Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl

Coming out of my cage (my dad-rock era) just long enough to listen to Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl. I’ve been a fan for years and usually keep up with her releases, but I’ve kind of been over the slower, synthy vibe of her last few albums. I was ready for a fresh sound from her. Luckily, The Life of a Showgirl delivers. Welcome back, real instruments. We love to see (hear) it.

The opening three songs, “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” and “Opalite,” are upbeat, danceable bops. “Elizabeth Taylor” is tinged with darkness, while the other two are brighter. The lush, sparkling chorus of “Opalite” reminds me of ABBA. I’m impressed by the melodies on this album. They’re catchy, but unexpected. The songs are hard for me to sing along with, which is a testament to Swift’s creativity (or my own limited vocal range).

“Father Figure” is my favorite track on the album. Swift explores the deceptive, self-serving nature of mentor/mentee relationships in the entertainment industry through clever storytelling, slinky verses and a breathy, beautiful chorus. That line (if you know, you know) doesn’t bother me one bit — it makes sense in context.

“Eldest Daughter” is all over the place. It’s trying to do too much at once. Sincere by default, Swift feels out of place in a world of people who seem cool and perpetually unbothered online (honestly, same). There’s a lot of internet slang. There’s a childhood memory of a time she felt free on the trampoline and paid the price by breaking her arm. There’s a single mention of eldest daughters. And youngest children. And a beautiful bridge about being with someone who makes you feel as carefree as you did as a child, before parental and societal expectations. The connection between all these themes is vaguely there, but it’s not explained very well at all. Despite its flaws, “Eldest Daughter” is one of my favorites on the album. It’s cluttered, but there are glimpses of greatness — the bridge being the utmost highlight. I never met a piano ballad I didn’t like, and Swift’s voice feels so emotive and sincere. I’m also an eldest daughter, so I’m possibly biased.

If not for the overwritten outro, “Ruin the Friendship” could’ve been a favorite of mine. It has that classic, wistful storytelling Swift is lauded for, an interesting melody, and universal themes of regret and lingering questions. Unfortunately, she hammers home the message about taking chances instead of living in regret — which was already very apparent — in an anthemic outburst at the end of an otherwise poignant song, leaving absolutely no room for the listener to breathe and interpret the song on their own. It really kills the song for me.

“Actually Romantic” features a guitar riff that reminds me of “Teenage Dirtbag” and Weezer, so I automatically enjoy it. Some say it’s a diss track. I won’t get into that because I don’t really care. In a nutshell, the theme is: The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. So, anyone who spends time hating on Swift is actually being … well, romantic. It’s clever. It’s cheeky. It’s one of her better songs about haters.

This is where the album loses a bit of steam for me. I don’t have as much to say about the later tracks. “Wi$h Li$t” is cute. I like the airy chorus and the way she sings “basketball … hoop.” I was indifferent to the song at first, but it kept getting stuck in my head, so it’s doing something right. “Wood” is a fun, upbeat track, but why is the second verse so short? It feels a bit phoned in. This song has sparked a lot of disgruntled Reddit comments because of its low-hanging innuendo, but I don’t mind when Swift writes with her glitter gel pen and doesn’t take herself too seriously. “CANCELLED!” is my one true skip on this album. I just find the sound of it so grating.

“Honey” is the penultimate track, and it’s another favorite of mine. It’s the closest thing to a genuine, straightforward love song on the album. It isn’t cloaked in metaphors. It’s simple, sweet — like honey. I love her enunciation on this track.

I find myself skipping “The Life of a Showgirl” most of the time. I don’t care for the Sabrina Carpenter feature or the unnecessary outro. I wish the production hit harder and felt grander. For a closing track, this one feels pretty forgettable. To me, ending on an unremarkable note is the album’s biggest shortcoming. Despite that, I enjoyed most of it. I like that Taylor is exploring a new sound. The Life of a Showgirl is not her magnum opus, but it’s certainly not her worst work. It’s a fun effort that reflects where she is in life right now. I’m glad she’s having fun.