Ask me which track off of Taylor Swift’s Folklore is my favorite, and you’ll get a different answer depending on the day (or the weather, or the amount of candles I may or may not be burning). Today, it’s “Illicit Affairs,” a slow-building ballad about a secret tryst that is both undeniably Taylor and distinctly Folklore. Prolific producer-sound engineer Jack Antonoff’s influence is there, but Swift’s poignant songwriting dazzles in its own right: “And you wanna scream, don’t call me kid / Don’t call me baby / Look at this godforsaken mess that you’ve made me / You showed me colors you know I can’t see with anyone else.” Chills, mama. Where’s my cardigan? —Sam Manzella
