Jamie Weissman
Reporter
Teenage and college girls across the nation are breathing a sigh of relief as Taylor Swift’s newest album Red provides break-up and make-up songs that seem to take the words right out of every girl’s diary.
Swift gave fans an early glimpse of her fourth album with the hit single “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” The song takes a step away from her typical country style into the pop genre. Though the subject of the song remains a mystery (some speculate it may be Jake Gyllenhaal), the track’s chorus, “We are never ever ever getting back together” is the perfect anthem for anyone going through a break up and for those who like to belt it out in the shower.
The artist continues her pop marathon on “State of Grace” with, well, grace. Though the tune sounds slightly auto-tuned, Swift’s tone is still present on the single, which describes a love that changed her. She sings, “And I never saw you coming/ and I’ll never be the same.”
Though we hope she doesn’t change too much. The track’s relatable lyrics and upbeat sound convey Swift’s typical I-loved-you-but-I’ll-be-okay message,an aspect listeners often look forward to.
In the album, Swift dabbles in dubstep with “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The song, rumored to be about past flame John Mayer, expresses Swift’s frustration as she falls hard for a guy she knew was trouble. Though the track is not as strong as past singles, it is catchy and solidifies Swift as an evolving artist.
If you aren’t satisfied with Swift’s pop-rock influences, don’t worry — she’s got you covered.
“Everything Has Changed,” a duet with Ed Sheeran, brings back familiar, soft tones Swift is known for. The track’s chorus — “I just want to know you better/ know you better/ know you better now” — is a welcomed change from the usual bitterness of a break-up or failing relationships. With a coffeeshop, acoustic sound, the song is very John Mayer-esque (think “Half of my Heart“), which is interesting since they used to date.
Swift doesn’t abide by the silence of woman’s ages — she proudly proclaims her age in “22.” The song strays from her formulaic break-up tunes. It gives a glimpse into an evening with Swift with lyrics like, “It feels like the kind of night to dress up like hipsters/ and make fun of our exes/ it feels like the perfect night for breakfast at midnight.” It has elements of Ke$ha’s typical auto-tuned sound, but the girl-power lyrics are reminiscent of P!nk. Swift makes listeners impatient to turn 22.
While Swift takes some risks with Red, the album’s title track proves the original Swift is here to stay. “Red” symbolizes all of her music. She captivates listeners with the story of a former lover with a banjo twang behind her crooning. She sings, “regretting him was like wishing you never found out love could be that strong.” The guitars and drum beat provide a get-up-and-dance-around-the-room kind of song, so we’re sure glad Swift found out how strong love is.
The album is available on iTunes for $14.99 and in stores.
