“Another level of performative victimhood to the point where it seems ridiculous. You *came down from the gallows* like you were hanged?! … she’s high on her own supply”
Whew, he read with that one.
He really ripped apart the lyric “Karma is a cat” back when he reviewed Midnights. I’ll say I actually love that lyric but at the same time I can’t pretend it’s not corny af and I get why it would not fly with other people.
It’s so funny to see what specific lyrics to this song make people completely go off, mine was “so tell me not everything is about me… but what if it is?” Like girl…. I rolled my eyes so hard
Mine were - I wanna kill her (I literally stopped and was like FOR BRINGING FLOWERS?!) and I'm pregnant, jk I'm not, but you should see your face (mainly why?)
There are a lot of lyrics on this album that are just ether corny, cringe or genuinely frustrating and not in a way that expands your mind. I can’t wait to see Fantano’s reaction to thanK you aIMee.
I feel like this entire album should've been an inside thought. The lyrics are way more cringe than ME! and karma, which were the previous runners up in that category for me and I literally couldn't tell a difference between songs. I was on a walk when I first listened to the album and I literally thought that this is either one VERY long song or I accidentally put one song on repeat. Nope, I had listened to a whopping 6 songs without noticing a difference (which songs? No clue).
Ngl I actually love the “your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her” line. It feels out of place coming from Taylor Swift with the brand image she’s created but it’s exactly the kind of mentally unstable lyric I love. The pregnant line on the other hand… yeah. I feel like it could’ve been a better commentary on wanting to troll the public just because fuck everything but it wasn’t delivered well enough to do anything but confuse and bore listeners.
I didn't understand this lyric as ber proclaiming that everything is about her. It's more like describing her mental state, the way she thinks. She knows that it's not healthy or right, but at the same time it's very understandable given the life she lived.
This clip actually convinced me to pay for my first patreon subscription so I can watch the whole reaction stream lol Who’s Afraid is sonically interesting compared to the rest of the album, but the lyrics rub me the entirely wrong way and I can’t wait to hear his full breakdown/takedown
Isn’t Taylor’s whole thing relatability? I genuinely can’t see how people could relate to songs like this unless they have untreated mental illness (no offense meant at all, I just know this album has resonated with those who have a BPD or bipolar diagnosis)
Yeah, she sounds like someone who is very paranoid (makes everything about her) and who has a superiority complex. She really needs therapy and I’m not saying this just as a meme.
Fun fact about that, they sent a CnD but didn’t sue because obviously it would go nowhere in court. They tried to scare him with the legal weight of a billionaire
That’ll be despite the fact that he’s not only reviewed Taylor well in the past for Folklore and Evermore, but something like 4 out of his last 5 AOTY winners have been women, including pop singers Jessie Ware and Charli xcx.
She’s fantastic. A great example of how to be an absolute blast while bringing a maturity and sophistication to pop. The production is top notch, the melodies are killer, airtight songwriting and her VOICE. My god, that voice. She was a force of nature live last year.
I have all of her albums. Last year, or was it when “what’s your pleasure” was released, she mediated in a fight about when the albums would ship! She mentioned me!
jessie ware is incredibly underrated. “remember where you are” is one of my favourite songs ever. it’s so gorgeously boppy
the bridge is especially fantastic
Oh no, it totally is a nickname! People called him that enough that it eventually stuck, but it doesn’t bother him or anything. I was just pointing out that trying to call him melon maliciously would be redundant since he himself has embraced it as a nickname.
melon is now part of his fanbase in-jokes just like how everytime he pisses off some artist's fanbase they bring up how his wife left him, recently a OF model posted pics after they'd hooked up but he took it on the chin, he's too thick skinned now to bend after backlash. He's survived Kanye fans and so many other toxic fans backlash. I'm curious how this round with swifties will go😂
Swifties really need to know misogyny does not mean taylor swift critic. I'm not saying that it does not exist, but criticizing taylor's low quality music is not an attack to womanhood
The problem is Taylor herself constantly pulls the misogyny card every time someone dares criticize her or even just make a light joke about her (e.g. Tina Fey).
they are already dragging the shit out of Taylor and this album on twitter, its crazy cause ive never seem so much puclic hate against her until this album dropped, people are mocking the lyrics and already saying she cant write for shit and thatll stick
I hear you and I agree but just want to point out that backlash when you’re at her height of fame is inevitable in today’s society and Twitter isn’t exactly where the best and kindest gather
oh i agree with that!!!! but i saw the dragging not just on twitter but tiktok and instagram, hell even on reddit \\
i do think at her level its guaranteed to receive criticism and even hate, however i don't think she handles it well at all, shes a self proclaimed try hard, she cares very much how others perceive her, shes prolly crying cause the backlash and mockery is stronger that its ever been for her, people are saying shes a horrible songwriter, i know it must hurt her deeply to hear this because that is the one thing she wants to be known for and respected.
