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10.0
137230
10.0 |
Rolling Stone
The Tortured Poets Department combines the intimacy of Folklore and Evermore with the synth-pop gloss of Midnights to create music that's wildly ambitious and gloriously chaotic
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10.0
137231
10.0 |
The Independent
The whole album is a terrific reminder of the intense, personal connection Swift can conjure in song
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10.0
137287
10.0 |
The Arts Desk
Taylor Swift has once again alchemised pain and criticism into art
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9.0
137265
9.0 |
The Irish Times
Superstar’s 11th studio album is the fruit of abject misery but is also steeped in the singer’s trademark indefatigable optimism
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8.5
137311
8.5 |
Under The Radar
In Swift’s capable hands, even the deepest moments of despair are transmuted into songs which resonate with emotion and genuine insight
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8.0
137255
8.0 |
Clash
Though haunted by the phantoms of what could’ve been, Taylor’s most cathartic release to have created is her most cathartic to listen to; a spell-binding, toxic, chaotic illustration of what floating adrift and losing yourself looks like
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8.0
137261
8.0 |
The FT
Eleventh album shows her style evolving in 16 songs that range from charmingly cheesy to moodily melodramatic
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8.0
137232
8.0 |
The Guardian
Subtly detailed album splits the difference between 1989’s glossy pop-rock and Midnights’ understatement – and lets her ex Matty Healy have it in no uncertain terms
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8.0
137233
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Taylor Swift finds new ways to open up on the sophisticated pop of The Tortured Poets Department
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8.0
137284
8.0 |
PopMatters
Taylor Swift advances the Midnights synth-based and diaristic formula, embracing increasingly sophisticated and minimalistic sonics on The Tortured Poets Department
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8.0
137268
8.0 |
Dork
Swift’s prolific nature is a double-edged sword; her unfiltered creativity is a boon for die-hard fans but could be overwhelming for casual listeners. Nevertheless, what remains indisputable is the closure this volume brings to a tumultuous chapter in Swift’s life
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8.0
137269
8.0 |
The Observer
On her 11th album, the American singer-songwriter picks apart her romantic travails in typically unsparing fashion, while her ability to turn sorrow into songwriting gold remains unparalleled
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7.5
137386
7.5 |
Spectrum Culture
Taylor Swift doubles down on heartbreak, wordplay and literary references, making The Tortured Poets Department a far more mature, though perhaps not entirely necessary, installment to her discography
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7.3
137267
7.3 |
Northern Transmissions
Thorny on arrival but ultimately insightful, TTPD is a mature, messy, and grippingly honest look into Swift’s tortured psyche
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7.0
137274
7.0 |
musicOMH
The star of her generation’s 11th album has much to enjoy, yet she could benefit from some new lenses through which to view the world
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7.0
137285
7.0 |
Slant Magazine
The album sustains a vibe that’s melancholic without sacrificing hooks, but its minimalism undercuts the singer’s strengths
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7.0
137316
7.0 |
DIY
Each of the record’s 31 tracks unfold as a specific set piece filled with anecdotes, some more cleverly worded than others
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6.9
137303
6.9 |
Beats Per Minute
A unique experience that, even with all its flaws, merits engagement
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6.6
137276
6.6 |
Pitchfork
In standard and extended editions, Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album races to fill the gap between her intimate songwriting and her increasingly outsized persona. It’s unruly, unedited, and even a little tortured
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6.0
137234
6.0 |
NME
Arriving at the peak of her imperial phase, Swift’s 11th studio album is surprisingly flat and, at times, cringeworthy
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6.0
137399
6.0 |
No Ripcord
She’s made some phenomenal music in her career and a handful of songs on The Tortured Poets Department are welcome additions to her canon. These are sadly outnumbered by bland filler and compromised by an overwhelming sense of stasis
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4.0
137312
4.0 |
Exclaim
Like the colourless photo of a near-anonymous Swift that adorns the album cover, it casts an artful pose but doesn't have the guts to look the listener in the eye
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3.6
137271
3.6 |
Paste Magazine
What’s hollow about The Tortured Poets Department is that the real torture is just how unlivable these songs really are
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