Just like its predecessor, this album has been announced only a few hours before it hit the shelves. The opening track “Willow” serves as the lead single, which proved to be a smart choice thanks to its lighthearted tone that will immediately draw you in and the visual connection to Swift’s previous self-directed music video for “Cardigan”.

Some of the songs from Evermore may feel like Folklore leftovers, but that’s not necessarily a flaw since the songwriting is still as strong as it gets. Swift once again joined forces with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, in addition to giving songwriting credit to her boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

Evermore features collaborations with The National and Bon Iver, but its brightest point is the crime-mystery inspired tune “No Body, No Crime”, featuring Haim. Swift wrote it on her own and crafted an amazing revenge tale that will take you on a wild ride in less than four minutes.

This album is filled with many more amazing gems that already led to dozens of fan theories, including “Champagne Problems”, “Long Story Short”, and “Dorothea”. They’re more alternative and folk-leaning than her usual pop flare, but that’s what we came to expect from her after Folklore.

Free from the expectations that have been weighing her down for years, Swift managed to give us not one, but two amazing new albums this year that push boundaries and transcend genres. With Evermore, she stepped even deeper into the woods and we’re ready to follow her wherever she goes next.

Rating: 4.5/5

The post Taylor Swift’s “Evermore” is a Worthy Successor to “Folklore” appeared first on OMG Check It Out !.

The album, titled Love + Fear, dichotomizes two of humankind’s most prominent emotions. When there is love, there can be no fear and when there is fear, there can be no love. In Marina’s new album, however, the emotions exist simultaneously, despite being separated into distinct records. In Love, anxiety, and insecurity plagues the lyrics while in Fear, it is love that is being sought. Perhaps the two emotions aren’t so distinct after all.

The Love side of the record is mostly light and poppy. “Superstar” is one of the stronger tracks and is reminiscent of Marina + The Diamond’s “Hollywood”. The subsequent tracks are pleasant enough but lack any real originality or creative flair. In the “Hollywood” days, Marina was bold and unique only on Love, things feel a little bit too 2000s.

Fear, on the other hand, is more interesting. Her lyrics attack modern life on all fronts, slashing the president, Brexit and the general catastrophe that is climate change. Through all this, she declares on the opening track “I need to believe in love.” She thus suggests that the fear that is an inevitable part of modern life is not so unbearable if one can retain their belief in love.

“Life Is Strange” is a little more dramatic and is closer to the Marina that we were expecting. There are strings for starters and Marina sings with a heavier accent, which is one of the things we loved about her, to begin with. The track is a little weird despite sticking to a pop structure and she punctually declares “all I know is life is strange.”

The rest of the tracks on the Fear side are a little more playful and experimental. “Karma” is a great track and with its stripped back piano and honest lyrics, “Too Afraid” is surprisingly powerful. She sings: “I wanna change, but I don’t know how / I’ve been trying to turn my life around / I’ve been to every party, every bar / Nothing thrills me in this city anymore.” The song sums up the feeling of wanting to move on but being stuck because of something or someone that is holding you back.

Finally, “Soft To Be Strong” is a strong finish to the album and celebrates the strength in being kind. Love and fear successfully intertwine and Marina’s conclusion is genuinely quite insightful.

Still, the album overall is a little too poppy and a little less bold than we would hope from Marina. Nonetheless, it’s a decent enough comeback album and we look forward to the next one.

3/5

The post Marina “Love + Fear”: Insightful But Could Be Bolder appeared first on OMG Check It Out !.

Just like its predecessor, this album has been announced only a few hours before it hit the shelves. The opening track “Willow” serves as the lead single, which proved to be a smart choice thanks to its lighthearted tone that will immediately draw you in and the visual connection to Swift’s previous self-directed music video for “Cardigan”.

Some of the songs from Evermore may feel like Folklore leftovers, but that’s not necessarily a flaw since the songwriting is still as strong as it gets. Swift once again joined forces with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, in addition to giving songwriting credit to her boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

Evermore features collaborations with The National and Bon Iver, but its brightest point is the crime-mystery inspired tune “No Body, No Crime”, featuring Haim. Swift wrote it on her own and crafted an amazing revenge tale that will take you on a wild ride in less than four minutes.

This album is filled with many more amazing gems that already led to dozens of fan theories, including “Champagne Problems”, “Long Story Short”, and “Dorothea”. They’re more alternative and folk-leaning than her usual pop flare, but that’s what we came to expect from her after Folklore.

Free from the expectations that have been weighing her down for years, Swift managed to give us not one, but two amazing new albums this year that push boundaries and transcend genres. With Evermore, she stepped even deeper into the woods and we’re ready to follow her wherever she goes next.

Rating: 4.5/5

The post Taylor Swift’s “Evermore” is a Worthy Successor to “Folklore” appeared first on OMG Check It Out !.

The album, titled Love + Fear, dichotomizes two of humankind’s most prominent emotions. When there is love, there can be no fear and when there is fear, there can be no love. In Marina’s new album, however, the emotions exist simultaneously, despite being separated into distinct records. In Love, anxiety, and insecurity plagues the lyrics while in Fear, it is love that is being sought. Perhaps the two emotions aren’t so distinct after all.

The Love side of the record is mostly light and poppy. “Superstar” is one of the stronger tracks and is reminiscent of Marina + The Diamond’s “Hollywood”. The subsequent tracks are pleasant enough but lack any real originality or creative flair. In the “Hollywood” days, Marina was bold and unique only on Love, things feel a little bit too 2000s.

Fear, on the other hand, is more interesting. Her lyrics attack modern life on all fronts, slashing the president, Brexit and the general catastrophe that is climate change. Through all this, she declares on the opening track “I need to believe in love.” She thus suggests that the fear that is an inevitable part of modern life is not so unbearable if one can retain their belief in love.

“Life Is Strange” is a little more dramatic and is closer to the Marina that we were expecting. There are strings for starters and Marina sings with a heavier accent, which is one of the things we loved about her, to begin with. The track is a little weird despite sticking to a pop structure and she punctually declares “all I know is life is strange.”

The rest of the tracks on the Fear side are a little more playful and experimental. “Karma” is a great track and with its stripped back piano and honest lyrics, “Too Afraid” is surprisingly powerful. She sings: “I wanna change, but I don’t know how / I’ve been trying to turn my life around / I’ve been to every party, every bar / Nothing thrills me in this city anymore.” The song sums up the feeling of wanting to move on but being stuck because of something or someone that is holding you back.

Finally, “Soft To Be Strong” is a strong finish to the album and celebrates the strength in being kind. Love and fear successfully intertwine and Marina’s conclusion is genuinely quite insightful.

Still, the album overall is a little too poppy and a little less bold than we would hope from Marina. Nonetheless, it’s a decent enough comeback album and we look forward to the next one.

3/5

The post Marina “Love + Fear”: Insightful But Could Be Bolder appeared first on OMG Check It Out !.