On Oct. 3, Grammy Award-winning artist Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. With no singles released, the sound of the album was a surprise to all listeners. 

This is one of Swift’s shorter releases, clocking in at 12 tracks and 41 minutes. Swift is no stranger to the pop music world, but this release did not live up to other pop albums in her discography.

Overall, the album felt like it was lacking emotional depth. One of the best things about Swift’s songs are her intricate and descriptive lyrics. She is known for being a sophisticated and poetic songwriter, and this album does not showcase her abilities well.

Track five on Swift’s albums have been coined by fans as the most heartbreaking songs on the album. Track five on this album, “Eldest Daughter,” did not match this expectation. Using phrases like “trolling and memes” and “I’m not a bad b**** / and this isn’t savage” takes away from the deeper emotional meaning of the song and feels distracting. Knowing how high-level Swift’s songwriting can be for her more emotional songs, this feels like a step below  what she is capable of. 

On the other hand, “Ruin the Friendship,” track six on the album, is the opposite. The lyrics could be in a fun pop song about high school, but the song has a slow beat that does not match the tone. Lyrics such as “Shiny wood floors underneath my feet / Disco ball makes everything look cheap / Have fun, it’s prom” feel out of place against the mellow beat behind them. While the lyrics hint at the youthful songs Swift usually excels at, it is drained of its charm, making “Ruin the Friendship” feel more awkward than nostalgic.

This is not to say the entire album is bad. Track three, “Opalite,” gives the pop perfection the rest of the album lacks. The song feels very joyful and bright, and is very upbeat. “Opalite” feels more authentically pop, fitting in the genre better than the rest of the album. It is not trying to be anything other than a fun song to dance to. 

Despite its flaws, the production throughout the album is impressive. It showcases layered vocals, synth and other instruments and varying tempos. All of these aspects working together behind Swift’s vocals create an intriguing sound for the album. The producers of the album, Max Martin and Shellback, used the production to display and enhance Swift’s vocals, combining the two well to make for a productionally impressive album. Each song has it’s individual sound, but together they are cohesive. 

The bridge of the last track, “The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter),” displays a catchy back-and-forth between Swift and Carpenter. There is clapping behind the lyrics, giving forward direction to the song, despite it being at the end of the album. This track is a good way to end as it feels like a culmination of the album’s themes. 

The Life of a Showgirl falls short. Even though there are a few standout moments on the album, the majority of the songs lack the emotional depth that makes Swift’s discography so unique.