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Do you know who gets to have a vault?
Is this a playful gem or a C-tier track that doesnt earn its exclamation point?
A music writer and a normal person debate.
Rebecca Alter:Im honored to be having this convo with someone on Tree Paines actual mailing list.
Not only that, but you allegedly likethis song?
Justin Curto:Yes!
Its just so pretty, which I dont think anybody was expecting from that title.
But wait, did you actually want Taylor Swift to make some sex-positive dirty-pop banger?
Were you coming into this expecting, like, a Kim Petras song?
Because that thought actively horrifies me.
RA:Hahaha, of course not, but aReputation-era song called Slut!
would have been a delight.
Or like a Bad Bloodtype B-side from the vault.
Taylor cantdoslutpop, but shecanoccasionallydo comedy.
I think I would have liked this to be more in that mode.
Of all the songs outta the1989vault, this is one of the least hooky.
Also, theaaaah-aaaahtag.Although this does have a really fun ah!
What would you call that?
Is this translating in writing?
Youre right that Slut!
When the drums cut out for a second on In a world of boys, hes a … gentleman?
I want to meet this guy!
(Is it Harry Styles?
I also really wish the melody was sweeter!
I sadly wasnt picking up on the same sweetness you were.
Like so much middle-of-the-road pop nowadays, I thought it sounded sort of Xanned out, a little dull.
There were some lyrics that trulyleaptout, though: Got lovesick all over my bed (nasty!!)
and Lovethorns all over this rose (what the fuck!!).
At least Im glad to see shes expanded her vocabulary of color words here.
Someones mommy bought them thebigCrayola box for back-to-school.
As I said aboutMidnights, youve got to lean into the cringe a bit with this girl.
Its a great moment where what Swift wants to do and what shes capable of doing really align.
RA:Totally fair.
Ill say I laughed out loud at the final chorus, where its almost call-and-response whisper-shouting the word slut!
