Enough With the 'Eras' Already

Depending on who you ask, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is either “forgettable” or “an instant classic.” Among the people I would call “realistic Swifties” — not the kind of fans who would, say, gush over an eight-hour recording of her snoring and send death threats to any critic who disagreed — I’ve noticed an air of mild disappointment with TTPD: Swift once again worked with Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, key collaborators from her last few studio albums, and as a result, the latest offering from one of pop’s most prolific forces (surprise, it’s actually a double album!) feels like more of the same.