Last week, Taylor Swift surprised her fans with the announcement of the imminent release of a new 16-track album, entitled folklore. The National’s Aaron Dessner co-wrote or co-produced 11 of the songs, and it also features collaborations with Bon Iver and Jack Antonoff. “Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen,” Taylor’s announcement said of the making of the album. At its best, folklore reinforces something that has been true throughout Swift’s career: her biggest strength is her storytelling. On this week’s episode, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Senior Editor Jillian Mapes and Associate Editor Anna Gaca to discuss everything Taylor Swift—and her most recent release.

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