Less than a year after Taylor Swift blessed us with her seventh studio album, Lover, the superstar songstress is back to save 2020 with the surprise release of a new album. Folklore, out today (July 24), gave Swifties less than 24 hours of notice from announcement until release, throwing a major wrench in whatever plans they thought they had this weekend. The album’s first single “Cardigan” debuted alongside with a mystical music video that shows where Swift’s head is now.
While Lover gave us plenty of bright colors, pink glitter, and various meanings of love, Folklore evokes a whole new mood of gray skies, woodland scenes, and soothing indie-pop melodies filled with beautifully detailed stories Swift has carefully crafted in her mind. “Cardigan” breaks your heart, conveying feelings of longing for someone to love you like they once did. And if the story doesn’t hit you hard enough, maybe the way Swift croons over the tranquilizing melody will do you in. “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan / Under someone’s bed / You put me on and said I was your favorite.” I will never wear an open-faced sweater the same way again. Stream Folklore to cure your quarantine sorrow. —Alissa Godwin
