Few artists make a change in direction musically and few have done such drastic changes such as Swift. From the girl next door singing out country tunes, our own diaries and stories to a woman selling out stadium shows with 3 major headlining tours worldwide, let's see how Swift's new musical path fares.
1. Welcome to New York
"It's a new soundtrack I could dance to this beat"Right from the get go you know from this track this is something completely different than what she's ever done but she still manages to keep to her old self. "took our broken hearts/put them in a drawer". The usual writing style of metaphors and visualization remains. Sonically, this is so different. Synths and mildly heavy drums dominate this track. It is lively and bright. Much like the city of New York.
2. Blank Space
This song is breathy with quick pauses and short, few-worded sentences. Swift pokes fun at herself singing "got a long list of ex-lovers/they'll tell you I'm insane". The synths continue their dominance here albeit being slightly hidden in the background for the earlier parts of the track. And oh that pen click. Seriously? Genius. The signature guitar sound that Swift is known for is barely audible in the midst of the drum and synth heavy production. This is one song you'll dance to in public without you noticing.
3. Style
The intro guitar riff is sick. Then comes the disco beats. Swift's vocals are smooth, soft and clear. She describes that he has that "James Dean, daydream look" which I'm sure prompted a sudden spike in James Dean searches on Google. Transition from the verses to the chorus is quite significant. It sounds like you're thrown into another different song but you're still listening to that one song. But the pre-chorus covers that transition nicely. I can imagine how many commercials this song will be used in. A very nice song for cruising along in your car singing along to. This is so clearly pop but Swift just manages to make it sound like a different kind of pop.
4. Out Of The Woods
By far this is the most metaphorically visual song on this album. Sure, it is repetitive but somehow you can't bring yourself to press that Next button. The spaces between the repeated words are filled with background vocalizations that you can't help but sing along to. This track showcases the best bridge in this entire album, demonstrating that the maestro songwriter that Swift is hasn't lost her touch to connect deeply through lyrics which hangs in the balance between the emotional spectrum. You can hear sadness, nostalgia, joy and fear.
5. All You Had To Do Was Stay
I classify this song as an in-between/transition song. There is nothing much that stands out in this song except for the word "Stay" sung in an opera voice in the choruses and also the line "You were all I wanted/But not like this". This song sounds like generic pop. I wouldn't skip this song in a full album listening session. Rather I'd go grab some snacks or something with this song playing in the background. The acoustic guitars make a return here in the chorus background. Lyrically, heartbreak is still the main driving force.
6. Shake It Off
This was the first track from 1989 which was released to the world two months before the album itself was available. Since then it has garnered positive feedback and earned a lot of number 1's in a lot of countries all over the world. Sonically, the trumpets are a nice welcome into Swift's changing repertoire of sounds. However I was surprised it wasn't continued throughout the rest of the album. This is my new hairbrush/shower song and it's hard not to get caught up in its catchy tune and repeated choruses. Also the track involves many different minor production details which you might find fun listening out for. It is fun and unapologetic.
7. I Wish You Would
You can hear the 80's influences right from the guitar intro. It has short verses and choruses. Lyrically, it is reminiscent of 'I Almost Do' from Red. Though short, the words seem to speak your inner thoughts and blow your mind with how simple and straight forward they are. Swift's vocals are showcased clearly in this track. This is another repetitive track. I guess that's the inevitable direction that pop songs seem to gravitate to in the end. But it is still bearable.
8. Bad Blood
"Still got scars on my back from your knife". Of all the times I've used the term 'backstabber' I've never thought of phrasing it that way. Damn you, Swift. This is the angriest track on the record, even by my standards surpassing "Better Than Revenge" from Speak Now. Sonically it is rebellious, excellent to strut to and daringly bratty, After the powerful punchy verses and choruses, she tones it down in the bridge only to come back louder and stronger. Also, can we take a moment to go to 02:51 to 02:54 and just listen to that angry high vocal run in the background?
9. Wildest Dreams
This track cries out hopelessness, letting go and hope. The emotion and vulnerability in the vocals make a statement that this track is going to be timeless and it is a gem among the many pop heavy songs on this album. Many have likened it to a Lana Del Ray sound. I honestly have never heard any songs from Lana Del Ray but in my opinion it sounds Lorde inspired. Swift's vocals are always at its best when singing slow ballads and it is evident here as well as on other slow tracks on the record. The instrumentation is unobtrusive. In this track, less is enough.
10. How You Get The Girl
I wouldn't exactly classify this as bugglegum pop but it sure sounds like it is aiming for that direction. This is definitely radio material and nice to be played out loud cruising on long sunny roads. The old Taylor signature guitar sounds are back here. The track gives you the impression of a happy romance which makes you go head over heels about. Also, I liked the combination of synths and modern beats. However, still not the strongest song on the record.
