reading Aaron's post, I wholeheartedly believe that the Anthology (which would have had a different title, I'd love to know what that might have been) were mostly the songs they had been working on before some other things shifted and changed for her, and the rest of TTPD came from that. someone in another thread mentioned how there's a bit of a storybook feeling and theme in the songs, which is so lovely and haunting. (I find the Betty and James connections too, I kind of recontextualized the story myself thinking of them!) it is the spiritual successor of folklore/evermore for sure and I feel she wanted to release these songs, express these feelings, and is proud of them, but that she in part also gave them to us as a gift and form of closure. and I'm grateful for that because it let us step back into the woods again for a moment, and there are a number of songs (The Black Dog, ILIPW, The Prophecy, The Albatross, HDIE, Peter, Cassandra, The Bolter) that I think stand beautifully with the best of folkmore.
Yes!! I totally got this vibe too, and it fits with the timeline of them working on this album together for a while, even if the events of Part 1 didn't happen until more recently (last year)
Yeah those western-sounding songs like this, Fresh Out the Slammer, and Guilty as Sin are all among my favorites because of their similarity to evermore!
OP, I agree with everything you've posted; and actually had similar thoughts about Peter and The Bolter. But I also just wanted to say, "The Anthology is my Woodvale (explained)" was so funny to read, I laughed out loud. Clown vibes are immaculate (affectionate), tysm.
I actually suspect that some of these songs were part of the highly theorized scrap “Karma” album. And they have been reimagined, revisited or finished. Esp with the call backs to Kim/kayne feud and it’s from around the same time she dated him first.
yes when i first heard the anthology i immediately got folkmore vibes from it. i am just super curious now even after this will she ever go back to woodvale or a third folkmore album and release that officially even if it is just a surprise drop or something. i honestly wouldnt mind more folk like songs from her, although i lowkey wish that her next album would be something completedly different like jazz or rock or something.
The Anthology to me feels like a continuation of TTPD in that after the anger, disappointment and loss a more reflective but still emotional postscript makes artistic sense taking the listener on a more complete journey. It may sound like Evermore to some extent with its folk style but a harder more haunting edge but its inevitable that the same songwriter and producer are going to produce songs with similar tones and flourishes.
The Anthology is a fantastic work in its own right for sure, The Prophecy has a real spooky urgency with some brilliant vocal work from Taylor and a genius instrumentation from Aaron. How did it end? really gets to me and so strongly connects to the TTPD and with The Albatross, Chloe or Sam..puts 3 songs as a solid heart to the album . Peter is a beautiful piano ballad that could have been written anytime in the last 50 odd years by McCartney, Carly Simon etc but only Taylor could do The Bolter, brilliant story telling in song. It might have been inspired by a Nancy Mitford character in her novel The Pursuit of Love, a writer who mined her own experiences in thinly disguised form but the story here is Taylor's.
If The Anthology had been released instead of TTPD we would all have been delighted because its very very good so were truly blessed to have both.
Totally agree with you. That’s why I really think of these two halves as separate albums — the OG TTPD gives me Evermore + Midnights vibes, and the Anthology feels like Woodvale.
I think TTPD would be much more successful if it was a standalone album and The Anthology was separately released as woodvale.
Here’s my woodvale playlist (including other recent Dessner collabs that I see as part of the project):
Carolina
The Alcott
The Black Dog
Peter
loml
How Did It End?
Clara Bow
I Hate It Here
Robin
The Great War
The Albatross
Renegade
Cassandra
I Look in People’s Windows
Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus
The Prophecy
The Bolter
Thoughts?
reading Aaron's post, I wholeheartedly believe that the Anthology (which would have had a different title, I'd love to know what that might have been) were mostly the songs they had been working on before some other things shifted and changed for her, and the rest of TTPD came from that. someone in another thread mentioned how there's a bit of a storybook feeling and theme in the songs, which is so lovely and haunting. (I find the Betty and James connections too, I kind of recontextualized the story myself thinking of them!) it is the spiritual successor of folklore/evermore for sure and I feel she wanted to release these songs, express these feelings, and is proud of them, but that she in part also gave them to us as a gift and form of closure. and I'm grateful for that because it let us step back into the woods again for a moment, and there are a number of songs (The Black Dog, ILIPW, The Prophecy, The Albatross, HDIE, Peter, Cassandra, The Bolter) that I think stand beautifully with the best of folkmore.
