Taylor Swift - ‘Reputation’ track by track review

Alright I’m too lazy to do an intro so let’s just get right into it.

Track 1 - ...Ready For It
It’s clear from the first few seconds this bitch is not playing. She has reinvented herself completely in 1989 and no doubt she is riding the wave on the back of the fifth album’s success right into Reputation as well. This track was the second single we've gotten before the album release and I take it as a prelude for what the other songs on the album are going to sound like. It is bold, with loud bass-heavy techno sounds and a catchy, addictive number.

Track 2 - Endgame
Ever since her short duet with T-Pain on her 2008 album Fearless, we've never really heard Ms Swift rap on a track again. Until Reputation. Ed Sheeran returns on this track along with Future. The threesome brings the rap-track together nicely though I would have personally preferred just Ed and Swift as the other guy seemed a bit unnecessary. The bold jeering sounds complement  the breaks in between raps well and holds everything together nicely. And Ms Swift takes a jab at the media with 'the truth from my red lips' indicating that this time with this album, she intends to take back control of the narrative.

Track 3 - I Did Something Bad
With the word 'shit', this is officially the first song that Ms Swift cusses on. Production-wise, it implements simple recurring techno techniques and instrumentation. Lyrically I find it a close equivalent to 1989's Blank Space. Overall this is a decent track, not something I'd go crazy about. But there are certainly little effort put in to hide the shading and jab at a certain nemesis.

Track 4 - Don't Blame Me
At first I thought I was listening to a Hozier song. I love how Swift's soothing vocals cut through so clearly in the opening lines. The tempo of the song unconsciously draws you in the more you listen and they keep your attention until the chorus where you are allowed a fleeting moment of release. Lyrically it gets dark and edgy. The bridge pays homage to traditional quality bridges that Ms Swift so often delivers.

Track 5 - Delicate
The vocoder makes an apparent appearance in this track. Somewhere in this song, Wildest Dreams is hiding or rather, it now becomes the track from the previous album that was just the source code for something equally soothing and vividly imaginary yet unfamiliar. The song holds pertinent to its title. It is a delicate piece of work,dusted with digital synths and would make a nice end-credits song for one of the 50 Shades Trilogy movies.

Track 6 - Look What You Made Me Do
As the first ever single released to the world from this album, this is the heralding of a new era. Ms Swift has put her foot down and declared the old Taylor 'dead'. She does not make any concessions and this track is a jarring clap back to old rivals and clickbait-happy critics. Although this song does not have the strongest chorus, it somehow manages to be an earworm which one does not get rid of easily. Ms Swift is not here to play anymore. Sonically it plays well with what she was doing in 1989 which has proven to be a successful trial run.

Track 7 - So It Goes...
This track does not do much for me. It is not outstanding but far from bad. I would perhaps say borderline average. Lyrically it manages to be a vivid storyteller with Swift's smooth vocals begging to be let out of the strong dominant instrumentation. This track marks the close of the first half of the album.

Track 8 - Gorgeous
This track is riddled with infatuation and in true Taylor Swift tradition, is a song written about intense admiration and frustration towards a certain someone. Jack Antonoff's production watermark is evident with the rhythmic synths and snares without overdoing anything. It is certainly not the cream of the crop but good enough to be addictive. It is catchy, anyway.

Track 9 - Getaway Car
This is quite unquestionably the best song off the record. It is a masterpiece of songwriting akin to 1989's Out Of The Woods. It is intense and raw, taking you on a steady car-chase of emotions which slowly intensifies towards the bridge before allowing you a much needed relief before taking off again. First time listeners might be fooled but this song masquerades a romantic tragedy behind all the brilliant production sounds. It paints a picture of betrayal, hesitation and running away, much like a Bonnie and Clyde production. 

Track 10 - King Of My Heart
Building up on the emotions that Getaway Car leaves you, it is hard to recover from such intense quality music. Therefore, this track has a lot of burden put on it, in which it falls short to deliver. The vocoder makes a return here. Lyrically it is a mildly sexy and suggestive love song. Sonically this is most certainly a dance song and the only memorable part was the chorus.

