Taylor Swift is someone everyone knows, but does not necessarily have an opinion of. When her stuff came on the radio I would listen, but never actively put her music on. However, Swift has had me very intrigued with her newest endeavor. She’s going through her back catalog and rerecording them to prevent her revenue going to someone who doesn’t deserve it — such as Scooter Braun, someone she has publicly denounced and the driving force behind this project. So far, she’s done all except her debut album “Taylor Swift” and “reputation,” with “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” having just been released.
Masterpiece
Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” crosses the divide between diehard Swifties and more casual listeners, including people who don’t really listen to much modern pop. The reviews and consensus on the album have always been along the lines of, “It is great, maybe her best,” but some people might not buy into it. I honestly think it’s a masterpiece. The 80s-style synth drives the album, helping add a feeling of nostalgia similar to The Weeknd‘s “Dawn FM.” From the opening song, “Welcome to New York,” to the last song on the album “Is it Over Now?” — which means I sat through the bonus tracks, something I never do — I was enraptured. The synth-pop production was so lavish and fun, basically dripping with the Jack Antonoff influence (like seriously, this album sounds staggeringly like Bleachers. Listen to any Bleachers song and you will see what I mean). The album as a whole is an hour and 15 minutes, and it seriously flows by. So much so, on a listen-through, I paused it to grab a snack after what felt like 5 minutes, and I was on track 10.
No Downtime
There really isn’t any downtime on the album — the entire album feels like a great time. When I listen to it, I never once feel bored or feel the need to stop listening to it. Some of the highlights though include “Welcome to New York,” “Out of the Woods” and “New Romantics.” It was especially interesting listening to “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” having never listened to the original, as I feel like I got a great experience done even better for my first time.
Swift is an Icon
Beyond Swift’s amazing musicality, she is becoming more and more of an icon every day, from becoming a billionaire to the very thing she is doing with her albums now. Swift is showing the world that it is possible to take back what is rightfully yours and is setting a great influence on everyone. It is especially important how openly she talks about her love life and shows people it is okay to date a lot of different people, something she kind of addresses in the song “Slut!”
From listening to “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” I have continued my trend of realizing music that is popular is popular for a reason. I could very well see myself becoming a “Swiftie” in the near future, despite my inability two or three weeks ago to recognize her voice when a friend was playing her in the car. Oh, how people change! Maybe I’ll hope to catch her on her next multi-billion dollar stadium tour.