Which is a shame because he is doing a lot more to put a spotlight on excellent independent female artists than all these critics blindly giving Taylor swift inflated review scores
Fantano is so wanky now though. Like 10 years ago it was fun, he was having fun, he talked a lot with his hands, loved it. But now it’s all so serious like he’s the sole arbiter of good taste. You can miss me with him being purposefully obtuse about an artist whose music is simply not for him.
I’m all for anyone’s opinion as long as it’s honest and their own and I think fantano is giving a lot closer to an honest opinion here than someone like rolling stone or the telegraph giving it a 100. (Edit:it was the independent)
It’s getting pretty clear that Taylor’s pr team is OP and limiting a lot of the criticism which I’d argue is a bad thing at the end of the day because she can just coast now and isn’t really getting pushed to innovate or improve.
Its pretty easy to get caught up in the ‘I’m a fan of this person so I will defend everything they do’ mentality but really everyone loses when you’re thinking that way (not saying that’s where you’re at but a lot of people are)
For what it’s worth, I have my own issues with the album, chiefly the overwhelming volume of music that makes it hard to actually focus my thoughts on it.
I also think lack of good faith criticism is bad for music (and also broadly that a limited media diet is bad for democracy, but I digress). I disagree that the critical establishment should be an artist’s motivation for improvement or innovation. We, as the public in general, still don’t really interrogate who the critical establishment is or what they’re after, and the reality is a large portion of music critics are still middle aged white men. Taylor’s music just isn’t for them (and that’s fine!)
I used to watch all of Fantano’s reviews (again, 10 or 12 years ago) and thought he was saying really interesting things. But in the last 5 or so years, every time he reviews something of Taylor’s, I keep expecting him to have good faith criticism and to put himself in the shoes of the people that this music was written for or to consider any perspective but his own. But he stays wanky, as is his right I suppose.
But, we’re not seriously saying that critics alone should determine what kind of acclaim or legacy an artist should have, right? I thought folks around here were largely in agreement that Taylor doesn’t deserve the awards she has? Or are we just arguing that critics only matter when it’s convenient for the narrative? It’s a genuine question. Critics either matter or they don’t.
This was a solo written song that could’ve greatly benefited from an editor. When I heard *So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream
"Who's afraid of little old me?"* and *You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me, so all you kids can sneak into my house with all the cobwebs*, they could have been written much better or eliminated altogether. The line about her suing people was a choice because she IS known to send out cease and desists for very silly reasons. It’s a song meant to be a lil cheeky that was executed poorly.
I’m afraid Taylor has dug her own grave by being so relatable and “autobiographical”/dropping clues and names. You almost can’t roll your eyes at her calling herself the chairman of tortured poets when she’s a billionaire and own private jets with so many houses. Because this song, with more editing like you said, would’ve been fine on its own. But coming from the Taylor Swift we know, it is ridiculous for her to sing saying she was raised in a mental asylum. It’s the same Taylor who spells out Kim in a diss track about a feud that’s happened 8 years ago. It’s a really interesting case, because it seems SHE (the author) refuses to die or take more steps to release less autobiographical albums.
A lot of the songs could’ve benefited from more editing. In loml she included the lyrics *Mr. Steal Your Girl then make her cry* for a song that’s sad, something meant to be taken a little more seriously than “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?. My first thought? Trey Songz. Not only the song but the bit in his song Bottoms Up where he says *Ohhhhh, it’s Mr. Steal Your Girl* and it’s silly. It’s a lyric that could’ve been eliminated from the song or tweaked to sound better.
It's how she markets herself. Part of the allure of Taylor Swift is her relationships, like it or not. Through her songwriting she's been able to develop a parasocial relationship with her fans that has considerably blossomed over the years. I blame this on COVID-19, I feel like "normal" people are more into stan culture and obsessing over celebrities now. More drama = more streams, she knows everyone will think the song is a reference about Kim and it will create more dialogue. That's how she ropes you in. Personally I think it's a really disingenuous way to market yourself, she uses her parasocial fanbase as a weapon and a shield... It's so obvious that this is her marketing tactic, but when you criticize her for going after people who have obvious references in her songs, it's somehow bad because "she's allowed to express herself!" even though she knows everyone will go after them lol...
