No longer using her songs as mechanisms to call out ex-boyfriends, Evermore shows a grown-up Taylor Swift

Why Evermore from Taylor Swift is the early Christmas gift we all need

In true stealth fashion, last night Taylor Swift dropped Evermore, the sister record to Folklore, released five months ago. 

Following the same cardigan-heavy theme of Folklore, it is full of the breathless lyrics we have come to expect from Swift, and we are here for it.

Standouts include Willow, whose accompanying video features Taylor as a kind of woodland fairy in deference to the 1980s hit movie, Champagne Problems, which reminds me of 'New Year's Day' from Reputation in the best way possible and the title track, featuring Bon Iver.

Showing her growth as an artist and the knowledge that music does not have to be a solo sport, she has teamed up a stellar cast of stars including The National and HAIM, and the result is both measured and utterly delicious.

Touted as her ‘wedding album,’ with social media speculating on whether or not Swift is pointing to a secret marriage to boyfriend Joe Alwyn, it doesn’t really matter. Evermore is an adult response to what seems like a grown-up relationship. No longer using her songs as mechanisms to call out ex-boyfriends, Evermore ponders the flex and evolution of love and relationships.

True to her country roots, 'No body, no crime' is a tightly woven yarn featuring good pal Este Haim. Telling the story of a woman who believes her man is cheating and is soon after reported missing, presumed dead, diehard fans will be relieved to know that in the midst of a folk takeover, Swift knows where she came from. It’s a nod to the singer’s obsession with true crime, which is a theme throughout the album — tracks Marjorie and Dorothea may be referring to members of the West family. Marjorie West went missing in 1938 when her sister Dorothea was a child.

The lovelorn will adore 'Coney Island' — a duet featuring The National’s Matt Berninger as a couple looking back on a relationship that went wrong, albeit with a strange hook. “Sorry for not making you my centrefold,” they croon at each other. But it’s ok, because they are sitting on a bench in Coney Island for the majority of the song, which I imagine is very cold at this time of year, and therefore might muddle the brain slightly.

Overall, with this release Swift is proving herself to be ahead of the pack yet again — both Evermore and Folklore lend themselves to the notion of small, intimate gigs. In the world we find ourselves, stadium albums and accompanying tours are less likely in the near future, so her offering is pitch-perfect, as always.