Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Subverts Being Trapped in a Glass Castle
For her 1989 album, Taylor Swift wrote breakup songs that cleverly conveyed to fans she had personal freedom even from within her glass castle.
Matthew Dwyer
Matthew Dwyer, a graduate of American University's School of International Service in Washington, D.C currently works in education and writes about pop culture, music, TV, and film on a freelance basis. He is a traveler, writer, and creative thinker. You can find him on Twitter @md_writing
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Wherever You Go, There You Are: ‘Interstellar’ at 10 Resonates
Although it aims to portray humanity’s future, sci-fi film Interstellar‘s message – that our greatest asset and liability is ourselves – resonates in our times.
Lady Gaga Falls For Her Own Mythology on ‘Harlequin’
On Harlequin, a companion album to The Joker: Folie a Deux, Lady Gaga uses “vintage pop” to strengthen the mythology around her persona.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Glittery Matrix on ‘Short n’ Sweet’
Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet displays her ability to imbue pristine pop production with personal flair, sparking a long overdue breakout.
Beabadoobee Is Timeless on ‘This Is How Tomorrow Moves’
On her third album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, Beatrice Laus, also known as beabadoobee, blends folk and rock to create a timeless fantasy world.
Ice Spice’s Good Karma on ‘Y2K!’
Ice Spice’s Y2K! may have an obvious title, named for her birth year, but she wasn’t born yesterday. In 2024, stating a fact is the realest thing you can do.
Clairo’s ‘Charm’ Is a Fatal Attraction
By using a fleeting moment of attraction as its concept, Clairo’s ‘Charm’ surveys the damage love affairs, both long-lasting and short-lived, can inflict.
Gracie Abrams and the Secret of Confessional Writing
The strong hooks on The Secret of Us provide the missing third dimension to Gracie Abrams’ songs and create a winning formula that could sustain more albums.
Pretty When She Cries: Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ultraviolence’ at 10
Lana Del Rey’s Ultraviolence used rock to kickstart a new career direction that culminated in autobiographical work without spoiling the mystery of her persona.
Alec Benjamin Hits the Right Note on ’12 Notes’
Alec Benjamin writes anthologies, and his fourth album, 12 Notes, is no different. This style of writing suits Benjamin’s propensity for parables.
Florals, for Spring? The Met Gala 2024 Red Carpet
The incongruity of looks on the red carpet at this year’s Met Gala created a diverse showing of cartoonish creativity, the hallmark of fashion’s biggest night.
‘Voulez Vous’: ABBA’s Poptimist Manifesto at 45
On Voulez Vous, ABBA went disco and created a turbo-charged version of their music. The raucous choruses of Voulez Vouz preview a decade of pop.