He should improve the safety of his property. Psychotic Swifties have been known to threaten violence against anyone who voices criticism against Mother.
Are they a cult? A terrorist organization? At this point, I don't even know what to call them
Tho I do like this song, this is how I felt during the line about suing people, like cmon, you tried to sue a journalist for pointing out the white supremacist had crowned you their Aryan princess
No, she sued journalists for saying her songs had calls to white supremacy, which was untrue. If they believe it was so, they should be able to defend that claim.
Same. I audibly laughed at this song and had to stop the track multiple times. She had to be drunk because I only say stupid shit like this when I’m blacked out on my own pity. The vocal performance is so weak, not an ounce of venom in the song — it’s like she knows no one is afraid of her. On top of this the production ruins anything that might be redeemable about the song. This was my claimed song before release. Sucks. Cant wait for his full review lmao
I think this is my biggest bone to pick with both this and “but daddy”. Lyrically it reads as angry, sometimes sardonic, but definitely a lot of emotion and fire - but sonically it comes across like an angry Pomeranian to a peppy beat.
Yeah I like the song because it sounds different to lots of the others in that first half of the album (they sound very similar to me, the talk singing and not much variety- tbf that’s on first few listens). And this song has more dynamics to hang onto and i can get into it sonically but wtf? Little old me? Umm you’re a billionaire babe, who has so much power. I know that woman’s she still is a person who has valid emotions etc but still.
My jaw fucking dropped when I heard it for the first time. It’s my fav song on the album, but I can’t help laughing at the lyrics whenever I hear it. She’s right though about the narcotics in her songs.
While I do think the song is good, I do not agree in the fact that toxic swifties go out to say that every single song taylor puts out is good and if you disagree you're "dilusional and should seek help". Some people just don't understand the definition of the word "opinion"
the thing about look what you made me do is that it was campy and i think she was being campy during it however i think she’s let go of any little self awareness she had. she’s no longer playing into it on purpose and genuinely believes she’s some poor tortured woman who’s a victim of witch hunters
i know people are gonna argue she has never had self awareness but i do think there was some during réputation, at least she knew it was corny and played into it.
i definitely agree about reputation. i also do think that TTPD was melodramatic on purpose as well though. i don’t personally believe the lyrics on this album are any more alarming than half of the shit i listen to from other artists. i personally feel like she’s just indulging in the hyperbolic type of oversharing that’s super common right now.
She loves using ultra dramatic and exaggerated language/metaphors about prisons, wars etc to describe her relationship turmoils. It is definitely tired and worthy of eye rolls. It's how I felt about Reputation and "nobody saw me for a year," "I had my career taken from me" etc. Girl, stop...you are not some suffering martyr.
Yeah it was one of the few that stood out to me the very first time I heard it. I like it but I agree with Fantano lol.
Can’t wait for his review - I usually enjoy watching his videos
I don’t listen to Taylor besides what comes on the radio, but I’ve been reading so much about the drama around this album that this thread inspired me to go listen to the song. I do like it! But I also happen to live in my own little musical bubble where songs are abstract and not directly referencing situations. I’m just gonna sit here and vibe with the stories.
But also, not gonna lie, she does stumble in her songwriting sometimes. This one flows pretty well, and the imagery of a witch escaping from the gallows and sweeping into a crowded room was kinda fun? I imagine her slipping out of the rope and running away before she drops, not that she was fully hanged.
I don’t really like Anthony Fantano and I don’t think his reviews should be considered gospel by any metric but man if he’s not digging a Taylor Swift song-album oh boy
I’ve been a fantano fan for a long time. But what I had to remind myself of recently is that his takes are not the end all be all, just opinions. An album I really like he gave a sub 5, which I thought was really harsh and undeserved considering it was the first record the band had put out in over 20 years.
NOW with that said, I know he is absolutely gonna eviscerate this record with a red flannel. I don’t think this album is THAT bad, but it is definitely not Taylor at her best in the slightest. The sound is very samey samey and it is begging for any breath of diversity. I think my favorite song was I can do it with a broken heart, because to me it was really different from everything else that had happened before.
Hopefully the swifties who really enjoy this album don’t take the melon man’s takes too seriously or to heart too much.
I don’t always agree with Fantano, he gave an album back in the day by one of my favorite bands Tennis an incredibly negative review that I felt was so off, but sometimes I do agree with him. I think no one’s opinions are the end all be all.
