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Taylor Swift is back with her fifth studio album “1989” and she’s got a brand
new sound that draws from pop, alternative, and rock.
Swift doesn’t need much of an introduction. She’s gone from country
sweetheart to a full blown superstar and she’s only 24. “1989,” released by Big
Machine Records Oct. 27 and produced by Max Martin, Shellback and several others
including Swift herself, is a brand new sound for this typically country star. This new
sound warrants a listen from people who might not have listened to a Taylor Swift
album otherwise.
The best word to describe “1989” is fun. Swift seems to explore a new sound
with every song. There are the bubbly essence-of-pop songs like “Welcome To New
York” and the incredibly catchy first single "
Shake It Off." Then there are the more
unexpected tracks. "
Blank Space" borrows Lorde’s booming rhythms. “Wildest
Dreams” is a dreamy track reminiscent of Lana Del Rey and even the lyrics mimic
Del Rey. “Say you’ll remember me/ standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset,
babe.”
“I Know Places,” draws inspiration from the darker side of pop music –
“Loose lips sink ships all the damn time.” Perhaps the most adventurous song on the
album is the closer “Clean.” It’s a simple song musically until Imogen Heap’s
presence takes the lead halfway through. That’s when it takes on the fragile quality
Imogen Heap is known for. This type of exploration of different styles is exactly what makes “1989” a
noteworthy album for fans of all genres. Swift is able to take all of these influences
and still produce music that sounds genuine for her. She transforms herself
gracefully with this album.
In the process of trying out a new sound, a few not so great filler tracks
happened. “I Wish You Would” and “All You Had To Do Was Stay” are pretty
nondescript songs that are lost in the overall album. At best they are forgettable pop
songs.
When Swift succeeds with experimenting, it produces some great standout
tracks. Other than the popular single “Shake It Off,” “This Love” proves to be a real
winner and is the song closest to Swift’s earlier work. It is a quiet moment on a
mostly upbeat album. The bonus track “New Romance” really nails the 80’s vibe that
the album title implies.
Overall, Swift provides an album her already existing fans can enjoy while
reaching out to a new audience that might find they surprisingly like the ex-country
star’s music.
