From her dramatic change in fashion taste to her short-bobbed hair, it is evident that Taylor Swift has transformed her image—and her new album, 1989, is no exception.
Swift, the one-time country music idol of all 13-year-old girls, released her new album on Oct. 27, leaving the public wondering: what’s this chick up to now?
Swift’s album art showcase the ’80s vibe of her new music.
1989, a poppy album that apparently intends to sweep its listeners back to the 1980s, doesn’t quite satisfy those who first loved Swift for her lyricism and her lovelorn tunes. Trading in her guitar for digitally brushed-up backing tracks, Swift’s new songs vary on the scale of pop music.
Some, like “Welcome to New York,” satisfy the inner basic white girl in any fan with bouncy, repetitive choruses. Others, like “Out of the Woods,” capture a slightly darker, more intense mood, with lyrics like “The rest of the world was black and white / but we were screaming in color.”
After the last two albums, soccer moms and teens alike had scorned Swift’s apparent abandonment of her country roots, saying she had taken the route that all average pop stars follow.
“Got nothing in my brain / that’s what people say,” Swift sings in “Shake it Off,” addressing this new generation of haters in the album’s most successful song.
But if you actually listen to the lyrics of some of her songs, you might find them to be more than just mainstream pop. Lyrics from songs like “I Wish You Would” include more artistic and poetic flare, with lyrics like “we’re a crooked love in a straight line down.”
And, here’s the kicker: to all those who have criticized Swift’s supposedly incessant man-hating attitude in the past, only three of the album’s 13 songs give off so much as a hint of break-up revenge.
Overall, we should appreciate T. Swift’s attempts. They certainly show more sincerity than some other stars, who enjoy anacondas and hammer-licking.
-Megan Holett