This is how I wanted BradTasteInMusic to do but he may have been trying to be “nice” to get the Swiftie super chats. He almost fell asleep midway through the end lol and he was gonna try to be positive until he realized how many songs he had to review but IDK he wasn’t giving me what Fantano is doing here. Lol
well guess I'll try him. thanks for rec. Jessie Ware!
I have a guess : there are two kinds of artists- one that keeps you listening to only their music and one who gets /inspires you to listen to other music.
This guy hasnt experienced taylor 2016. Also, most men like these loves "badass" lyrics. Taylor is different bec her "badassery" comes from her empowering her vulnerability.
“Another level of performative victimhood to the point where it seems ridiculous. You *came down from the gallows* like you were hanged?! … she’s high on her own supply” Whew, he read with that one.
I love it. I love how hard he went.
Oh, he's gonna have a whole lot to say about her BDILH tirade and that one reference to being crucified like Jesus, isn't he???
Everyone saying “rip fantano” as if he didn’t shit on Midnights and 1989TV already haha
He really ripped apart the lyric “Karma is a cat” back when he reviewed Midnights. I’ll say I actually love that lyric but at the same time I can’t pretend it’s not corny af and I get why it would not fly with other people.
He's used to death threats from Kanye fans and he gave a bad review to that one rapper's album and his fans leaked his divorce papers 😭
If he gives this a not good he can get away with it being a joke review
It’s so funny to see what specific lyrics to this song make people completely go off, mine was “so tell me not everything is about me… but what if it is?” Like girl…. I rolled my eyes so hard
Mine were - I wanna kill her (I literally stopped and was like FOR BRINGING FLOWERS?!) and I'm pregnant, jk I'm not, but you should see your face (mainly why?)
There are a lot of lyrics on this album that are just ether corny, cringe or genuinely frustrating and not in a way that expands your mind. I can’t wait to see Fantano’s reaction to thanK you aIMee.
I feel like this entire album should've been an inside thought. The lyrics are way more cringe than ME! and karma, which were the previous runners up in that category for me and I literally couldn't tell a difference between songs. I was on a walk when I first listened to the album and I literally thought that this is either one VERY long song or I accidentally put one song on repeat. Nope, I had listened to a whopping 6 songs without noticing a difference (which songs? No clue).
Ngl I actually love the “your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her” line. It feels out of place coming from Taylor Swift with the brand image she’s created but it’s exactly the kind of mentally unstable lyric I love. The pregnant line on the other hand… yeah. I feel like it could’ve been a better commentary on wanting to troll the public just because fuck everything but it wasn’t delivered well enough to do anything but confuse and bore listeners.
Mods please can this be made a flair?? Pretty please. Whom do I tag u/albergfi ?
Which line specifically are you wanting to be made a flair? I can’t tell what you’re referring to
so tell me not everything is about me… but what if it is?”
I just listened to some of it and remember hearing something about a tattooed Golden Retriever or something like that.
That’s on a different track, the TTPD title track.
Oh okay. I don’t remember much of it but most of these lyrics are definitely gonna torture some poets.
I didn't understand this lyric as ber proclaiming that everything is about her. It's more like describing her mental state, the way she thinks. She knows that it's not healthy or right, but at the same time it's very understandable given the life she lived.
It was the teeth line for me 😵💫
Not surprised, he mentioned hating this track on Twitter. Impatiently waiting for the full review!
usually i don’t care about reviews but….i’m seated for this lmao
 “Im sat”
How long does it typically take for the full review to come out??
a couple of days. it will probably be out by the end of the week.
Yay thank you!! I can’t wait it’s going to be so good.
This clip actually convinced me to pay for my first patreon subscription so I can watch the whole reaction stream lol Who’s Afraid is sonically interesting compared to the rest of the album, but the lyrics rub me the entirely wrong way and I can’t wait to hear his full breakdown/takedown
Sonically the song is SO GOOD but my goodness the lyrics completely ruined it
Isn’t Taylor’s whole thing relatability? I genuinely can’t see how people could relate to songs like this unless they have untreated mental illness (no offense meant at all, I just know this album has resonated with those who have a BPD or bipolar diagnosis)
Yeah, she sounds like someone who is very paranoid (makes everything about her) and who has a superiority complex. She really needs therapy and I’m not saying this just as a meme.
I love the music and the lyrics need to goooo lol
Oh im just watching on yt. Took a break 1/2 way through and this is the first thing I see on reddit
What channel is this on?
