1989- An instruction manual on the best and worst pop can be

Music Review- Taylor Swift- 1989 (2014)

Taylor Swift's 1989 has some of her highest highs and lowest lows, but her consistent synth pop sound and tight track list length means it is an album to listen from start to finish and one must only hope to ignore the lower offerings. Every track narrates her battle with relationships and has a succinct start and finish that makes it an interesting narrative to hear all aspects of. But, her reliance on repetition and lack of adventurous production in places means some tracks get left behind as others storm to the front. Credit where credit is due, Swift masterfully marketed the album and made more right decisions with the singles than wrong.

By properly jumping into the world of pop, Swift scrambles around trying to please every pop fan under the sun. The album is filled with the most beautiful highs and the most irritating lows and it takes you a moment to understand that both can be by the same woman. If I wrote this in 2014 when 1989 was released i would express how hopeful I was for the future and how Swift had a bright relationship with pop if she could home her skills on to the undeniable successes here, but sadly we all know she doesn't take any time to learn from this and releases Reputation. At its worst, this album panders to her younger fans with repetitive childish lyrics and dumbing down of problems to a "I'm right so there" kind of attitude. But, when she gets it right she blows it out of the water with some incredibly clever lyricism and fantastically catchy pop hooks capturing the nostalgia and dream like imagination of the past. At times Swift thinks just repeating the same line over and over is enough to make a song catchy and this really holds back many of the cuts here. Though when she puts the work in she becomes a master of pop.

It is a bright and airy album that is perfect for summer, but has enough drama and danger that it is not light in action or interest. At times it is the perfect marriage between production, lyrics and vocals that set this album up to be one of Swift's best.

Album Review: 7

Track By Track Breakdown:

Welcome to New York- Beginning her voyage of new discovery, Swift perfectly captures the dazzle and trepidation of starting a new journey. The breezy production gives it this feeling of discovery and possibility as you take the first few steps. It's filled with hope and fizzing with potential. It is undeniably fun and the perfect opener for a new sound of Swift even if it is a little on the nose having 'welcome' and 'new' in the title of your sonic change in direction; Swift had been slowly turning pop for years before this, so it is a clever control of her narrative to make this seem like a brand new and exciting change. Sadly, the track leans too much on repetition to properly reach the heights of her pop contemporaries- it takes more than repeating the same line to create a great pop hook- but is certainly a sign of potential of what is to come and an inviting introduction. (7)

Blank Space- Again, Swift creatively controls her narrative as she mischievously plays with the caricature forced upon her by the media, though not without foundation in Swift herself and this track cleverly plays with her own contribution to the narrative. Unlike her Reputation album, this is the kind of Taylor verses the media which oozes playful fun and nuance rather than dredged in boring drama. Swift shows off her writing skill with fantastic catchy hook after hook as well as enough fun detail to get the listener engrossed in the narrative. It's personal enough to Swift yet so relatable and fun to sing along to. It is a masterful balance for Swift and is undoubtedly a perfect pop song. Swift plays the cutsey crazed character well and at times the track is not only funny, but poignant. When starting a new relationship we may often feel weighed down by our past failures and feel that there is a problem within ourselves, but Blank Space is aware of her failures and has a joyful and cheeky hope for the future. (9)

Style- The perfect pop song and one that should be used as the example of perfect pop for future generations to follow. It perfectly captures nostalgia in the production of reminiscing of a love from the past with an airy euphoria that is so dream like and perfect that you just don't trust it, so it keeps you tense and hooked throughout. Then the chorus hits and oh my days it should be a crime to have a song this catchy, just hearing one line of the chorus and you will be singing it all day. But, what tops it off is Swifts voice! Usually, her limited range and cutsey delivery holds back necessary emotion in tracks that desperately need it. But here, Swift's endearingly soft performance entices the listener in as she relives her story and transports you to this dream, for her then to have a voice crack or growl that hits you right back to the ground. The songs strength is the uneasy sense of danger like the dream is going to fall apart at any moment that is perfectly captured in the production and Swift's delivery. She is fantastic. It is easily Swift's best song. (10)

Out of the woods- On the first listen you will turn your nose up at how relentlessly repetitive this track is, but then you will find yourself dusting around the house humming "Are we out of the woods yet". It's the kind of song you hate to love as it is so so repetitive (have I mentioned it is repetitive) that it really shouldn't work. Admittedly, the repetition adds to Swift's desperation and adds some weight when she explodes on the bridge and outro. It captures the teen angst of sitting in your room scream singing the lyrics on repeat as it builds to the dramatic levels that it is narratively capturing. Many young lovers will relate to the confusing time of not knowing if a relationship is certain yet and whether you can take the calming breath and relax. It is exceedingly relatable but still has Swift's cutsey twinge to it that makes it undeniably her. (7)

All you had to do was stay- The high pitched effect on "Stay" certainly gives the chorus a unique flare and develops the desperation of Swift begging her partner to stay. But, it comes across as grating like a child screeching every twenty seconds or so, it really breaks up the flow of the song. Again, it is incredibly repetitive but not in a cute or desperate way as when you get to the chorus it is like a child in music class smashing the "Disco" button with how often she says "stay". In addition, the lyrics are so literal that there is nothing interesting here to think about other than she desperately wants him to stay. Sonically, the production isn't much more distinct than any of the airy tracks on the album. It feels more like a deep cut from Lover. It's not grating enough to be hated, just enough that if I never hear it again I wouldn't mind. (5)