Track 11 - Dancing With Our Hands Tied
If you're familiar with the idea and inspiration of 1989's I Know Places, then this might be the version of that song reincarnated. Again as with the majority of the album, this number takes its production cues from 1989 with vocally, some impressive solid high notes. 

Track 12 - Dress
Lyrically, this is perhaps the most intimate and rare look into Ms Swift's personal life behind closed doors. I feel like if I were to play this song for a stranger and tell them it's from the official soundtrack of 50 Shades, they would not hesitate to believe it. This might be Ms Swift's most adult song to date. Her vocals cut sharply through and is evident that sometimes the voice is all the instrumentation you need to channel your message. 

Track 13 - This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
The whole song paints a picture of taking a toy away from a naughty child. It's fun, upbeat and probably a more mature version of Red's 22. It celebrates camaraderie and claps back hard at traitors and backstabbers in traditional Taylor Swift style. It takes a jab back to all the drama without stooping  down to being a diss track. And I was not ready for that mid-song cackle dialogue!

Track 14. - Call It What You Want
This is what a traditional Taylor Swift song sounds like. It is properly raw and happy. Lyrically you can really tell she is in a happy place in her life and she's not afraid to pen it out into a song. Instrumentation really complement this track well, mirroring the mood of the lyrics. Is it good enough to be a wedding song? Wait till you hear the next and last track. Even though this is a love song through and through, Ms Swift still manages to slip in some subtle jabs at critics, 'which is more than they can say.'

Track 15. New Year's Day
This is a very fitting album closer which blankets everything up nicely. This is probably the old Taylor Swift  everyone's been begging for. It is simple and stripped down to the basics. It has minimal instruments with a slightly muted piano playing and the strings of an acoustic guitar in the background just subtle enough to indicate it's there. Lyrically, it takes on a realistic and practical approach to the traditional fantasies of love. After the roller coaster of heavy beats, bass and techno pop this song is just like that glass of wine you needed to unwind after a long day. I may call it the best love song that 1989 was lacking.

Taylor Swift - 1989: Track by track review

Musicians come and go. Some leave significant marks and some, maybe not. And then there's Taylor Swift. Not only is she a musician but she is also a woman of her own empire and career. With physical album sales decreasing each year, is she going to be the one who changes that? With brilliant promotional efforts (Polaroid copies in physical albums)  and not to mention a cult following consisting of fans ranging from young teenage girls to God knows who else called Swifties, 1989 might just be a game changer. Here is my review of Taylor Swift's fifth studio album, 1989 (Deluxe version).

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. 

Taylor Swift - Shake It Off first impressions and 1989 expectations

So at the time of writing, it has been 8 hours since Taylor Swift's livestream on Yahoo. And with it being held at 5PM in the US, it meant that I had to stay up till 5AM to watch it cause' I'm on the other side of the world which kinda sucks abit. But it was worth it. 2 years in the making and the RED era has finally come to an end. Time to see what Taylor has in store for us for the next two years. New album, new songs, new tour, new guitars, new fans, possibly new cat (I hope).

13 seconds to go!

*Heavy breathing*

The moment this happened felt like the moment in the Red Tour when the curtains parted and lifted, revealing Taylor on stage.

So I'm not gonna talk too much about the livestream, if you wanna watch it you can do so here.

There were essentially three parts to the livestream, each part consisting of an announcement. First was the new song, second the new music video and third the album reveal itself. Taylor has done a pretty good job of keeping things under wraps this whole time, with her fans playing detective and most of the theories have been proven wrong. Not bad throwing us off, Taylor, not bad at all. No song leak on the internet, just probably a few lines of the lyrics and the album cover leaking just minutes away from the livestream.

Behold, the fifth studio album from Taylor Swift, 1989. 

The single artwork

But anyways, first impression of the song:

It was so good! I'm not saying this because I'm biased and I'm a big Taylor fan but honestly if I wasn't a fan of her I would love it straight away because it's just so catchy. Gone are the mincing guitar lines and familiar sound that we have grown up listening to but instead it's replaced with horns and trumpets.