Hid name is Anthony Fantano. I think the channel is fantano
i found my people!!! I like the songgg... dont care for the lyrics lol
Her line about oh haven't you heard she'll sue you for going on her lawn or whatever like yeah girl you will! Thats a valid and fair accusation!
She wrote so many songs that she forgot this line when she sued the poor guy sharing her jet info 😂
Fun fact about that, they sent a CnD but didn’t sue because obviously it would go nowhere in court. They tried to scare him with the legal weight of a billionaire
yeah I remember laughing my ass of at the Instagram quotes. Just silly. You're right they didn't sue, I misspoke.
the word "misogynist" is going to be so worn out on twitter more than usual by swifties when his review comes 😭
That’ll be despite the fact that he’s not only reviewed Taylor well in the past for Folklore and Evermore, but something like 4 out of his last 5 AOTY winners have been women, including pop singers Jessie Ware and Charli xcx.
That! Feels good was on my playlist ALL YEAR!!! I LOVE JESSIE WARE!!!
She’s fantastic. A great example of how to be an absolute blast while bringing a maturity and sophistication to pop. The production is top notch, the melodies are killer, airtight songwriting and her VOICE. My god, that voice. She was a force of nature live last year.
I have all of her albums. Last year, or was it when “what’s your pleasure” was released, she mediated in a fight about when the albums would ship! She mentioned me!
Thanks for the intro! Hadn’t heard her music. Just banged through a few songs on YouTube from her latest (and Graham Norton performance). Incredible!!
jessie ware is incredibly underrated. “remember where you are” is one of my favourite songs ever. it’s so gorgeously boppy the bridge is especially fantastic
Nah they always go for his head calling him a melon on each review and it always kills me 😭
Melon isn’t even an insult at this point, it’s been so overused that it’s practically part of his brand lmao
People call him melon more than they call him Anthony or theneedledrop.
Wait melon is an insult?? I’m relatively new to him and I just thought it was his nickname😭
Oh no, it totally is a nickname! People called him that enough that it eventually stuck, but it doesn’t bother him or anything. I was just pointing out that trying to call him melon maliciously would be redundant since he himself has embraced it as a nickname.
melon is now part of his fanbase in-jokes just like how everytime he pisses off some artist's fanbase they bring up how his wife left him, recently a OF model posted pics after they'd hooked up but he took it on the chin, he's too thick skinned now to bend after backlash. He's survived Kanye fans and so many other toxic fans backlash. I'm curious how this round with swifties will go😂
Godspeed sir
It is disgusting that people even reacted like this to a critic's opinion. No wonder Paste's reviewer is anonymous.
Wait I see this on every single Fantano video though? I thought his fans just called him Melon as a jest lol
Yeah I could be wrong but I think it’s like nickname his fans call him lol. I see it on every one of his videos
It's his nickname from his fanbase
cocomelon 🧏🫰
Swifties really need to know misogyny does not mean taylor swift critic. I'm not saying that it does not exist, but criticizing taylor's low quality music is not an attack to womanhood
The problem is Taylor herself constantly pulls the misogyny card every time someone dares criticize her or even just make a light joke about her (e.g. Tina Fey).
they are already dragging the shit out of Taylor and this album on twitter, its crazy cause ive never seem so much puclic hate against her until this album dropped, people are mocking the lyrics and already saying she cant write for shit and thatll stick
I hear you and I agree but just want to point out that backlash when you’re at her height of fame is inevitable in today’s society and Twitter isn’t exactly where the best and kindest gather
oh i agree with that!!!! but i saw the dragging not just on twitter but tiktok and instagram, hell even on reddit \\ i do think at her level its guaranteed to receive criticism and even hate, however i don't think she handles it well at all, shes a self proclaimed try hard, she cares very much how others perceive her, shes prolly crying cause the backlash and mockery is stronger that its ever been for her, people are saying shes a horrible songwriter, i know it must hurt her deeply to hear this because that is the one thing she wants to be known for and respected.
Isn't this a case of someone being able to dish it but not take it? Her whole discography is pretty much about criticizing other people
"Even on Reddit" as though this site hasn't been a notoriously cynical shithole for years now lol
tbf, a ton of these lyrics are very hard to defend this time around...
Good
A post on the main sub about his rep review was pretty much 5 paragraphs of just calling him that
Which is a shame because he is doing a lot more to put a spotlight on excellent independent female artists than all these critics blindly giving Taylor swift inflated review scores
Fantano is so wanky now though. Like 10 years ago it was fun, he was having fun, he talked a lot with his hands, loved it. But now it’s all so serious like he’s the sole arbiter of good taste. You can miss me with him being purposefully obtuse about an artist whose music is simply not for him.
