Music review
The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore
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She gave us an encore. But did we really need this encore?
Taylor Swift had the chance to redeem “The Life of a Showgirl,” arguably one of her weaker albums in her prolific discography, with her four-track “Encore” edition, released Friday.
Instead, the songs arguably gave the album even more of an identity crisis.
Sure, not every “Showgirl” track can be a bop like “Opalite” or “The Fate of Ophelia.” However, the songs should at least feel like they’re on the right stage.
“Patient Zero” sounds like it belongs on “The Tortured Poets Department,” while “Babylon” and “Pink Clouding” would have felt more at home on “Folklore” and “Midnights,” respectively.
At least “Cleveland!” gives some “Showgirl” vibes — but that’s not entirely a compliment. Swift’s blatant Travis Kelce love song is far too on the nose, complete with too many cringey lyrics to count.
“He already took me to Cleveland / And he showed me The Heights / so hate all you like (Uh-huh) / This is the love of my life,” she sings.
Then there’s the raunchy line, “The taste of me is acquired, but it’s his favorite dish.”
And to think we bashed “Me!” seven years ago.
We do have to give Swift some credit, though, as the rest of the “Encore” songs aren’t as bad. “Babylon” is probably the best of the bunch — though it takes lots of brain power to figure out exactly what she’s saying.
“Patient Zero,” a confirmed girl’s girl anthem, and “Pink Clouding,” an apparent apology to her ex Tom Hiddleston, are solid entries in her music catalog. But will we be dancing, or crying, to them five years from now? I doubt it.
The internet, where “Swifties” are crawling everywhere, isn’t giving a standing ovation to her “Encore” edition, either.
“Showgirl really her weakest work not even the encore could save this,” one disappointed fan wrote on X.
Another fan shaded Swift, “Does she know it’s ok to keep songs in the vault?”
“Sometimes u listen to a song and thank god u have free will and never have to hear it again,” read a different brutal comment.
Now let’s clarify one thing: Swift is still a music mastermind. Some of the greatest artists in the world have highs and lows. And this is, sadly, her low.
She’s also not the same girl she was when she wrote “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “All Too Well.” She’s happier now. And maybe that’s what happens when you fall in true love (with her now-husband, NFL star Travis Kelce).
Since she was 16 years old, Swift has never stopped putting on a show for us. That’s why, bad album or not, she’ll never be knocked off the stage.
But she should’ve sat this show out.
The post Taylor Swift gives ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ a bigger identity crisis with her disjointed ‘Encore’: review appeared first on Page Six.
