We met Taylor at midnight, and we were in for an album filled with questions, regrets, self-loathing, hope, fear, anger, and everything in between. Exquisite & Hannah dive into the Midnight's prologue, searching for clues to why she wrote the album--and how it even impacted The Tortured Poets Department.

We also delve into the first track, "Lavender Haze," where they talk about analyzing the song as it was written AND how hindsight can change the way we look at songs--but BOTH are valid and important.

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What if we told you we're going back to the Midnights era? For this season of The Taylor Seminars, we're going to examine the tracks of the 2024 Album of the Year Midnights by Taylor Swift.

But before we dive into the album, we need to do some context. That's why for this pre-Midnights episode, Exquisite and Hannah discuss two songs that have not been released on a Taylor Swift album: "Renegade," in which Taylor collaborates with Big Red Machine and "You're Losing Me," which was released during the Eras tour, was written in 2021 (!!!), and released as a separate Midnights vault track (but not on any of the deluxe albums).

Listen in so you can see why these two songs are crucial for understanding Midnights--and why they're both amazing songs and standouts in Taylor's discography.

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It's been an amazing 9-month journey we've been on with The Tortured Poets Department. We're off to one more trip to those shores with our recap episode, "The Aftermath." Listen in as Hannah and Exquisite share their final thoughts on the album (yes we include extra time on "So Long, London"), including what we would consider the "thesis statement" of the album.

We'll be back next week... meet us at midnight?

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We can't believe it either but we've reached the last track of The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology. That means we've reached "The Manuscript," a self-written closing track that truly helps wrap up this double album.

They talk about the song's connection to "All Too Well (10 Minute Version" and its connection to one of the grand themes of TTPD of loss of innocence and yet we see such growth. And we'll be back in the next episode with a wrap-up/reflection of the entire album!

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As we near the end of The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology, Exquisite and Hannah analyze the beautiful and melancholy "Robin," in which Taylor sings to Robin (herself?) and how she wishes to help keep their innocence forever.

They talk about the song's connection to the theme of innocence and innocence lost, which is found throughout Taylor Swift's discography in songs such as "Never Grow Up," "Would've Could've Should've", and "The Best Day."

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This week, Exquisite and Hannah talk about the fairytale-esque "The Bolter" from The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology. This fantastical song follows the story of a girl who runs--but for good reason.

They talk about the song's connection to other Taylor Swift works, such as "Blank Space," "Right Where You Left Me," "It's Time To Go" and others!

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Join Exquisite and Hannah as they discuss the melancholy and haunting "Peter" from The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology. They talk about yes, Peter from Peter Pan and Wendy, but also the implications of cedar, lamplight, and the important phrase "cause love's never lost when perspective is earned." And, of course, lots and lots of references to more Taylor Swift songs.

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Join fellow Cassandras Exquisite and Hannah as they discuss how the protagonist of the song was 100% correct. They explain how her prophecies were used against her and isolated her, giving her trauma that revisits her again and again.

Join Exquisite & Hannah as they discuss "Cassandra" from The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology.

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We have a special guest for this special song! Rob Sheffield is an author and music critic at Rolling Stone magazine. He's written many of your favorite Taylor Swift album reviews (⁠Folklore⁠, ⁠Red (Taylor's Version),⁠ ⁠The Tortured Poets Department⁠, but you might know him best from ⁠his ranking of TS songs⁠.

Rob also has a book coming out called ⁠Heartbreak is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music⁠, which is coming out in November 2024 (and you can pre-order it now!).

We invited him onto "The Taylor Seminars" to talk about his new book as well as go in-depth into "The Prophecy," which is a track on The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology. This is one of Rob's favorite tracks (ours too!) and so we get deep into the song as we analyze the lyrics and performance.

We also talk about:

And be sure stay until the end when Rob shares what he considers to be "the most Taylor album."

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In this haunting song, the protagonist shivers in the cold as she stares into the warm living rooms of strangers. What is she doing out there? How did she get to be stranded outside? What will actually happen when she meets his eyes one last time?

Join Exquisite & Hannah as they discuss "I Look in People's Windows" track 25 from The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology and see if you too are addicted to the "if only"

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