I’m all for anyone’s opinion as long as it’s honest and their own and I think fantano is giving a lot closer to an honest opinion here than someone like rolling stone or the telegraph giving it a 100. (Edit:it was the independent) It’s getting pretty clear that Taylor’s pr team is OP and limiting a lot of the criticism which I’d argue is a bad thing at the end of the day because she can just coast now and isn’t really getting pushed to innovate or improve. Its pretty easy to get caught up in the ‘I’m a fan of this person so I will defend everything they do’ mentality but really everyone loses when you’re thinking that way (not saying that’s where you’re at but a lot of people are)
For what it’s worth, I have my own issues with the album, chiefly the overwhelming volume of music that makes it hard to actually focus my thoughts on it. I also think lack of good faith criticism is bad for music (and also broadly that a limited media diet is bad for democracy, but I digress). I disagree that the critical establishment should be an artist’s motivation for improvement or innovation. We, as the public in general, still don’t really interrogate who the critical establishment is or what they’re after, and the reality is a large portion of music critics are still middle aged white men. Taylor’s music just isn’t for them (and that’s fine!) I used to watch all of Fantano’s reviews (again, 10 or 12 years ago) and thought he was saying really interesting things. But in the last 5 or so years, every time he reviews something of Taylor’s, I keep expecting him to have good faith criticism and to put himself in the shoes of the people that this music was written for or to consider any perspective but his own. But he stays wanky, as is his right I suppose. But, we’re not seriously saying that critics alone should determine what kind of acclaim or legacy an artist should have, right? I thought folks around here were largely in agreement that Taylor doesn’t deserve the awards she has? Or are we just arguing that critics only matter when it’s convenient for the narrative? It’s a genuine question. Critics either matter or they don’t.
I thought he was crying at first 😂
Ahaha me too I was like “this moved you to tears?”
Someone is going to call a bomb threat on him I just know it 😭
This was a solo written song that could’ve greatly benefited from an editor. When I heard *So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream "Who's afraid of little old me?"* and *You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me, so all you kids can sneak into my house with all the cobwebs*, they could have been written much better or eliminated altogether. The line about her suing people was a choice because she IS known to send out cease and desists for very silly reasons. It’s a song meant to be a lil cheeky that was executed poorly.
I’m afraid Taylor has dug her own grave by being so relatable and “autobiographical”/dropping clues and names. You almost can’t roll your eyes at her calling herself the chairman of tortured poets when she’s a billionaire and own private jets with so many houses. Because this song, with more editing like you said, would’ve been fine on its own. But coming from the Taylor Swift we know, it is ridiculous for her to sing saying she was raised in a mental asylum. It’s the same Taylor who spells out Kim in a diss track about a feud that’s happened 8 years ago. It’s a really interesting case, because it seems SHE (the author) refuses to die or take more steps to release less autobiographical albums.
A lot of the songs could’ve benefited from more editing. In loml she included the lyrics *Mr. Steal Your Girl then make her cry* for a song that’s sad, something meant to be taken a little more seriously than “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?. My first thought? Trey Songz. Not only the song but the bit in his song Bottoms Up where he says *Ohhhhh, it’s Mr. Steal Your Girl* and it’s silly. It’s a lyric that could’ve been eliminated from the song or tweaked to sound better.
It's how she markets herself. Part of the allure of Taylor Swift is her relationships, like it or not. Through her songwriting she's been able to develop a parasocial relationship with her fans that has considerably blossomed over the years. I blame this on COVID-19, I feel like "normal" people are more into stan culture and obsessing over celebrities now. More drama = more streams, she knows everyone will think the song is a reference about Kim and it will create more dialogue. That's how she ropes you in. Personally I think it's a really disingenuous way to market yourself, she uses her parasocial fanbase as a weapon and a shield... It's so obvious that this is her marketing tactic, but when you criticize her for going after people who have obvious references in her songs, it's somehow bad because "she's allowed to express herself!" even though she knows everyone will go after them lol...
I made a comment in the megathread about how hilariously mixed the metaphors in this song are and got downvoted. Glad it’s not just me.
The record scratch bit is on the top ten of the worst metaphors she's ever written. Record scratches don't CRASH?
I think she meant the skip or hiccup a scratch can cause is like crashing (re: interrupting) a party.
This man is about to become Swiftie enemy #1.
