Taylor Swift recently created a new album, Evermore described as the ‘sister album’ to Folklore. Taylor Swift fans are rewarded with 15 new songs, all similar to the story telling songs featured in Folklore. Not only is there similar character development through each song, but there are also more singers featured with Taylor. Let’s dive in to what songs you should blare in your car for a euphoric feel, and some songs that are great on the album, but just not the vibe.

1. Happiness 
2. Champagne Problems 
3. Coney Island ft. the National  
4. Ivy 
5. ‘Tis the Damn Season
6. Evermore 
7. Marjorie 
8. No Body Crime ft. HAIM
9. Cowboy Like Me
10. Closure 

1.  Happiness 

Taylor’s song Happiness is by far my favorite in the new album. Happiness is essentially about a woman learning how to be happy after breaking up with an ex, but also acknowledging that during the relationship, there was happiness and there will still be happiness even after the hurt of the breakup. The song starts with beautiful chords, and Taylor’s clear voice. This is one of my favorite parts of the song, her voice is very clear and angelic and her words aren’t muffled or covered by background music. Taylor’s first verses start with “Honey when I’m above the trees, I see this for what it is.” I love that Taylor included this line, because it adds so much detail in one phrase to the story Taylor is trying to tell. This line is Taylor saying that standing back from the relationship now, she sees what has happened and the whole picture presently. I believe a lot of teens and people out of relationships can relate so wholeheartedly to just this first line, about standing back from a relationship and seeing what was really going on and where they are standing now without that person anymore. Another one of my favorite lines that Taylor included is “There is happiness, past the blood and bruise, past the curses and cries, behind the terror of the nightfall haunted by the look in my eyes.” This line literally, brings tears to my eyes. My poor dainty heart is reminded that after a relationship has ended, there will be happiness after all of the hurt that you’ve gone through. Taylor dives deep into the story in Happiness, and some people believe that Taylor even references the Great Gatsby in the song. “I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool/who takes my spot next to you” is a reference to a main character in the book Daisy, who wishes for her daughter to just be a “beautiful little fool.” Another line that could potentially be connected to the famous book, is when Taylor references the Gatsby’s rare smile in the line “Tell me, when did your winning smile begin to look like a smirk?” Taylor does an amazing job in this one song in creating a soft sounding song, that can tug at everyone’s hearts that have ever gone through a breakup with either a friend, family member, or an ex and remind us that there will be more happiness to come.

2. Champagne Problems 

Champagne Problems is a beautiful song, that entails another story line that any person listening to the song can empathize and relate to. Taylor tells the story of a failed couple’s proposal, while the family celebrates early with Champagne hoping to welcome the character’s significant other into the family and Taylor’s character turns the proposal down. Taylor tells that the character broke the other person’s heart, but realizes how entwined the two lives are to each other. This song is so beautifully made and includes dedicated imagery to paint the perfect picture of heartbreak but love in one song. The song picks up in the middle, and Taylor sings more passionately about how the town skeptics talk about how crazy Taylor’s character is for turning down the proposal, and how great the next girl will be for the proposing character. Taylor embodies anger and heartbreak, but moves into sadness and almost a depressive state when describing the better girl that will end up with her loved one. Champagne Problems makes my heart HURT but feels so good when flying down the highway with it cranked to the max on your way home from work. Taylor additionally cusses in this song, which gives me so much explainable serotonin. Taylor is such a story telling, baddie who can make me cry in just 3 minuets and 38 seconds. I’m not joking. Streaming tears. TMI? Maybe.

3. Coney Island ft. the National 

Coney Island starts with Taylor’s soulful voice, asking herself what she has done wrong in the relationship while sitting on a bench in Coney Island. Almost a third into the song, Matthew Berninger also comes into sing in his own light, but then joins in with Taylor. Taylor and Matthew’s voices join so beautifully, and I personally think it was a great choice to have the National not just sing WITH Taylor, but also have their own little spotlight in the song. My favorite part of the song is when Taylor explains that the relationship in the song was “like the mall before the internet” and how sorry she is for not “winning you an arcade ring.” This verse for some reason reminds me of the newest Stranger Things season, where Elle and all her friends hang out at the mall and go all ham, and it’s where everything magical happened in the group in terms of love. I love crying over this song, but also crying about Stranger Things, so this is a match made in heaven.

4. Ivy

Ivy is a great song; it’s sweet and soft and Taylor uses beautiful imagery in the song. I think that this song has the best imagery out of all the songs on the album. Taylor sings about how the man she loves ‘roots’ himself to her like ivy covering a wall, and she can’t stop from loving him because they are almost rooted to each other. This song is nice and calm, and the chorus is beautifully worded and the guitar melts nicely with Taylor’s vocals. At the end of the song, it picks up and we get to hear a little bit of an electric guitar that just strums quietly. Taylor hits the perfect high notes at the end, and kills it. Ivy is nice and calming, but this song kind of puts me asleep. It reminds me of a novel when Taylor talks about ivy entwined with love, but this song isn’t one that I would blast at first chance in my car. This is the type of song that you listen to when to have background music on during studying, or you’ve skipped all of the other love songs and you’re desperate for something not TOO crappy. It’s a gorgeous song, but it’s not really my favorite in terms of the ‘lovey dovey’ type. Taylor’s vocals are beautiful as always, but in my opinion there are other songs that highlight her vocals more in older albums.

