Taylor Swift is quite unavoidable these days. Her fame has reached a point beyond music. She is an international capitalistic megastar. Her discography can be found in media such as “Hannah Montana: The Movie” (2009), “Cats” (2019), and “The Handmaid’s Tale” season six trailer. Taylor Swift’s level of fame is once in a generation, like John Lennon or John Locke.
All this to say, her 12th studio album “The Life of a Showgirl” was released on October 3. Shockingly, other albums have also been released around this same time.
Although the charts won’t reflect it, there are indeed other albums that are worth a listen. For the performative males, American indie band Ivy released their seventh studio album “Traces of You” this September.
Their first album since 2011, “Traces of You,” is a slight departure from their typical sound. If I were to describe Ivy’s overall vibe, I would quote one-hit-wonder Samuel Jack and say it “Feels Like Summer.”
From the late 1990s to the early 2010s, Ivy stayed true to an acoustic and vibrant sound. However, after the loss of band member Adam Schlesinger, the band changed significantly.
Their most recent album is not only a love letter to the deceased band member, but an amalgamation of all of the band’s work from 1995 to 2012. The album features demos from the band’s past as well as a new and mature sound that has emerged since Schlesinger’s passing.
If you’re interested in a synth soft rock album with incredible percussion, “Traces of You” is a fantastic choice.
Don’t fear, not all of us are performative indie underground listeners of artists that you’ve probably never heard of. Hyperop artist Slayyyter released a new single, “CANNIBALISM!” this September as well. Similar to Swift’s upcoming album, the visuals for “CANNIBALISM!” are reminiscent of 1920s flapper showgirls.
Slayyyter is notorious for her intense hyperpop sound. Her music is similar to the underscores of the fun part of HBO’s Euphoria. If you need something to scratch your showgirl itch, you can look to Slayyyter.
Of course, if you want to listen to Taylor Swift, listen to Taylor Swift. I have nothing against her music, and the 0.0025 cents per listen that you will or won’t contribute to her Spotify earnings won’t make a difference at the end of the day.
This isn’t a Taylor Swift takedown (I promise); rather, it’s a potential remedy for the homogenized music industry we’ve come to accept.
There are so many incredible new releases that will likely be overshadowed by “The Life of a Showgirl.” But you can aim high by making a change, being pretentious, and finally achieving levels of “indie” that have never been seen before.
