By Nicole Banh | Staff Writer

   After two years, pop star Taylor Swift dropped a new album called “Midnights” on Oct. 21. The album is not worth the wait. 

   “Midnights” is a collection of 13 songs that describe 13 different nights Swift has experienced, with the later addition of 7 more songs in “Midnights (3 a.m. Edition)”. Swift’s new album contains numerous easter eggs and trivia that relate to her life.

   However, unless the listener is a dedicated fan and is knowledgeable about the ongoing events of Swift’s life, many references are lost or meaningless to the listener. Therefore, in the end, much of the enjoyment is not felt and the songs just become more average pop songs.

   While this is not a huge problem by itself, many of the songs just are not that enjoyable to listen to. Personally, when listening to music I do not pay attention to what the lyrics mean, but I pay attention to the beat and how the lyrics add to the rhythm and sound. 

   This greatly affected my experience listening to the “Midnights” album. While the songs are not horrible, they are not all that remarkable either. Most of the songs just go in one ear and out the other, and with a few of the songs sounding somewhat the same, they do not feel noteworthy. 

   The third song of the album is “Anti-Hero,” and if the emotions Swift wanted to get across were awkward and self-deprecating, she succeeded. Throughout the song, she repeats the line, “It’s me, hi / I’m the problem, it’s me”. While the lyrics fit in with the theme of the song, the pause after “Hi” feels strange and disrupts the flow of the song.

   “Labyrinth,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Mastermind,” and “Sweet Nothing” are all love songs. While the names of Swift’s lovers are not mentioned, they are most likely different people. The songs themselves are chipper and upbeat, and in each of them, Swift is in a different phase of a romantic relationship.

   The songs “Karma” and “Vigilante S***” are similar in how they are trying to give off a dangerous vibe. However, it comes off as posturing and misleading, since the lyrics make Swift sound like a rebel. 

   In the chorus of “Vigilante S***,” Swift sings “I don’t start s***, but I can tell you how it ends” and “Lately, I’ve been dressin’ for revenge”. While the lyrics may sound edgy, they hold no weight or deeper meaning.

   Apart from these tracks, the rest of the album is incredibly similar in sound. While certain songs have some differences in their beats, in many of them, Swift sings the lyrics through a mixture of whispering and singing. 

   However, one thing the songs all have in common is how forgettable they are. They do not spark emotion or interest. Overall, I would not listen to the album again.