I cannot even tell you how excited I've been for this CD - I'm a massive Taylor fan, I have every single one of her CDs, watch all of her interviews, absolutely everything. I. Love. Her. Now, I have to admit that I was a little worried about how this album would turn out since she's only ever really done country stuff before (this is her first official pop album), but she totally proved everybody who was doubting her wrong because LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN. And by "it", I mean produced a wonderful album. Because let me tell you this, it is rather darn wonderful. But I'll save you my endless fangirling over Taylor and just jump straight into my opinions on each one of her rather fabulous songs.
Welcome To New York
This song pretty much reflects Taylor's new style - a bit more poppy and modern. She recently moved to New York which has really influenced her music and this song really shows you just how much the city means to her. It's a proper pop anthem: upbeat, bubbly, and pretty darn wonderful! "...The lights are so bright, but they never blind me..."
Blank Space
This song has been likened quite a bit to Lorde's style of music, which is unsurprising considering Taylor and Lorde are pretty good friends. This song is a bit different to some of her previous tracks because it shows an awareness of the interest in her personal life. Taylor seems to have grown up quite a bit between Red and 1989 - instead of singing songs about the magical fairy tale ending, she is now making fun of the way in which she has been portrayed by the media. "...Got a long list of ex-lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane..."
Style
This song is soooo catchy! Definitely one of my favourites on the CD, I love it! It's the one that always gets stuck in my head after I've been listening to the album. Plus, I'm pretty sure the title of the song hints towards who it is actually about... Not so sneaky there, Taylor! "...You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye and I got that red lip classic thing that you like..."
Out Of The Woods
I found this track to be a little different from the others and from songs that Taylor usually writes; it's much darker and quite repetitive really. Although I'm not a massive fan of the chorus due to the repetition, I really like the meaning behind it. The bridge is the best part of the song really! "...Remember when you hit the brakes too soon, twenty stitches in the hospital room..."
All You Had To Do Was Stay
This one has been in my head all day! Pretty catchy, pretty generic love song - boy and girl, boy leaves, boy wants to come back, girl isn't having any of it... You get the picture. These are the tracks that Taylor absolutely nails. Although it's generic, she always makes it slightly different, slightly better than the things we've heard before. "...I've been picking up the pieces of the mess you made..."
Shake It Off
I have to say that this has been one of my favourite songs, not just of the summer, but of 2014. When I first heard it, I wasn't really sure of it - it seemed quite poppy and repetitive as far as I could tell, but after a few listens and a watch of the music video, I was hooked. I. Love. This. Song. It gives me such confidence to just be myself and is the perfect song to dance around your room to when you need cheering up. "...But I keep cruising, can't stop, won't stop moving, it's like I got this music in my mind saying it's gonna be alright..."
I Wish You Would
Ooooh, I do love this one! I love all of them... I'd say this is a pretty good break up song, but not one of those sad, depressing break up songs! It's a break up song that lets you dwell on your emotions, while also kind of lifting you back up at the same time. Very fun, very relatable, very Taylor. Very me. "...We're a crooked love, in a straight line down..."
Bad Blood
Rumoured to be about Katy Perry as opposed to one of her exes, this is probably my least favourite track on the album which is saying something because this one is still really good. I think it just upsets me because I'm a big Bastille fan, and they already have a great song with this title. Nevertheless, it's a solid song. Perfect if you're getting over some sort of betrayal in your life. That's what I love about Taylor's songs; you can always relate to them. "...Did you think we'd be fine? Still got scars on my back from your knife..."
Wildest Dreams
I'd say this track is quite Lana Del Ray ish; thoughtful, slow and moody, with tons of meaning behind it. It's a much more serious song with a very cynical view of love, contrasting immensely to her hopeful songs in past albums such as Fearless and Speak Now. I guess this is what makes this album different and therefore even more special! My guess is that she's on about Harry Styles again... "...Say you'll remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset..."
How You Get The Girl
Ah, this one sounds a bit more like old Taylor. Poppy, more hopeful and much more lovey-dovey... Another dance-around-your-room-until-you-can't-breathe-but-it-doesn't-matter-because-suddenly-everything-is-okay-again song. "...Broke your heart, I'll put it back together, I would wait forever and ever..."
This Love
Probably the most forgetful of the tracks on the album, this song is very quiet and understated, which makes a nice contrast to all of the upbeat and poppy songs on the album, of which there are many. "...These hands had to let it go free, and this love came back to me..."
I Know Places
I'd say this song is the darkest of all of them, and I love it! It's about the paparazzi and the huge effect that they have on the lives of celebrities; in the song, Taylor finds a place to escape... It's all very dark and dramatic, quite a contrast from things that Taylor has done in the past. A welcome change! "...They are the hunters, we are the foxes, and we run..."
Clean
I think this is my favourite song on the track. It's probably the most beautiful one of them all; most beautifully written and most beautifully performed. Taylor wrote this one with Imogen Heap, and she said herself that if the fans could only remember one song from the entire album, this would be the one that she would have chosen. "...Rain came pouring down when I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe, and that morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean..."
BONUS TRACKS
Wonderland
An 'Alice in Wonderland' inspired track, this is another that's a bit different. You can really see what Taylor means when she talks about how this album is so different to anything she's done before. Although I do feel nostalgic for young, hopeful, country Taylor, I also love her new and more mature sound. "...We found wonderland, you and I got lost in it..."
You Are In Love
This song. So beautiful. It's actually about the relationship of two of Taylor's friends as opposed to her own relationship but, even though she isn't writing about her own experiences, she still manages to make it such an easily relatable song. It's quite slow, quiet, understated... But it just works. "...One night he wakes, strange look on his face, pauses, then says, you're my best friend, and you knew what it was, he is in love..."
New Romantics
I'm not really sure why this one was delegated to the bonus tracks (although, if I had it my way, Taylor's CDs would have all of her songs on them with no bonus tracks!) because it's such an energetic and cool dance anthem - another one to dance around your room to. "Baby we're the new romantics, come on, come along with me, heartbreak is the national anthem, we sing it proudly..."
SONGWRITING VOICE MEMOS
These are little voice memos that Taylor has added on to the end of the deluxe edition of the CD, giving us all a little insight into how she goes about her songwriting process! It's really interesting to see how her different tracks have evolved from the very beginning. |
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So now that those mini reviews are over and done with, let me talk about the album itself! Taylor has been really clever with this one because, inside each album, she includes 13 polaroid pictures with handwritten lyrics on them! Such a great idea to convince people to buy the actual CD instead of downloading all of the songs off the internet. I'm a big fan of polaroids (as is pretty much every teenage girl), so this went down a treat with me, as did all of the album artwork. Love. It.
Good job, Taylor! Long may it continue...