11. This Love
Wow where can I even begin. I think this and Wildest Dreams are my absolute favorites. This track is so raw, so imperfect. The intro sounds a little like something from Lady Antebellum but it ends there. If you have sharp ears you might be able to hear the slight imperfection in the guitar picking. And that is why I love this track. It is not as polished as the rest and it helps in projecting the emotion and rawness of it all. Swift's vocals are breathy, soothing, haunting, slow and beautiful. It has excellent production value and the background vocals towards the end are just so crystal clear it rings in your ears. If you can turn beauty into a song, this is it. Another diamond in the rough.
12. I Know Places
Dark tones mixed with mid tempo beats, haunting piano. They mix well together. Swift's vocals go into unfamiliar territory here. I mean just listen to that line "And we run" at 1:39. I am unsure what to make of this song. It kind of makes you want to scream this song out loud but also drunk-dance to it. Lyrically it talks about hiding from other people who are going to say things about your relationship with someone else. Production and vocal processing is mildly heavy here but with the piano in the background, you can surely imagine it would sound great acoustically. Another favorite of mine.
13. Clean
Metronome beats, electronic basses, light synths and Imogen Heap in the background. Add in Taylor Swift into the mix with lyrics so good and it becomes a sound of liberation, completeness and closure. Clean is the closing track for the record. It has a sound which is very different from the previous 12 songs. It is slow and nice, like a much slower version of Hillary Duff's "Come Clean". Imogen Heap's background vocals are tastefully placed, the production gives way to Swift's soothing voice and this track just puts you gently back down to earth, ready to remove your earphones after a roller coaster ride of an album.
So with the Deluxe version of 1989 you get 3 extra songs and 3 voice memos. The voice memos are basically Swift explaining her songwriting process and provides audio taken directly from her phone when submitting song ideas to producers. It was really interesting to listen to them because Swift has had 4 studio albums and people often ask her how her songwriting process usually is and I'm glad that she decided to include the voice memos to give us a little sneak peek of how a song is created and ends up being on the record.
Also if you buy a physical copy of the album (normal and Deluxe), you will get 13 Polaroid pictures included. That's a really nice marketing strategy seeing how physical album sales have been in the decline. But whatever it is, 1989 is heading straight up with 600,000 sales within 24 hours of its release. Billboard has also just announcer 1989 to have sold 1.287 million in its first week, beating Red which sold 1.208 million. This makes her the only female artist to have three million-selling figures in her album's first week debut.
Now on to the review of the 3 bonus tracks from the Deluxe version.
14. Wonderland
Initially, this song was my least favorite but as I listened to it more each day, I got quite hooked on it. Sonically and lyrically, it sounds like a mix of I Knew You Were Trouble and I Know Places with the dubstep and electronic sounds combined with the lyrics of shielding your relationship away from the public eye. This is a song you'd find yourself headbanging to with arms in the air. The line "And life was never worse but never better" is exquisite.
15. You Are In Love
The best way I would describe this track is a very vivid description of a couple truly in love with each other. With years of singing about her own love life, Swift has decided to turn it around and sing about her producer Jack Antonoff and his girlfriend, Lena Dunham. And hey, it works just as well as when she's singing about her own love. Lena described this song as their wedding song and I think she made the right call. This song could very well be playing in the background of a Nicholas Sparks/John Green movie. The emotion is so clearly heard and the message is loud and clear. You can see that these two people are truly in love. This is the longest song on the Deluxe version of the record and I liken it to "Last Kiss" from Speak Now. Just that it's written from the opposite side of the emotional spectrum.
16. New Romantics
"Heartbreak is the national anthem/We sing it proudly/We are too busy dancing to get knocked off our feet/Baby we're the new romantics/The best people in life are free"Okay dance party anyone? Swift exhibits a young, rebellious, fun and bratty sound in this one. I dare you to tell me you did not sing the "ahaahaahahahahahhahah" part sounding totally annoying. Swift's vocal range has clearly improved and it is showcased here in the background vocals. Quite a suitable song to be played in clubs but I don't actually go to clubs so I wouldn't know. But anyhow, this track ends the Deluxe version on a cheery, positive note. Not the best of them but certainly not the worst. Just in the middle.
In conclusion, I really like to describe this album as a roller coaster ride. From the first track which talks about moving somewhere else to begin again and experiencing so many different new sounds, it is anything but below expectations. You've done it again, Swift. Well done. I must note that the strengths of this album are the slow ballads and the catchy tunes. Yes, love and heartbreak is still the main theme behind this album, such as it has always been. But it comes not from a place of tragic loss but instead from a perspective of starting anew and being happy. And with this album, I am happy.
Thanks for reading.
