Let me start off by saying, in Swift's own words, that this is the most cohesive album she has ever put out. Not the best, most definitely not the best, but the most cohesive. Every song on the album feels like it belongs. Even though Swift proclaimed that this was not a boy-centered album, this album tells a story of love and loss, of heartbreak and renewal. It tells a beautiful but complicated story of a love that eventually drove her to love herself first, before any boy. It's as if "Love Story" was remade in this album, with more maturity and reflection than Swift's previous works.
The first thing noticed about this album is the lack of Swift's signature country pop sound. Like many of her influences, including Shania Twain and LeAnn Rimes, Swift has had an underlying influence of pop music in many of her releases. And also like them, Swift has completed her change to a pop star with this album. But people like me obsess over the little bits of country still in the album, hoping for a country comeback record. For example, in "Shake it Off", Swift has an undeniable country accent on the words cruising and grooving. There also is acoustic guitar in almost all of the songs, whether it is easily heard or not. Also in the song "I Wish You Would", Swift mentions 2 AM which she has mentioned on many of her countriest songs.
Besides this, the thing that sets this album apart from the others is lyrical content. Of course, Swift's lyrics are as up to par as usual, with lines like, "we're a crooked love in a straight line down" and "you were all over me like a wine stained dress I can't wear anymore," but one thing this album does not have is the blaming of the guy in the relationship. In Swift' earlier songs she tends to blame the guy for what went wrong, most notably:
On this record the only time these types of lyrics come up is in the song "Bad Blood," which is reportedly about a backstabbing friend, not a guy. Swift takes a more mature stand on a relationship, understanding that it takes two to make a relationship and two to break up a relationship. Swift takes as much blame as she blames, showing how she has grown up since that wide eyed sixteen year old singing about Tim McGraw.
Besides this, the thing that sets this album apart from the others is lyrical content. Of course, Swift's lyrics are as up to par as usual, with lines like, "we're a crooked love in a straight line down" and "you were all over me like a wine stained dress I can't wear anymore," but one thing this album does not have is the blaming of the guy in the relationship. In Swift' earlier songs she tends to blame the guy for what went wrong, most notably:
- "why would you want to take our love and tear it all apart now?" ("Perfectly Good Heart", Taylor Swift)
- "I've been giving out chances and all you do is let me down" ("You're Not Sorry", Fearless)
- "don't you think 19's too young to be messed with" (Dear John, Speak Now)
- " maybe this thing was a masterpiece till you tore it all up"("All Too Well", Red)
On this record the only time these types of lyrics come up is in the song "Bad Blood," which is reportedly about a backstabbing friend, not a guy. Swift takes a more mature stand on a relationship, understanding that it takes two to make a relationship and two to break up a relationship. Swift takes as much blame as she blames, showing how she has grown up since that wide eyed sixteen year old singing about Tim McGraw.
The story of the record begins in New York, where Swift lived while making this record. "Welcome to New York" proudly displays the synth-heavy production she played with for this album, and gives a sort of wide-eyed optimism to this city, throwing back to her younger years. "Blank Space" and "I Know Places" take a different stance on the paparazzi situation Swift faces everyday. "Space" makes light of the media portrayal of her, while "I Know Places" calls them vultures. These two very different songs on a similar topic manage to both fit on the album. "Style" depicts a tumultuous relationship in which both are to blame for its fallout. This song is similar to other songs in Swift's career in which Swift takes a word and changes the meaning of it entirely. In this track, Swift manages to make style a way to describe a relationship. In the past, Swift has turned fearless to mean having fears, crazier to mean falling madly in love, and red to become a feeling. This song is another extension of that magic Swift has.
"Out of the Woods" and "This Love" are like some of Swift's older songs with newer production. "Woods" is a story by itself, again showing the new-found maturity Swift takes towards relationships. Some of the best lines of the album are on this indietronica influenced track. "This Love" also shows that Swift now understands that If someone comes back to you, you don't always have to take them back. This is one of only two tracks on the album that has acoustic guitar easily heard, and the only one produced by her old producer Nathan Chapman, who produced most of her debut, all of Speak Now and Fearless, and some of Red. It's a beautiful melody, with vocal layers and a synth mimicking waves on an ocean shore.
"Out of the Woods" and "This Love" are like some of Swift's older songs with newer production. "Woods" is a story by itself, again showing the new-found maturity Swift takes towards relationships. Some of the best lines of the album are on this indietronica influenced track. "This Love" also shows that Swift now understands that If someone comes back to you, you don't always have to take them back. This is one of only two tracks on the album that has acoustic guitar easily heard, and the only one produced by her old producer Nathan Chapman, who produced most of her debut, all of Speak Now and Fearless, and some of Red. It's a beautiful melody, with vocal layers and a synth mimicking waves on an ocean shore.
"All You Had To Do Was Stay" is different in terms of vocals, because of the high falsetto stay Swift sings at the end of the chorus. This is one of the few songs in Swift's career where she really shows off her vocal ability, another being "All Too Well" from Red. "Shake it Off" and "Bad Blood" are throwaway tracks compared to the rest of the album. They both have average pop production and seem like they could be sung by any pop artist. "Blood" does have some good lyrics, but they are masked by the cliches thrown in throughout the song. A standout track is "I Wish You Would" solely because of the production. It has eighties guitars along with a traditional Taylor Swift story along with above average lyrics. The trumpets in the chorus make the song, giving it a more dramatic feel. The album closes with "Clean", an indie pop ballad featuring backing vocals an a songwriting credits from Imogen Heap. This is the perfect song to close the album, with its sparse production and highlighted vocals.
Above all, this album is a good album, but comes with some sadness and regret that country music has lost one of its biggest superstars of the last decade. Maybe Swift will change her mind and come back to the place where she grew up for her next album.
Best tracks: Style, I Wish You Would, This Love, Out of the Woods
Throwaway tracks: Shake it Off, Bad Blood
Overall rating: 3 ½ crowns
Above all, this album is a good album, but comes with some sadness and regret that country music has lost one of its biggest superstars of the last decade. Maybe Swift will change her mind and come back to the place where she grew up for her next album.
Best tracks: Style, I Wish You Would, This Love, Out of the Woods
Throwaway tracks: Shake it Off, Bad Blood
Overall rating: 3 ½ crowns
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