Taylor Swift Delivers a Timeless Ballad with “Lover”

I've documented how Taylor Swift's Lover era got off to a rocky start. "ME!" (review here) and "You Need To Calm Down" were far removed from the level of quality we've come to expect from Taylor, but "The Archer" did restore some faith. On this new promotional single, the title track to her upcoming seventh studio album, Taylor reassures us that she's still got it. Over a simple doo-wop-influenced guitar structure, Taylor croons about the purest and most beautiful love. Her lyricism recalls Fearless and Speak Now; Taylor has a knack for creating beautiful and intimate moments that still feel universal. This is Taylor's classic ballad. She's always come close to having something as timeless as Adele's "Someone Like You" or Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" or "Perfect," but with "Lover" she finally meets that mark. Expect to hear this on wedding playlists in the coming years.

Score: 83