Five months after the surprise drop of her Grammy-nominated album “folklore,” Taylor Swift shocked fans yet again with her ninth studio album “evermore.” Although it’s a sister album to “folklore,” “evermore” stands out on its own, displaying a level of storytelling and musicality even stronger than its predecessor. 

Swift opens the album with “willow,” an ethereal, indie-pop track that uses subtle yet complex lyrics to detail the honeymoon phase of a relationship. The storyline itself is unique enough as it’s about “two young con artists who fall in love.” It’s enticing, drawing in the listener as a prologue to a story she develops throughout the album.

Carrying on the tale of this romantic journey are “champagne problems,” “tolerate it” and “happiness,” all ballads of heartbreak and loss. Her song “champagne problems” starts that narrative, detailing the timeless battle between leaving or staying with a significant other. But it’s within this cliche plot that Swift writes what is arguably the best track of her album, sharing painfully realistic lyrics in her alto range set to piano and light acoustic guitar. She moves toward the final stages of a breakup in “tolerate it,” an emotional song with distinct rhythms that allow Swift’s voice to dominate. The saga ends with “happiness”  and the finality of a breakup in a simplistic combination of piano and ethereal music. 

She continues to weave the story with stand-outs “gold rush” and “long story short.” The first is a return to the pop side of Swift’s musical career, partnering drum beats and a catchy bridge to mimic the feeling of falling for someone. She continues that more playful tone in “long story short,” a light-hearted track about the ups and downs of finding the right one.

 With lyrics like “I always felt like I must look better in the rear view,” and “I tried to pick my battles till the battle picked me,” it felt as if Swift was retelling the media’s portrayal of her own love life. 

Departing from the romantic and picturesque plotlines of this record is “marjorie,” a sentimental tribute to Swift’s late grandmother Marjorie. A simplistic melody with a subtle background track focusing on Swift’s range and her piano, it captures every feeling of familial loss. 

The album is wrapped with the title track, “evermore,” an emotional yet simple ballad duetting Bon Iver. It’s a perfect conclusion, capturing the essence of every track on the album while still standing out on its own. 

Unlike the vintage notes and art of “folklore,” Swift has broken into the colored version of her artistry, marking the beginning of a new era with “evermore.” I have no doubt that her future holds even more surprises since, as she says, “I come back stronger than a 90’s trend.”