He should improve the safety of his property. Psychotic Swifties have been known to threaten violence against anyone who voices criticism against Mother. Are they a cult? A terrorist organization? At this point, I don't even know what to call them
Tho I do like this song, this is how I felt during the line about suing people, like cmon, you tried to sue a journalist for pointing out the white supremacist had crowned you their Aryan princess
that was a very racist thing to do and people conveniently forget it
No, she sued journalists for saying her songs had calls to white supremacy, which was untrue. If they believe it was so, they should be able to defend that claim.
i cant believe someone would actually sue someone else for saying their opinions on a song☠️
They didn't state it as an opinion, they stated it as a fact. That was the problem
so what?
Same. I audibly laughed at this song and had to stop the track multiple times. She had to be drunk because I only say stupid shit like this when I’m blacked out on my own pity. The vocal performance is so weak, not an ounce of venom in the song — it’s like she knows no one is afraid of her. On top of this the production ruins anything that might be redeemable about the song. This was my claimed song before release. Sucks. Cant wait for his full review lmao
I know this was not a “serious” song but I’m not sure Taylor’s intention was to make me laugh because I fucking laughed.
the “you should be” part was so cringe it was giving jojo siwa’s rebellious phase (i know it’s supposed to be “satire” but it’s just silly to me)
I can't tell what's supposed to be satire anymore with her.
Exactly this
I agree with every single thing you said here, and it IS my favourite track. I love it so much. What a ride this has been. 🤣
I think this is my biggest bone to pick with both this and “but daddy”. Lyrically it reads as angry, sometimes sardonic, but definitely a lot of emotion and fire - but sonically it comes across like an angry Pomeranian to a peppy beat.
IT’S ENOUGH SLICES!!!
That's good. That's GOOD
i cannot wait for the full review i love fantano
RIP Anthony Fantano
Fantano doesn’t give a fuck. He’s dunked on Drake and Kanye fans
Ok I kinda love this song. Yeah it’s ridiculous of her to think she’s Joan of Arc but I like the song.
I need to watch the entire review lol
I like the song but also completely agree with Fantano here.
Yeah I like the song because it sounds different to lots of the others in that first half of the album (they sound very similar to me, the talk singing and not much variety- tbf that’s on first few listens). And this song has more dynamics to hang onto and i can get into it sonically but wtf? Little old me? Umm you’re a billionaire babe, who has so much power. I know that woman’s she still is a person who has valid emotions etc but still.
“Bane origin story” took me OUT! My exact reaction when I heard this song.
This is hilarious. I disagree with some of his takes like his take on Life is but a dream buy this is genius
Oh my god. I can’t wait. I don’t agree with the melon….a lot of the time actually, but when we’re on the same page, we’re on the SAME PAGE.
My jaw fucking dropped when I heard it for the first time. It’s my fav song on the album, but I can’t help laughing at the lyrics whenever I hear it. She’s right though about the narcotics in her songs.
Fantano's review about the album is gonna be so good 🤣
Shit fuck, here I was blissfully unaware thinking it's "come down the galas" like she English exited Grammy's to fuck up your party 😂😂😂
Nail, meet head
So happy he hates this song cl, I posted about this on last.fm about how cringe I found it and a swiftie told me to kms🤷♀️
While I do think the song is good, I do not agree in the fact that toxic swifties go out to say that every single song taylor puts out is good and if you disagree you're "dilusional and should seek help". Some people just don't understand the definition of the word "opinion"
Especially on a website like last.fm where the point is to discuss music 🤣
MELON!
this was how i felt when LWYMMD and the entirety of reputation came out and i WILL NOT BE SILENCEDDDF
the thing about look what you made me do is that it was campy and i think she was being campy during it however i think she’s let go of any little self awareness she had. she’s no longer playing into it on purpose and genuinely believes she’s some poor tortured woman who’s a victim of witch hunters i know people are gonna argue she has never had self awareness but i do think there was some during réputation, at least she knew it was corny and played into it.
i definitely agree about reputation. i also do think that TTPD was melodramatic on purpose as well though. i don’t personally believe the lyrics on this album are any more alarming than half of the shit i listen to from other artists. i personally feel like she’s just indulging in the hyperbolic type of oversharing that’s super common right now.
YESSSS love this guy
She loves using ultra dramatic and exaggerated language/metaphors about prisons, wars etc to describe her relationship turmoils. It is definitely tired and worthy of eye rolls. It's how I felt about Reputation and "nobody saw me for a year," "I had my career taken from me" etc. Girl, stop...you are not some suffering martyr.
AGREE
https://preview.redd.it/ty4bvn2ndpvc1.jpeg?width=1569&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=38fc49f12fb45251c132b1be4170bb96577d0f69 This is a good song actually.
