Taylor Swift and Noah Gundersen both released an album called Lover, on the exact same day, with somewhat similar album artwork. The title track, ‘Lover’, is also the third song on both albums. Freaky, right? So, we thought we’d let them take it outside and have it out. TJ backs up Noah whilst Johnny is inTay Tay’s corner.
Round 1: Album Title
Swift – Taylor just takes this one for me. I don’t know why, just a gut feeling. (5/5)
Gundersen – I think Noah’s got this one in the bag. I mean, it’s just so DEEP. Does he need a lover? Is he a lover scorned? You sure want to listen to find out! (5/5)
Round 2: Album Artwork
Swift – After the revenge she sought after on reputation, Tay Tay is happy and in lurvv. The rainbows reflect that and the joyous nature of the record. The track listing font is questionable however. I mean, c’mon, I could’ve done that. (3.5/5)
Gundersen – Noah’s got a similar thing going on. His last record – White Noises – had an aesthetic that was all about… snakes. Oddly enough, Taylor had a thing for them at one point too (what the fuck is going on?). For Lover, he pointed the camera at himself… or at least half of him. But yeah, throwing some text on an artist photo doesn’t win you too many creativity points. Especially when you can’t even fully appreciate the badass hairstyle change he implemented between records – seriously, look it up. (3.5/5)
Round 3: Concept
Swift – This is a romantic story. A story of love. The concept is strong throughout as Swift shruggs off her last relationship before falling for a London boy. Swift’s always been great at writing love songs and she’s not about to stop anytime soon. (4.5/5)
Gundersen – Not to judge a book by its cover or anything, but on appearance alone, you can tell Noah’s been through some shit since we last saw him. He comes out swinging with a song about the disillusionment that inevitably comes with being an artist, and takes us through an insular journey of love, loss, sex and drugs. Not much of an overarching concept I suppose, but the stories themselves are powerful enough in their own right. (3.5/5)
Round 4: Title Track
Swift – This is one of the strongest tracks on the record. It’s smooth and cool. There’s a sway and swing to it and the country sounds filter through subtly. This is the album’s cornerstone, it’s heartbeat, it’s everything. You can see why it’s the title track, that’s for sure. (5/5)
Gundersen – On first listen, this song can be a little divisive. The verses are sparse and moody, but goddamnit that chorus hits like a punch in the gut. Packaged all together, it’s a powerful tune that just needs a second listen to fully grasp. (4/5)
Round 5: Anthem Potential
Swift – There are a few hits that’ll slot nicely into the live show. The singles are brilliant and there are a couple more that will prove to be stadium sing-along songs soon enough. It’s not hit after hit though, that’s for sure. (3.5/5)
Gundersen – Noah is definitely not known for writing “anthems”, which is why it was so surprising when ‘All My Friends’ came on near the end of the record. The sheer concept, structure, instrumentation – it’s all so very pop. In fact, most of this record has a lot of pop elements we’ve yet to hear from him resulting in the most anthemic record he’s ever released. (3/5)
Round 6: Longevity
Swift – It’s already grown on me but maybe that’s because the first 10 tracks are catchy as fuck. I always find there’s a honeymoon phase with most out-and-out pop albums before they eventually disappear. I hope I’m wrong though. (3/5)
Gundersen – As far as his records go, this may be his most consistent to date. However, like all of his records, it suffers from not having a diligent editor. The highs are fucking HIGH, and the lyrics moving as hell. But the weird, borderline trippy moments – Noah’s kryptonite – will make it difficult to frequently listen from start to finish. (3/5)
Round 7: Knockout Blow (best song)
Swift – ‘Paper Rings’ is an angel delight, a burst of rainbows, a room full of puppies. Fast, quirky, tongue in cheek, you name it. There’s a swingin’ vibe and it’ll put a spring in your step, enough of a spring to take out a man named Noah that’s for sure. (5/5)
Gundersen – There’s a slice of sociologically-aware, Americana heaven, called ‘Wild Horses’. All the hairs on my arms were standing up and there were chills running down my spine by the time this tune ended. And if you can illicit involuntary responses like that in the middle of a hot summer’s day, you’re sure to win in a blow-for-blow. (5/5)
Round 8: The Full Package
Swift – This does not need to be 18 songs. There are 4 or 5 excellent songs and 4 or 5 good songs. There’s your album. The extras are filler songs and are likely there to boost streaming figures, for the cynics amongst us anyway. The good news is, Taylor’s got some of her mojo back from the Red era and long may it continue. (3.5/5)
Gundersen – 18 songs! And I thought Noah’s felt a bit long at 13. Indeed there was a little bit of filler here as well – specifically a two-song succession smack dab in the middle – but front to back, this might be Gundersen’s finest record to date. And considering he’s already one of the most underrated modern songwriters around, that’s really saying something. Bonus points for branching out so far stylistically. (4/5)
Judges Verdict:
Comparing records is kind of like comparing flavors of ice cream – totally pointless because there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Both Lovers had their own respective strong points, but they would also be much better once cut to a highlight reel. But in the end? Fuck it. It’s music, and there’s nothing better than that. But, due to the freakish similarities of these albums – despite being from different parts of the musical world – we decided to compare them. After a few even rounds early on, Taylor eventually edged ahead, winning with a score of 33 to Noah’s 31 – but we all know that means sweet fuck all.
