Danesh Temirbekova | Contributing Illustrator

Taylor Swift has doubled down on her “The Life of a Showgirl” experiment with four bonus tracks that can best be described as just being ‘consistent.’ “Patient Zero,” the leading bonus track of “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” starts with a promising violin that accompanies a catchy pop melody. Most of the song serves as perfectly listenable background music until the bridge, which devolves into a strange, talky ramble. The song is fine as long as little attention is paid to the lyrics, which hit like nails on a chalkboard. The next song, “Cleveland!” is another classic Swift hit at the haters that addresses internet hate, a strategy with frankly diminishing returns. The song is oddly reminiscent of generic Christmas music featured exclusively on Hallmark movies and is lyrically on par with the rest of the album, or maybe somehow worse. “Pink Clouding,” the third new release, is a welcome reprieve from the two previous songs, settling into a familiar, pleasant beat. The song is fairly unremarkable but could be enjoyed during a workout session. Unlike most Swift projects, the bridge is the weakest part of the song, delivering another speedy rant with no real melody that detracts from the overall track. The final song, “Babylon,” comes in with some happy reminders of the Taylor Swift we know and love. It tells a story of homesickness, ambition, and lost love, with all of the neat Swift tricks that make her a lovable singer. “Babylon” has stripped down, casual production, quality storytelling and the type of tune you catch yourself singing while circling your pen. Swift’s new release is ultimately, an appropriate “Encore” to a disappointing era, and hopefully the last we see of this version of Swift.