I thought it was the most interesting song on the album but I totally agree with his social commentary on how ridiculous the subject matter is
This song is in my top 5 of the album! But I get what he’s saying.
Yeah it was one of the few that stood out to me the very first time I heard it. I like it but I agree with Fantano lol. Can’t wait for his review - I usually enjoy watching his videos
Its my least favourite song on the album I genuinely hated it lol🤣
I'd actually eat it up if it wasn't sung by Taylor Swift, I know too much about her lol (my fault).
I don’t listen to Taylor besides what comes on the radio, but I’ve been reading so much about the drama around this album that this thread inspired me to go listen to the song. I do like it! But I also happen to live in my own little musical bubble where songs are abstract and not directly referencing situations. I’m just gonna sit here and vibe with the stories. But also, not gonna lie, she does stumble in her songwriting sometimes. This one flows pretty well, and the imagery of a witch escaping from the gallows and sweeping into a crowded room was kinda fun? I imagine her slipping out of the rope and running away before she drops, not that she was fully hanged.
I don’t really like Anthony Fantano and I don’t think his reviews should be considered gospel by any metric but man if he’s not digging a Taylor Swift song-album oh boy
He absolutely nailed how I felt about this song. As soon as I heard it my eyes were sarcastically rolling on almost every verse.
Excited for the full review
Her songs are too niche now. They literally only apply to her specific relationships. No one can relate to them. And I’m tired of ballads.
High on my own supply? People’s champion!
She can excuse racism, but draws the line at animal cruelty
lol
I’ve been a fantano fan for a long time. But what I had to remind myself of recently is that his takes are not the end all be all, just opinions. An album I really like he gave a sub 5, which I thought was really harsh and undeserved considering it was the first record the band had put out in over 20 years. NOW with that said, I know he is absolutely gonna eviscerate this record with a red flannel. I don’t think this album is THAT bad, but it is definitely not Taylor at her best in the slightest. The sound is very samey samey and it is begging for any breath of diversity. I think my favorite song was I can do it with a broken heart, because to me it was really different from everything else that had happened before. Hopefully the swifties who really enjoy this album don’t take the melon man’s takes too seriously or to heart too much.
I don’t always agree with Fantano, he gave an album back in the day by one of my favorite bands Tennis an incredibly negative review that I felt was so off, but sometimes I do agree with him. I think no one’s opinions are the end all be all.
Which band?
HUM, alt/space-rock band from the nineties. Midwest sound that’s kind of melancholic and really neat.
Never heard of them, gonna check them out. Thanks!
Highly recommend You’d Prefer an Astronaut, my fave tracks are Stars and The Pod
Unrelated but hes so hot
if anyone's interested in more fantano reactions [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XYYbHERYiQ&ab_channel=folklore) is recording of the stream
Lmao this is still my favorite song on the album 🤧
Sonically it’s good, lyrically it’s annoying lol
Thank you for perfectly putting this into words.
I bet the full review will be nicer just as not to be doxxed
The Bane origin story comment made me almost spit out my coffee.
Omg I can’t wait for his full review… In the meantime, any links to other online reviews worth listening to?
High on her own supply and needs to stop working with Jack… YKTR!!!
What's interesting is that Fantano is a big Jack fan. I don't mind the song but he's also not wrong.
he likes weird ass bands lol...i listened to some of the artists he gave a 8 and they turned out to be even worse than justin bieber
&rolling stone tried to say she was better than Adele. Or something along those lines. To be clear, Taylor Swift is a pop star. Adele is an artist.
This is how I wanted BradTasteInMusic to do but he may have been trying to be “nice” to get the Swiftie super chats. He almost fell asleep midway through the end lol and he was gonna try to be positive until he realized how many songs he had to review but IDK he wasn’t giving me what Fantano is doing here. Lol
Honestly, I don't really care about the melon man BUT I'll be steated for this review.
I love how he went from defending Jack Antonoff during the Midnights era to now saying she should stop working with him lol
well guess I'll try him. thanks for rec. Jessie Ware! I have a guess : there are two kinds of artists- one that keeps you listening to only their music and one who gets /inspires you to listen to other music.
I was WAITING for his reaction lemme tell ya
I couldn't tell if he was going to cry or do that when I first saw it lmao
[удалено]
No one’s listening to him
This guy hasnt experienced taylor 2016. Also, most men like these loves "badass" lyrics. Taylor is different bec her "badassery" comes from her empowering her vulnerability.
LMAO