I openly admit that on occasion I listen to Taylor Swift. Swift has perfected the nature of the infectious post-breakup tune and with that garners a certain kind of respect.
Her newest album “Red,” released on Monday, embodies that, but sadly only that.
“Red,” containing 16 new songs, is Swift’s first truly pop album, and is the furthest Swift has ever been from her country roots, and contrary to what iTunes suggests, should not be classified as such. “Red” shows that Swift cannot successfully balance the two worlds.
The second song on the album, “Red,” is a bit mechanical and annoying. Swift utilizes repetition with the word “red,” while also synchronizing with herself in an awkward Auto-Tuned fashion.
However, “Red” pays –– though probably unintentionally –– homage to my youth of English classes chock-full of similes and art classes where I learned that the color red symbolizes “intense emotion.”
The fourth song, “I Knew You Were Trouble” with it’s very un-Taylor-like dubstep drop is extremely irresistible, I’ll give her that. But I can’t help but feel like it is a rated G version of electronic dance music that has gone haywire and not in the best of ways.
Behind his signature black framed glasses, I imagine Skrillex dramatically rolling his eyes at the track.
“22,” speaks to a nation of Katy Perry’s“Last Friday Night” followers when Swift talks about going out one night to “dress up like hipsters and make fun of our exes.”
The classy anthem gave some solid advice when Swift said that “everything will be all right if we just keep dancing like we’re 22.”
The infectious eighth song on the album, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” sounds a lot like what a 13-year-old girl would say to a crush after a school dance when he commits some sort of sub-par atrocity, like holding hands with another girl.
Though the track is contagious, what is most bothersome is Taylor’s usage of the most aggravating of song tactics –– speaking during the song.
It’s creepy. It’s awkward and it should never be done by artists. Never. Ever.
“Red” does have some solid songs, however, and is worth listening to if not just for the fact that Swift explores many different styles and sounds. “Red” seems to be her attempt at branding herself to every one.
“All Too Well” is endearing and has the potential to make any listener cry, while “Begin Again” sounds like true 2006 Taylor.
As a self-proclaimed obsessive Ed Sheeran fan, he can do no wrong and thus the pair’s duet on “Everything Has Changed” won me over.
Yet, the biggest testament to “new Taylor” is “Treacherous” and its semi-racy lyrics.
However, for the majority of the album, the lyrics remain as lackluster as her love life.
In the album’s namesake, Swift says that “fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer.”
The 22-year-old has apparently been missing the point of crossword puzzles, considering the entire premise of such puzzles is that there is always one correct answer –– it’s kind of the point of them.
At its conclusion, “Red” stands as the diary of Taylor 2.0, a woman that has been spurned by multiple men. But by the album’s end, one becomes sick of hearing about it.
Swift likes to emit an image of “girl power” but needs to be single for awhile, before I buy into it.
Grade: C
To email reporter: knt5078@psu.edu
