You gotta give props to Gannett–hiring a Taylor Swift beat reporter might not have been such a silly idea after all.

Taylor Swift’s surprise announcement of a new album during her Grammys acceptance speech threw every cool person on this planet for a loop, including your beloved editor who– like most Swifties–was expecting the news of a “Taylor’s Version” re-recording of her 2017 album ‘reputation’ instead.

“So I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand-new album comes out April 19th. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ Swift said on national television.

As of Wednesday, the 7th of February, the tracklist for Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ album has been offically released. And--as a bona fide reporter and local Swiftie watchdog (or cat, since Taylor loves cats so much), I’ll post it down below. I view it as a mild public service on my part, much like offering tissues to someone sneezing excessively in church. (Thanks, fellow parishioner at Sacred Heart! Allergy season came early, I swear.)

Side A

“Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)” 

“The Tortured Poets Department” 

“My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” 

“Down Bad” 

Side B

“So Long, London” 

“But Daddy I Love Him” 

“Fresh Out the Slammer” 

“Florida!!!” (feat. Florence + The Machine) 

Side C

“Guilty as Sin?”

“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”

“I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” “Loml” 

Side D

“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” 

“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” 

“The Alchemy” 

“Clara Bow” 

Bonus Track: “The Manuscript” 

Which songs are you most excited about? Personally, the collab with Florence Welch on “Florida!!!” has already gotten my attention, alongside “So Long, London” (a song about Joe Alywn, perhaps?), and of course, the bonus track “The Manuscript” sounds very intriguing.

(Note to self: remember to take a day off on April 19th. ) 

Editor’s song of the week: “Running Out Of Time” by Paramore 

In honor of one of my favorite bands of all time winning not one but two Grammys, and also becoming the first female-fronted rock band to win ‘Best Rock Album of the Year’, let me introduce y’all to the lyrics of Paramore’s “Running Out of Time”.

The song is off of their latest album “This is Why,” released exactly one year ago, on February 10, 2023. I love this song so much because it perfectly encapsulates the feelings of, well, running out of time. Who can’t relate to that--whether at work, school or trying to finish up a clumsy Op-Ed on a Wednesday morning? There’s a song for everything nowadays!

“Never mind, I hit the snooze on my alarm twenty times 

But I was just so tired 

There was traffic, spilled my coffee, crashed my car, otherwise

Would’ve been here on time 

Shoulda, coulda, wouldn’t matter, ultimate alibi 

You know it’s a lie 

There was a fire (metaphorically) 

Be there in five (hyperbolically) 

Intentions only get you so far 

(It was on my list, I swear I meant to get to it) 

A harsh reality to discover, ah 

I’m always running out of time 

She’s always running out of time 

I’m always running out of time” 

Paramore, “Running Out of Time”

Andrea Gutierrez is the editor of the Bryan County News