“Death By A Thousand Cuts”

This less popular track of Swift’s Lover is our favorite track of the album. It starts out with some choral sounding vocals just of the word “my,” before a very simple guitar plucking melody is introduced. When the verse starts, the choral drops out and the guitar and percussion accompany the lyrics, making for a very simple, pop, summery sound. But the minute the verse ends, even the guitar drops out and is replaced with some wild piano octave riffs. The piano is messy, and does not quite match up with the beat, which builds tension from the uncontrolled piano. But to us, it is the best part of the song. The bridge also packs a punch, as Swift emphasizes each word so the audience feels her pain.

Best track aspect: chorus piano riffs

Best lyric: “Quiet my fears with the touch of your hand / Paper cut stings from our paper-thin plans”