Shake it off- We're five tracks in and I feel I have said repetitive a lot, but, as you guessed, this track takes the cake. Repeating one word over and over does not define a pop hook. If Swift wants to fully enter the world of pop, then she needs to give pop more respect if she wants to be any good. It is the cutsey generic Taylor Swift drivvel that Taylor releases too many times in her career, they are the tracks that haters point to and often even Swift fans realise they are dim. Her cutsey giggle and school girl lyrics are meant to be endearing, fun and result in fans going "Oh bless her" but really its super irritating and child like. Don't get me started on the interlude that cements Swift as this grating and immature figure for tweens to idolise. Admittedly, the track is more palatable now that radio isn't blasting it every second, in small doses it isn't horrendous like some of her other lead singles. However, it is still school disco fodder. (3)

I wish you would- It's perfectly pleasant. Rather nice. It is most certainly a song. I wouldn't turn it off. But, I wouldn't put it on either. Swift relives an old love as she is constantly reminded of the good parts and wishes to rekindle the fire. She lists off moments that reminded her of him and begs him to call her and the listener is left wondering why Swift doesn't just call him. Other than knowing he pushed her buttons we don't get any details of the relationship or why it turned sour, it's just really vague. Of course, it is vague so teen fans can project their own drama onto her lyrics as not a single lyric gives any depth or personality from Swift. I wish the woman who wrote Style a few tracks ago would come back, but like Taylor comes to terms with, we don't all get what we wish for. (4)

Bad blood- The really irritating inflection at the end of every line that starts the song is the most infuriating thing and sounds super childish. This isn't helped by the "Hey!" that sounds like child Taylor storming into a room. But, when you get over that and the cliche lyrics that are oh so over dramatic, then you surprisingly get an okay song. That is a really big but though as the childish attitude of the song seems to be written into the fabric of the song as the dark hollow production makes it seem like she is saying this really heavy and dark comebacks when really she's just being petty. This is the drama infused track that relies on Taylor explaining the meaning in interviews that inspired the sound of the whole Reputation album, but no one understands why as it is rather weak. The only saving grace is the bridge because of Taylor's change in tone even though the cringe lyrics persist. (5)

Wildest dreams- Finally Taylor returns in full force. A beautiful dream like euphoria drenches this track making it dance and sparkle with life. It is nostalgia of a time been and gone with an almost too perfect filter, but you don't care as all you want to do is indulge in the beauty. It's one of those perfect pop moments where the production and vocal deliver work in tandem with the lyrics as Swift softly whispers about wanting a lover to remember her blissfully. It is a desperate nonsensical desire as it brings no logical joy to anyone, but every single person in the whole world is on the same page as her. It is the kind of thing that you may never have realised before, but you cannot deny it. To be remembered fondly is all we ever want. At the end of the day, all we have is our memories and this track victoriously pleads to all to go out and make the most beautiful memories so that even if it all goes wrong you've always got something good to look back on. The lyrics have a beautiful narrative and it is catchy as hell. (9)

How you get the girl- After a relationship falls a part, it is normal to dream about the partner just turning up on your door step one day and saying how they got it all wrong. Here Taylor frames the dream slightly by using the song as advice to her friend on how they can get their partner back, but we all know it is secretly want Swift wants to happen to her. It is the kind of track relatable to young lovers who have just separated as the lyrics are vague enough to project your own story on to. The production is airy and fun, but adds nothing distinct or memorable when compared with the other tracks. It is most certainly album filler because it adds no nuanced take on the matter leaving the song a bit empty and hollow. The lyrics rely majoritally on cliches that further adds to the feeling that you've heard this song before. The only interesting part of the song is the fact it sounds like it was inspired by a scene in Love Actually. (5)

This Love- The slowest track on the album so far, a somewhat pop ballad with pulsating synths and kickdrum that give it this tension and feeling of drowning. The production has this dramatic swirl and swell that knocks you back and makes you fall in love with the simplistic beauty. The production fits with the lyrics detailing a relationship that is off and on again as the music dances like the tide. However, the nearly 30 second intro, that is meant to create atmosphere, is rather over dramatic and tedious. It is the chorus where the song truly sets alight as a high pitched Taylor lets out a desperate yelp that makes the swell of the track truly hit; it is a sign of vulnerability that the usually glossy delivery of Swift rarely shows. If Swift leaned in on this vulnerable rawness more often in the track, then it would be a standout on the album. (8)

I know places- Describing how a relationship with Swift is tainted by her celebrity status, this personal track explores Swift trying to keep a partner secret from fans and paparazzi. It's an interesting track for how it can also be read as an infidelity advert trying to keep your relationship mysterious. But, the intro and constant repetition of 'I' routes the song on Swift's experience with each line sounding like Swift is in pain, even if it is sonically irritating like the seagulls in finding nemo. The track is mediocre, Swift's varied vocal delivery is a highlight and the lyrics are interesting enough, but the production is the similarly airy pop that is found better on other tracks on the album. It's not going to be anyone's favourite track, but it is perfectly decent. (6)

Clean- The longest track on the album opens with a somewhat of a loading sound that feels like wasted space. That is not the only peculiar production decision as the typing sounds in the background muddy the sound and offer nothing to the track. In addition, the cutsey child like dings and dongs in the background that sound like a cow bell removes any emotional pay off to the lyrics. If the production was cleaner, then there would be quite an emotional track here. Sadly, this is one of those tracks that work better live where Swift strips it down into an emotional ballad where you feel every fight she has gone through to get clean from emotionally taxing relationships. This is Swift battling unhealthy relationships and behaviour, but the production makes it feel like you are on hold to your bank. The lyrics do add an emotional end to the album as all of Swift's relationship struggles that have comee before end in her victoriously learning and moving on. (4)