The thing I like about this song is the message it brings: that you can be whoever you wanna be and people are gonna say what they wanna say and you can either absorb it in and kill yourself over what they say or you can just...........................shake it off :)

It's really a sassy and upbeat number which you can easily dance to. 

I've noticed a different sounding Taylor in terms of vocals too. There's still a hint of that soft breathy vocal quality from previous albums but there is also this strong kind of pop-ready sound to her which I think the mix between both the old and new sounds really blend well together.

It is easily radio quality, a big improvement over her previous work.

The little rap part brings back memories of the mini monologue from We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. 

Tastefully done and laughable, I will definitely enjoy singing that part in karaokes. Overall this song introduces us to a whole new Taylor but you still get that hint of the real her. Like some things change but it doesn't change too much till it becomes really foreign to you, get what I'm saying?

I'm sure there are already people who've listened to the song or watched the music video shaking their heads and going 'no, this isn't Taylor Swift, she used to be country' or 'she's not country anymore' or 'she's changed so much' or all that kind of stuff.

The thing is ladies and gentlemen, artists are supposed to grow or evolve, if you will. I say that because my definition of a good artist is someone who is willing to take risks, to try new sonic boundaries and new sounds, styles and just see what you can do. That is a mature artist and I genuinely respect those people who actually take risks and make decisions and try something new. Because isn't that what life is about? You never know what surprises you might find. You might love it or not but at least you tried. 

And I'm speaking about artists/musicians in general, not just Taylor.  

Besides, let's just be real for a moment here. 

If she changes her sound (like she does in this album and Red) people would criticize her straying away from country.

If she stays country, people will criticize her and say she's so boring singing the same old songs with the same old style.

See where I'm going? People are gonna say something whatever you do. So just shake it off =D 

Plus, if I were her I wouldn't wanna look back at my life 10 years from now and say 'oh I've only done country records this whole time, I really wished I tried something new'.
And I would really like to address the comments on YouTube and various websites who have called out Taylor because of twerking elements in this video or the musical direction she is going. Honestly if you're gonna not like this song just because of the twerking or the music style then you have not fully appreciated the point of the song. The point of the song is to make fun of yourselves, to not care what people say and to just you know, have some fun and laugh and be humorous. People are taking this way too seriously when it should be all about having fun and being silly. Everyone's entitled to it but I just don't get why people would wanna turn it into such big of an issue. Sigh..y'all need to take a chill pill.
But anyways...

Inspired by 1980's pop sounds, Taylor confirmed that 1989 is going to be a pop album, I'm still unsure if I am ready for this. This might mean no heart wrenching ballads like White Horse, All Too Well but at the same time I'm definitely ready for new sounds like State Of Grace, I Knew You Were Trouble and Holy Ground. I would also like for more guitar laid songs, soft intimate music and just slow ballads because that's where Taylor showcases her songwriting skills the most. There will be 13 tracks on the standard edition album plus an additional 3 songs so I'm really excited for what's on the rest of the album. Here's to another two year journey with Taylor and I will see you guys again with another blog post, hopefully a review of 1989 in around a three month timeframe! :)

And don't forget to check out the music video for Shake It Off here:

Till, then goodbye RED era and welcome, 1989.

The Red Tour Malaysia Experience

#RedTourMalaysia
 THE SHOW WAS EFFING LIFE CHANGING

Firstly, the pictures in this post are both mine and others' obtained from websites, Twitter and Instagram accounts. I will give full credits at the end of this post. And I some of my own pictures will have relatively low quality so I apologize for that first ><

I remember the day that Taylor announced the dates for the Asian leg of the Red Tour. When I saw 11th June, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia I gasped and muttered 'holy shit'. Finally after such a long time Taylor Swift is coming to Malaysia. Something that her Malaysian fans (including me) had been waiting for for years. The process of getting hold of a ticket sure wasn't easy. It was filled with frustration, anxiety and impatience. So when there was a ticket available on the ticketing website I jumped on it. It was expensive, yes (it's Taylor freaking Swift so of course) but what I got in return was a show that will be hard to forget. 

