[rating=6.00]
Something About Knowing is the perfect album to listen to on a downer day when you need a serious pick-me-up. The tones and moods that fill the album are warm, rich and easygoing, and if you are looking for something to lift your spirits, then it is hard not to see the beauty in a record like this. It’s all about having a new outlook on life and Taylor gives you some things to think about.
Inspired by a new season in her life—that of being a first-time parent—Knowing has a largely calming influence on the listener. From the dreamy melodies, breathy vocals and subtle percussion on the opener “Folk Song Melody,” to the cute folk song to a loved one called “You’ve Got a Way with the Light,” there is little on this album that is meant to get you amped up. “Up All Night,” is an electric rock/acoustic folk hybrid which features a riff that is reminiscent of The Beatles’ “Revolution,” so the album isn’t completely calm, but the warm, echoing dream pop of “Tunnel Vision” is more along the lines of the general feel this album gives you, musically.
Lyrically, Taylor delves into her life and some of its new joys, but doesn’t get too deep into the heartbreaking stuff. “Up All Night” is an ode to her child, and the easygoing, mid-tempo title track centers around enjoying the good life, the simple life and being content knowing that you are loved. “Sum of Our Lives” gently encourages you to view your life as more than just a series of events in your life and “Broken Objects” is a somber reflection on broken lives, but on the whole the album is pretty upbeat and even-keeled.
Something About Knowing is a pretty simple record, but it is not simplistic. It knows what it is aiming for musically and emotionally, and it generally stays within those borders. It does not stretch itself too far and it does not challenge the listener too much, but that’s only because it is meant to be more of a positive experience rather than a heady one, and there’s nothing wrong that.
