Album Review: ‘1989’ by Taylor Swift

Photos from www.tumblr.com

Taylor Swift is undoubtedly one of the biggest pop stars in the world and this is a fact whether some people like her or not. Proof of this was the high anticipation for Swift’s latest studio-release “1989.” Many months back, we would already be getting tidbits of information regarding the album and teasers of select songs taken from it. All of those not only worked hand-in-hand to promote the release of her fifth album but they also gave her fans clues as to what they could expect when they purchase “1989.”

The album title not only represents the year when she was born but more importantly, Taylor Swift made the bold announcement herself that she is now 24 years old. And for me this current mindset of hers is an indication that she is no longer catering primarily to the teenyboppers and the young at heart. Realistically speaking, that  should somehow directly affect how she approaches her own songwriting process.

Even with the assistance of sought after songwriters/hitmakers to get her thoughts and inner feelings across on paper, what I am hoping for this album is that–no matter who were the co-composer/s with her per track–I would still predominantly hear who the real Taylor Swift is, and not an artist who will sound “forced” in singing songs specifically made for her.

My own observation is that Taylor Swift has begun to gradually break away from the image that we are so accustomed to of her. While I do not think this can be deemed as rebellion on her part, it is more of self-awakening that artists inevitably go through for them to find themselves, artistically speaking.

And this recent “shake up” should lead to some interesting developments in the lyrical content of some of the songs in the album, if not in most of its track listing. For an artist like Taylor Swift whose music mostly dwells on the trials and tribulations of young romance, and everything else that has to do with being in and out of relationships, the likelihood of Taylor Swift having no other choice now but to get out of her “comfort zone” when it comes to the subject matters of her songs can be seen as a boost for her artistry. Or, on the other hand it can even become a “misstep” if this move will not be well received by her loyal fans.

And certainly, how this album is accepted not only by her fans but by the general public will help steer the creative direction of her next album. And it will dictate which side of Taylor Swift we will hear be hearing more in the near future.

But for now, the attention and focus will be on what this album offers. Will there be anything new, or will it be more of the same from what we have already heard from Taylor Swift? There is only one way to find out and that is to do a proper album review of it.

Here is my review of the BEST TRACKS of “1989.”

Track 4. “Out of the Woods” – This song which was co-written with Jack Antonoff of Fun encapsulates the short but troubled relationship Taylor Swift had with One Direction’s Harry Styles. “Out of the Woods” does justice to show just how vulnerable she still was in that phase of her life. And the production value is what you would expect as well; it sounds like an indie-pop record , thanks to the influence of Jack Antonoff in this one.

Track 10. “How You Get the Girl” – Taylor Swift is full on pop mode here with a bubbly track that could perfectly be suited even for any girl group today. “How You Get the Girl” is a clear example of her making the complete transition from her country roots to embracing pop and all the musical sensibilities that go with it.

Track 12. “I Know Places” – This for me was the best of the bunch of tracks because the setting of this song permits Swift’s voice to soar. Likewise, she benefits greatly from the power-pop production value of “I Know Places” which was co-written by Ryan Tedder. “I Know Places” shows much promise when it pertains to Swift’s improving vocal work and this could be an indication to her loyal fans what her next move could possibly be in the near future when it comes to another album release.

Track 13. “Clean” – For the album closer, I found it to be such an appropriate title because Taylor Swift makes it clear that she is turning a new slate in her life and is finally moving on from her past failed relationships. Perhaps, she has realized that all of these “setbacks” should not make her weaker but rather stronger and that she can look forward to better things just waiting in the horizon.

Listening to this album felt like it was just a repetition of recycled topics concerning her personal life taken from her previous album. Again, there is no other way to say these sorts of things without upsetting most of her loyal fans. But I am trying to give a balanced review here and it just so happens that the bad outweigh the good.

Now back to the matter. Upon further reflection, I can say that Taylor Swift suffered a “road bump” here with this album. Sure, the lead single “Shake it Off” which I got to review a few months back was a fun, energetic, and well-crafted dance-pop track. But it feels like that “sugary buzz” that “Shake it Off” offered went a-missing in the majority of the remaining tracks. Instead the melodramatic was the “key tone” for the album.

I get it that she wants to be taken seriously as an artist–and which artist does not want that–but at times I honestly felt like I was just “going through the motions” in trying to figure out which ex-boyfriend she is alluding to this time in most of the tracks.

Let me just make it clear that even before listening to any album in its entirety, I always do my best to take an objective stance and to clear my head of any preconceived notions I may have about an artist.

But midway through the duration of “1989” some of those “not so nice” thoughts that I had compartmentalized in the far corner of my mind started to slip out as listening to this album started to wear me down and instead of wanting to hear more of what could be next, I began to have second thoughts.

Why was this the case?

Great albums can offer the listener a visceral and emotional experience. Unfortunately, this album barely had any of that. For me, “1989” was unexciting as it could be and I could compare listening to it as if I was watching paint dry on the wall. And no, that shade of paint I felt like I was watching drying up was not even a shade of “Red” like her previous album, but gray, meaning that this one is forgettable and lackluster.

My Final Verdict: 5/10