After dozens of Easter eggs, months of hype and quick engagement announcement for extra measure, Taylor Swift has finally dropped The Life of a Showgirl, and critics already clamouring to weigh in.
The pop star unleashed her latest album into the world earlier today, sending fans into a tizzy as they feverishly dissect each lyric (and apparent diss) across the album’s 12 tracks.
It will no doubt fare well with the masses (expect chart domination in the coming weeks), but what did reviewers think of Swift’s newest offering?
The answer, like most things in music criticism, is a bit of a mixed bag, though the consensus seems to be pointing towards generally positive reviews for the Showgirl herself.
So let’s start there, shall we?
The good
In perhaps the most glowing review, Rolling Stone gave The Life of a Showgirl five stars (I repeat: five stars!), saying Swift “shoots into a fresh echelon of superstardom and hits all her marks”.
“With its spotlight concept and showstopping production, Showgirl is the direct result of Swift’s all-encompassing career feat — and an extension of it,” the outlet wrote. So glowing was the review that is so far the only one that Swift has shared on her Instagram — a shoutout that probably broke their servers with immediate effect.
In an equally complimentary take, Billboard (the home to Showgirl’s imminent chart-toppers) said the collection of tracks is “immediately engrossing and among the most affecting of Swift’s career”, and gave particular credit to Swift for offering “a settled, grown-up phase of the love stories that she’s been telling for decades”.
While Billboard’s standout songs were “internet grenades” like “Actually Romantic” and “Father Figure”, The Australian gave kudos to tenth track “Cancelled”, commending its “James Bond theme-like drama” and saying the album as a whole showcases Swift as a “master whose powers are only growing stronger and more acute”.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Times said Showgirl was “immaculate” and Variety declared it the “album of the summer”, which is all the motivation I need to start assembling my poolside playlist as we speak.
The meh
For all its stans, there were a few critics who sat somewhere in the middle on The Life of a Showgirl.
In a lukewarm review, Midland Reporter-Telegram said the album “mostly delivers on its promise of up-tempo pop bangers”, adding that while it “isn’t as seismic” as her previous albums, Swift still manages to deliver “glitz and glamour with humanity and humour”.
Business Insider, meanwhile, said Showgirl is home to some of Swift’s “best songs”, but is lacking in the lyric (tortured poets) department. “The new music is catchy and bold but often leans cringey,” the outlet wrote.
The bad
Like any piece of art, there’s going to be a few detractors, which came in the form of The Guardian’s review for The Life of a Showgirl. The publication described the album as “dull razzle-dazzle from a star who seems frazzled” (OK, Dr. Suess!), saying it has a “distinct lack of undeniable hooks”.
“It’s just nowhere near as good as it should be given Swift’s talents”, the two-star review added, “[it] floats in one ear and out the other”. Ouch!
The Age shared a similar critique around the album failing to leave a mark, arguing that the “perfectly pleasant songs” in Showgirl “blend seamlessly into the broader musical landscape without much differentiation”, and describing the album as “one of Swift’s weakest efforts” in terms of lyrics.
Of course, it’s up to the individual listener to decide where they stand on the album (it’s subjective, y’all!), but regardless of where you land, let’s chuck on a feather boa and feign interest in the NFL, because it’s about to be a Swiftian Showgirl summer.
The post From ‘Immaculate’ To ‘Dull’, How Has The Life Of A Showgirl Fared Among Critics? appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
