Midnights＜限定盤/Jade Green Edition Vinyl＞

それでは、真夜中にお会いしましょう。
彼女の人生のあちこちにある13の眠れぬ夜の物語―通算10作目のオリジナル・アルバムの限定仕様LP。

●全13曲収録。
●ユニークなフロントとバックカバーアート(4種のうちの1種)
●ジェイド・グリーン・エディションにはジェイド・グリーンマーブル・カラーディスク入り(4種のうちの1種)
●アルバムスリーブにはテイラーのフルサイズフォトが各面に掲載(4種のうちの1種)
●フルサイズのゲートフォールドフォト(4種のうちの1種)
●8ページのリリックブックレットには未公開フォトを掲載

(C) 2022 Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift(R)
Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved.

Midnights isnt a retreat so much as a return, a revival of the moody electro-pop that kept Reputation roiling. Where that 2017 record carried a measure of defiance, the vibe of Midnights is contemplative even when beats are insistent, as they are on occasion. Despite these fleeting moments of urgency, the record is clearly a soundtrack to be played in the wee hours of the morning. In that sense, Midnights is a kindred spirit to Folklore and Evermore, the twin 2020 albums Swift released during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet those records felt like collections of short stories where these songs -- whether in their standard 13-song variation or the lengthy "3 AM Edition" which runs an additional seven tracks -- all feel like confessions, even if they display the sense of exacting lyrical detail shes honed since Lover. These compositions provide a sturdy foundation on a record that wants to capture the aimless suspension of late-night insomnia, a time filled with regret, recriminations, and resignations. Swift spikes this moodiness with hints of steeliness -- witness the cool swagger of "Vigilante Shit" -- but thats merely an accent on an album designed to deliver variations on one specific mood. Although this monochromatic palette tends to highlight the limits of co-producer Jack Antonoffs bag of tricks -- nothing here feels surprising, even when hes playing with textures and teasing out the musics dream pop elements -- the narrow focus is the main attribute of Midnights, as it plays to Swifts sense of control and craft: she may be singing about messy emotions but she sculpts those tangled feelings into shimmering, resonant songs. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine