After the surprise release of July’s Folklore, there were a lot of questions about where Taylor Swift’s music direction was going. It was hard to tell if she was going to continue the indie/alternative-pop sound of Folklore, or continue making the sophisticated pop records that she’d become known for. With Evermore, she decided to continue the quiet, stripped-back sound of Folklore, but add in a bit more country flair. That gentle musicality, combined with the flowery and poetic lyricism, makes Evermore a very strong album in my opinion.