Folklore debuts with metascore of 93 (4 reviews)

[Red Velvet 10,973]

4 minutes ago, Gagi said:

Did you just put a spell on me?

yes, gago. 

[Reginald 13,683]

Just going to sum up my thoughts by saying that I'm very pressedT about the last 48 hours.      

But happy for Taylor fans. 

[Midnightrush891 727]

I’m still listening but so far I really like this album. It’s my favorite since Red. 

[Gimme More 33,909]

SO DESERVING!

Great album 

[StrawberryBlond 13,317]

Haven't listened to it yet but will on Sunday. I predicted it would get reviews this good but will the public be into it? Will the singles actually sell? I really do think the critics are all over this because it's acoustic based and therefore, "authentic." Let's be real, this album wouldn't have existed if it weren't for quarantine. There was no plan for it and it was completely conceived on a whim, so when that's the case, how good can something be?

2 hours ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Besides, another factor that comes into play is that albums have more positive receptions in recent years. Dua Lipa, Beyonce and now Taylor all have 90+ scores. This was completely unheard of in the 2000s. No Bjork album had such a high score..

A 80 score isn't that high anymore after so many pop artists have one or more albums with 80+ scores. Soon 90+ scores will not be *that* incredibile anymore.

I've noticed the same thing. It seems to be that everyone's excited to rate an album into the 90's now whereas before, critics were a lot more hard-nosed and hard to please. As it is, when an album does get scores in the 80's and 90's now, it's just another day. Those scores go over your head and seem blase because we see them all the time now. When you see them once in a blue moon, you sit up and take notice, you take these albums more seriously. I've never seen critics be such simpering suck-ups as they are today. Many of them are clearly getting paid for positivity especially when I see them praise albums that the public, with its basic taste are blasting as generic or immature. If they can see it, why can't a critic with a music degree? And for decades, artists have been only trying hard with the singles but the album as a whole is packed with forgettable filler, so I don't know how extremely positive reviews for artist after artist can be so common. That's why I just stick to being an amateur reviewer. It keeps your feet on the ground and your ears know their own mind. The only reviewers who would dare to be a bit different are Slant Magazine and Robert Christgau and I think he must have retired now.

1 hour ago, ode said:

Reviewers at major publications do often get advanced copies, unless it's a truly out-of-the-blue, 100% surprise drop. I'd suspect that Taylor's team sent traceable copies of the album to a handful of major editors, so yeah. (Still, many reviews probs got written right after it was released and without any extra time to listen.)

interesting article on this: https://consequenceofsound.net/2016/05/hey-critics-cool-it-with-those-same-day-album-reviews/

That may be an old article but still 100% relevant today. Indeed, it's like they're in a race to see who can be the first to review as that can set the tone for how everyone else will follow. Critics have been sheep for a long time, we been knew. I sometimes wonder what they're getting paid for when all they do is follow what every other critic is saying.

[DeanWinchester 41,390]

Talent

[KingRedd 3,139]

Nice! Haven’t listened to the full album yet but it sounds nice. Not gonna say  deserved because that’s doing way too much lol. Taylor is what Beyoncé hater thinks Beyoncé is lol except they don’t call Taylor overrated haha. 
 

Taylor is very consistent 

[President Biden 5,898]

2 hours ago, Chromatography said:

how is the weeknd considered fresh if he’s been out for ~10 years? 

 

He’s trendy, that’s how. First of all, nobody really knew of him til Can’t Feel My Face and Love Me Harder, at least not the general public. and more importantly, he still sells massive singles. 

[President Biden 5,898]

Update: 95 now. 

 

Watch it top the Bolt Cutters. Then the little “Apple of the Year”ers can go running

[Chromatography 9,539]

5 minutes ago, President Biden said:

He’s trendy, that’s how. First of all, nobody really knew of him til Can’t Feel My Face and Love Me Harder, at least not the general public. and more importantly, he still sells massive singles. 

was just asking, i wasnt sure what you meant by it. 

[FentyGa 14,340]

3 hours ago, Blastertoyo said:

Speak Now got a 77

You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables
Left a small town, never looked back
I was a flight risk, with a fear of fallin'
Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts

you chose a random, one-line lyric and compared it to a slightly better verse make it make sense

[LilyLark 9,694]

2 hours ago, Chromatography said:

okay, that’s a fair point and i didn’t think of it that way. i think gaga does get slanted in her scores because of who she is. i really think half of her body of work should be 80+ but no one really cares about the scores except stans

This is going to sound weird but Adele's another one who gets slated. I don't think she's ever had an album break 80 (just checked, her highest score is 76). In Gaga's case, it's her "sound" (more exp. dance pop), her early interviews, public persona, etc. that play against her with some critics..esp. the critics that place so much value on "authenticity". In Adele's case, critics write her off as "great but boring."

But yeah..as you said, stans need to chill...it's all very arbitrary. I do think Folklore deserves a high score though.

 

[LadyEnigma 955]

The album fell flat for me in almost every way except maybe some lyrics

[LilyLark 9,694]

It deserves a very high score, but it's kind of irritating how some critics are framing it as "real music" or "more authentic" or her "true voice." A woman can be authentic even if she loves pink sparkles and upbeat pop music...it doesn't mean Taylor's last albums weren't her "true voice." I'd even argue much of Red was rather innovative for how it combined elements of country, pop, electropop, and borderline folk....

[Suuus 5,632]

6 minutes ago, LilyLark said:

This is going to sound weird but Adele's another one who gets slated. I don't think she's ever had an album break 80 (just checked, her highest score is 76). In Gaga's case, it's her "sound" (more exp. dance pop), her early interviews, public persona, etc. that play against her with some critics..esp. the critics that place so much value on "authenticity". In Adele's case, critics write her off as "great but boring."

But yeah..as you said, stans need to chill...it's all very arbitrary. I do think Folklore deserves a high score though.

 

This is why i hate critics they are always biast