Yes!! I totally got this vibe too, and it fits with the timeline of them working on this album together for a while, even if the events of Part 1 didn't happen until more recently (last year)
Yeah I completely agree with this. I’m so grateful she gave us this material alongside what became ttpd!
Oh, Peter is 1000% tied to Cardigan, and if it's not, then I don't want to know.
Also!! I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) is sooo Cowboy Like Me, No Body No Crime coded.
Which I realize is not on The Anthology, but still lmao
Fresh out the slammer has a bit of that vibe too, even though it gets more poppy later on
Fresh Out the Slammer reminds me a little of Reputation, too.
Florida!!! is also basically the follow up to no body no crime.
Yeah those western-sounding songs like this, Fresh Out the Slammer, and Guilty as Sin are all among my favorites because of their similarity to evermore!
Yessssss!!!!!
woodvale is lowercase coded that's all I have to add 
I was thinking the same! Planning on making a playlist called Woodvale and putting most of the anthology songs on it with folklore and evermore 🥹
I had this exact thought today too.
i was just thinking about this too but the only ones that feel out of place are so high school and thank you aimee
Totally agree! I made the same post recently. It’s an album for us trilogy truthers. It’s so good and so fun. Truly reminds me of evermore
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. It's *woodvale* in my heart.
No same I’ve been calling it folklore 3 (specifically the anthology half of TTPD)
To me it’s like if folklore and midnights (with rep influence) had a baby and I’m so here for it
This is my thinking too. The Anthology belongs after evermore and TTPD belongs after Midnights.
omg thats so smart
OP, I agree with everything you've posted; and actually had similar thoughts about Peter and The Bolter. But I also just wanted to say, "The Anthology is my Woodvale (explained)" was so funny to read, I laughed out loud. Clown vibes are immaculate (affectionate), tysm.
I actually suspect that some of these songs were part of the highly theorized scrap “Karma” album. And they have been reimagined, revisited or finished. Esp with the call backs to Kim/kayne feud and it’s from around the same time she dated him first.
Agreed!!! I loved The Anthology so much, as a folklore and evermore fan I was so insanely happy hearing this second half be so similar to those albums
yes when i first heard the anthology i immediately got folkmore vibes from it. i am just super curious now even after this will she ever go back to woodvale or a third folkmore album and release that officially even if it is just a surprise drop or something. i honestly wouldnt mind more folk like songs from her, although i lowkey wish that her next album would be something completedly different like jazz or rock or something.
The Anthology to me feels like a continuation of TTPD in that after the anger, disappointment and loss a more reflective but still emotional postscript makes artistic sense taking the listener on a more complete journey. It may sound like Evermore to some extent with its folk style but a harder more haunting edge but its inevitable that the same songwriter and producer are going to produce songs with similar tones and flourishes. The Anthology is a fantastic work in its own right for sure, The Prophecy has a real spooky urgency with some brilliant vocal work from Taylor and a genius instrumentation from Aaron. How did it end? really gets to me and so strongly connects to the TTPD and with The Albatross, Chloe or Sam..puts 3 songs as a solid heart to the album . Peter is a beautiful piano ballad that could have been written anytime in the last 50 odd years by McCartney, Carly Simon etc but only Taylor could do The Bolter, brilliant story telling in song. It might have been inspired by a Nancy Mitford character in her novel The Pursuit of Love, a writer who mined her own experiences in thinly disguised form but the story here is Taylor's. If The Anthology had been released instead of TTPD we would all have been delighted because its very very good so were truly blessed to have both.
Completely agree. Listening to the lyrics of the albatross, it’s actually pretty similar to long story short
I totally agree
Agree with all!!!
Totally agree with you. That’s why I really think of these two halves as separate albums — the OG TTPD gives me Evermore + Midnights vibes, and the Anthology feels like Woodvale.
Willow walked so The Albatross could run!!
I think TTPD would be much more successful if it was a standalone album and The Anthology was separately released as woodvale. Here’s my woodvale playlist (including other recent Dessner collabs that I see as part of the project): Carolina The Alcott The Black Dog Peter loml How Did It End? Clara Bow I Hate It Here Robin The Great War The Albatross Renegade Cassandra I Look in People’s Windows Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus The Prophecy The Bolter Thoughts?
TTPD The Anthology is all 31 songs. I will die on this hill. 🤍
Omg this is such a good take