Released: July 24, 2020

By: Taylor Swift

Coming off three heavily produced and insanely popular albums, Taylor Swift creates the latter again but with a softer sound.

Written and recorded in COVID-19 quarantine, Swift is stripped down and showing a side of her fans haven’t seen in a while. Though the album is listed as alternative, parts of her early country sounds shine through.

Despite a lack of upbeat songs that fans have come to expect, folklore shows off the singer’s songwriting abilities. Lead single “cardigan” shows this best with Swift’s character in the song referencing a feeling of loneliness and isolation that changes when someone shows her love.

The other standout is the Bon Iver-duet “exile.” Lead singer Justin Vernon’s deep vocals compliment Swift’s soft, airy ones. Their metaphor about the end of a relationship is hard-hitting from both sides.

Final say: Slower, but powerful. ★★★★☆