Review of Taylor Swift "Red" Album

Review of Taylor Swift "Red" Album

I worked in a cd store for five years and would've been publicly shamed, humiliated, and maybe even dragged to the gallows for admitting to liking Taylor Swift's music. However, album after album, she manages to capture your attention, your foot bouncing to the beat on its own. Nearly all her tracks draw you in, with very few skipable moments. Taylor spent nearly two years working on this album and told MTV "that the album brings fans on a lyrical journey that explores falling in love, heartache and new beginnings".

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

"Red" is no exception. Swift is showing us a more grown up side with this mainly pop based album, straight hair and all. She shows a little more growth with more adult lyrics and with collaborations with Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, (although not one my favorites) and Ed Sheeran a UK singer/songwriter/producer. Sheeran will also be the opening act for her tour. Swift is credited as the Creative Director and Producer as well as obviously being the Singer and Songwriter.

She has the ability to create an album you can listen to over and over and over. I have a 5 cd player in my car, yet I can survive for hours sifting through the tracks on her cd. It depends on the day, but I find myself obsessed with a different song each day. Today it was "I Knew You Were Trouble", which details Swift's adventures with a boy she "knew [was] trouble". I think we can all relate to that. With the upbeat and yet slightly melancholy moments, it is a sure stand out.

The song "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", is a song many of us can relate to after going back many times to an ex, telling ourselves, we are never ever getting back together. We hope for our own good that we mean it this time!

Other stand outs for me are the poppy catchy "Stay, Stay, Stay", including the laughable relatable lyrical moments of "No one else is going to love me, when I get mad, mad mad", and  track number #16 "Begin Again" with the lyrics: "I've been spending the last 8 months/ Thinking all love ever does/ Is break and burn and end/ But on a Wednesday in a cafe/ I watched it begin again". This was played out literally on stage at the CMA awards in a touching performance by Swift, ending with a standing ovation and a real moment of appreciation and emotion from Swift. This song tears at your heart strings, remembering the painful moments of breakups past and the feeling of giving up on love combined with that first indescribable moment when you meet someone new and all fall over again.

Swift peforming "Begin Again" at the 2012 CMAs

Photo Credit: Tasteofcountry.com

This cd is all over the place, including displays at Walgreens and it sitting at every check out counter. It seems she also has launched a line of products including rubber wrist bands with her name on it, a Sound Amplifier for your iphone and some notebooks with lovely photos of her on the covers..too bad I'm not an 11 year old girl!

For some people she is too pop and for those that hate country she is too country. Like it or not, Swift is here to stay and I guess I will be heading to the gallows with  my headphones on :)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"State of Grace"	Taylor Swift	Nathan Chapman, Swift	4:55
2.	"Red"	Swift	Dann Huff, Chapman, Swift	3:43
3.	"Treacherous"	Swift, Dan Wilson	Wilson	4:02
4.	"I Knew You Were Trouble."	Swift, Max Martin, Shellback	Martin, Shellback	3:39
5.	"All Too Well"	Swift, Liz Rose	Chapman, Swift	5:29
6.	"22"	Swift, Martin, Shellback	Martin, Shellback	3:52
7.	"I Almost Do"	Swift	Chapman, Swift	4:04
8.	"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"	Swift, Martin, Shellback	Martin, Shellback	3:13
9.	"Stay Stay Stay"	Swift	Chapman, Swift	3:25
10.	"The Last Time" (featuring Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol)	Swift, Lightbody, Jacknife Lee	Lee	4:59
11.	"Holy Ground"	Swift	Jeff Bhasker	3:22
12.	"Sad Beautiful Tragic"	Swift	Chapman, Swift	4:44
13.	"The Lucky One"	Swift	Bhasker	4:00
14.	"Everything Has Changed" (featuring Ed Sheeran)	Swift, Sheeran	Butch Walker	4:05
15.	"Starlight"	Swift	Huff, Chapman, Swift	3:40
16.	"Begin Again"	Swift	Huff, Chapman, Swift	3:57
Total length:				65:11

I love you Taylor, but please come back to the Curly side :)

Yours,

Jessica