5. ‘Tis the Damn Season 

‘Tis the Damn Season is essentially a story of Taylor going back to her hometown for the holiday season, and she meets up with one of her old exes. Taylor describes that they could act like boyfriend and girlfriend for just a weekend and enjoy each other’s company. Taylor sings about not wanting to go back to LA, and it feels like her heart is breaking all over again when the season is done and they have to go back to their old lives. ‘Tis the Damn Season is somewhat relatable to people who end up re-dating or getting together with one of their exes for old time sake. It sucks, and your heart feels broken after the whole shenanigan is done. I like this song a little, because I can relate because who can’t?….. But it just doesn’t give me what I want in a Taylor song. I’m looking for excellence and tears and heartbreak, and in this song I just don’t feel that. Maybe Taylor was too tired after her getaway weekend with her ex and she decided to write this song after hitting that jet lag. However, still a great song and brings us back to our old exes/flings. (Not something I personally want to remember but whatever.)

6. Evermore 

This song gives me beautiful clarity in the beginning. All you hear is Taylor’s beautiful voice with a piano, and it’s so surreal and gorgeous. This song is an amazing representation of how my seasonal depression feels while being in high school. Cool, sad, and the pain will be evermore. (Until May.) The only reason that this song is so low, is because it’s quite slow, and I hate when Bon Iver starts singing in the song. Bon Iver and Taylor’s voices seem not to mesh together at all, and it just seems like a weird combination. I feel like the weird voices almost competing for the spotlight, kind of mess with the delicateness of Taylor’s song and the sweet sounding piano. However, this song goes HAM in the beginning and the end when Bon Iver leaves and doesn’t sing.

7. Marjorie 

Marjorie is a song about Taylor’s passed grandmother, who is still around in Taylor’s head and life. Taylor describes that “what died didn’t stay dead,” and all of the lessons her Grandma Marjorie taught her through life. This song is a beautiful tribute to Marjorie, the lyrics are lovely and the music video features pictures and videos of Marjorie through her life. This Taylor song can hit home to anyone who has lost a grandparent, or even a loved one in general. Taylor gives an amazing depiction of what Marjorie’s life was about, and takes us through the story of loosing her but still having her around in her life.

8. Cowboy Like Me

First off, what a strong song title Taylor. A cowboy like me? I mean, who can blame Taylor when we think of cowboys? Taylor sings about the ‘cowboy’ love in life, when you meet a person who just wants a fling, but who doesn’t want real love, just a fancy car. Eew, this sounds like a cowboy I used to like. Moving on. The lyrics are gorgeous, Taylor sings of the ‘cowboy tricks’, and now she is heartbroken even though she recognizes that she is also a cowboy at heart. There’s some twang, some sadness and heartbreak, some spiciness, and lots of imagery so you can imagine your own cowboy that you’ve dealt with in your life. The song is a little slow and sad, so it’s probably not something I would play in my car on the highway unless a certain cowboy appears in my life again.

9. No Body No Crime ft. HAIM

No Body No Crime starts out like a classic old Taylor song, a little spice and some twang. Her first lyrics are “he did it” which kind of brings me back to her Reputation album, which was very spicy, strong, and spiteful. No Body No Crime is a song about a cheating husband, and it makes a great story to listen to. Taylor tells of her friend telling her about her husband that she thinks has been cheating on her, but she just doesn’t have enough evidence to back up the claim. The lyrics I will admit, are very repetitive. I think Taylor sings the lyric “I think he did it but I just can’t prove it” 8 bajillion times, which annoys me to say the least. However, she finishes the lyrics off with “No body, no crime, but I ain’t givin up til the day I die” which makes up for the lack of creativity through the song. The song transitions to people thinking that Taylor’s friend killed the husband, which is a perfect twist on the song. My overarching feelings about this song, is that it does have spiciness and flare. I did however, want more of a Carrie Underwood Before he Cheats” vibe, which I just don’t think we receive.

10. Closure 

This song gives us RAGE!!! I love it! Taylor seems to sum up every relationship that has ended some significantly bad way. Taylor sings of not wanting the other person’s closure, because they hurt her too much, and treated her as if she were “a situation that needed to be handled.” WOW. What a great way to say that most of the people we date don’t know how to break up respectfully with us, and we shouldn’t settle for that crap! We aren’t situations that need to be handled! We aren’t annoying problems! We don’t need their letters and apologies! The reason this song is the lowest ranked, is because it seems really repetitive. Like yes Taylor, give us the rage! But maybe you could do that in some new words besides “I don’t want your closure” 90 bajillion times. However, I am living for the rage and heartbreak in the song.

I hope you enjoyed going through most of the Taylor Swift album with me, and you enjoyed all the rage, heartbreak, and love songs that Taylor offered in her new album!