touring, in front of a rabid Swifty audience? I'm not sure it's possible for her to bomb in that setting even if she played Endgame 20 times over on a penny whistle.

Agreed. If Midnights had a Green Light level banger, it would edge it closer to perfection for me. But equally it doesn't need that to still be a great album. And Folklore certainly didn't need a banger to be an absolute classic. I'd wait and see on that. She's not daft, she knows the audience and venues she'll be playing. Reputation was considered by some to be a nadir of sorts but the material was received really well live. Wouldn't surprise me if some of these tunes come across as much dancier/more energetic in a live setting. And you know the Swifties will be in to it regardless - it's festivals where it could be an issue (maybe that's why she might not be doing them..?)

I'm quite comfortable at this point in slapping on a strong 9/10 on this record. It's resonated with me big time, a number of the tunes have already been stuck in my head and I'm just discovering more on each listen. It was really quite jarring based on the initial rumours and it threw me a bit, but now we've settled in to this direction I think it's tremendous. Lots of comparisons being drawn up to Lorde and Melodrama. For me it's not as good as that album, but if you slapped a Green Light on it then you're right in the ball park. I'm not in the camp of bemoaning bangers, Taylor already has more than enough in her catalogue and I'm happy to go along this journey of exploring new eras, but if you had a Cruel Summer/Green Light type belter on here it would just finish it off perfectly.

Each to their own! Just a catchy, fun song for me. I don't get repulsed by individual song lyrics in that sense.

Lavender Haze Maroon Anti Hero Blank Space Love Story Cardigan Lover Vigilante Shit Question? Delicate You Need to Calm Down Getaway Car Red You're On Your Own Kid Wildest Dreams Betty August Exile Karma Mastermind ENCORE - Cruel Summer Style Trouble Shake it Off All Too Well My prediction. I think Evermore gets binned off (Willow and/or a medley at most), Folklore gets a heavy emphasis, there's going to be some big omissions, she comes out with an absolutely mental encore of bangers, set is the longest she's done yet and Cruel Summer gets the biggest reaction of the set.

Dude Maroon is one of the best tracks she's ever done!

I think Neil just posted that email separately to the BST rumour. Don't think he's saying that's proof.

Hmm I think we might be looking at BST as "only UK festival show" and then stadiums alongside. The presale code thing suggested to me a run of stadium shows.

Do people often do BST AND stadiums? And has anyone ever done BST, stadiums AND Glastonbury?

Just had a thought - what if she follows this up in 6 months with “Middays” and it’s an upbeat banger record? Just a thought. Had the 3am tracks on in the car this morning and they’re all pleasant enough but none really stood out too much. I’ll have another blast later but it didn’t feel like there was a New Romantics or The Lakes buried in there.

lol she’s basically just released a vault EP as well.

Karma is one of the standouts for me!

I managed to have a listen with it cranked up in the car driving home, lucky to have good quality speakers in there, and yeah I’m really in to it. Excellent record. Not at all what i expected but it’s a doozy. Up to the very high standard she’s set herself and that’s all you can ask really.

Wouldn’t tour announcement make sense next Friday to plug on Graham Norton?

Karma is the certified banger of the record. Should be a single if it’s not already planned down the line. Anti hero an obvious choice as well mind.

One of the standouts for sure. Definite indietronica vibes to a few songs.

Bejewelled is gonna be bags of fun live.

There’s a few pop bangers for my money (without getting in that debate again) but the Stevie rumours were clearly BS (unlike that’s how the songs sound played acoustically, which we may see on the tour). It’s sounds like a mix of 1989/rep/Lover with elements of Lorde/Billie production thrown in.

You’re on Your Own Kid 🥲

I won’t spoil the line but one made me legitimately laugh out loud in the office. On my second listen and yeah, it’s landing big time with me. Already picked up stuff I missed first time round after the first three tracks.