I went alone (I know right) because there wasn't a chance for my besties to follow me (yet, we still have the next tour). I was supposed to meet with some people I met on Twitter whom I knew were going but that didn't happen so yeah I was alone T.T 

The concert was scheduled to begin at 8:30PM but I got to the venue at around 2:30-3:00PM. By the time I reached the stadium there was already a big crowd gathered there. Along the way to the stadium from the train station there were lots of people selling T-shirts, lanyards, light sticks and such. And they weren't even the official tour merchandise. But they looked really nice and seriously I wouldn't spend RM100 for a T-shirt. That's crazy. I think the official tour merchandise was horribly overpriced. Once reaching the venue, AIA Berhad, the official sponsor for the tour had already made themselves at home with booths and such, attracting crowds with activities and tour merchandise giveaways. I would've joined the activities but it's really awkward and sad doing something fun alone :( In the end I just ended up waiting and walking around while waiting for the doors to open.

The doors opened at around 6:10PM and as soon as it did, I could hear people screaming. And that was just because the doors were opened! Inside the stadium later on was another story altogether.

The crew working behind the stage. There's the video station below.

And the guitar racks holding Taylor's and her musicians' guitars. 

My seat was in Category 1 which meant that I had a great view of the stage and the stadium. I was seated at stage right and perhaps just less than 30 meters from the main stage so needless to say the view was awesome. I could see people working behind the curtains and equipment backstage and the guitar rack and the guitar tech station and the video station and I was like YESS!! Finally I get to catch a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes as they happen.

Finally! After years! Gosh I don't think I've ever been so in love with a huge red curtain before.

Quite an impressive number of people and it's only after 6PM!

Before the opening act they would play behind the scenes videos for Taylor's music videos as well as well known covers of Taylor's songs. I loved the cover of I Knew You Were Trouble from Pentatonix!

Glow baton for RM50. But it looks nice so yeah :D

The opening act for the Malaysian Red Tour date was a local Malaysian band called iamneeta. Led by a teenage girl and her band, their short 4-number set really got the crowd going. Before the opening act started, we were asked to stand as the national anthem played (only in Malaysia, ladies and gentlemen) I loved the opening act even more because their first song was All I Want by Kodaline. Gosh how I adore that song! They proceeded with All Of Me by John Legend and two Malay songs, one of which was their single Terima Kasih.

The crowd when the opening act came onstage. 

iamneeta opening with All I Want by Kodaline

And on to All Of Me by John Legend.

After the awesome opening act, a quick cleanup of equipment was done and the clock struck 8:30PM. The concert was slightly delayed due to unknown reasons but I tell you when American Woman came on and the screens were showing the word 'RED' in big bold red font, I just knew what was coming next. 

State of Grace
The moment the stadium goes dark and the red light flashes against the curtain veiling the stage, you know that it is happening. It doesn't hit you full force yet but it will in a matter of moments. As the drums and guitars begin, you're just counting down the bars of music left before the silhouette of Taylor appears on the curtain. And when it does, the whole stadium becomes an ear splitting emotional wreck of Swifties screaming their lungs out. And then the curtains split and disappear upwards and there I can see that person I've been waiting so long to see standing there with that perfect smile, breathing in the same air as me and thousands of others. State of Grace was nothing short of a spectacular opening number with the drums and guitar intro, it was such a fitting song to start the night. I think I waved my light baton so hard it almost broke in half. Her vocals and high notes were a huge improvement over her previous years and I was so impressed hearing them live. She ended the song with a 'terima kasih' and gave her hat to a lucky fan in the front row.

I just love this photo so much I wanna frame it and put it on my wall.

She was this close it was unbelievable. Insane. At that moment I thought to myself 'this is happening right here right now. Capture it, remember it.'

Holy Ground
Holy shit this song is awesome. Really gets the crowd pumping. It's akin to the song Fearless from the Fearless album and The Story of Us from Speak Now. It just makes you get off your feet and dance so hard while singing out every word like you totally mean it. And the drum solo was every bit spectacular. Lights flashed, blinding me momentarily. I could feel my whole being moving with every beat of the drum. Taylor was never one of those whom we expect to be a drummer but she banged on that drum like she meant real business and it was just so entertaining to watch you can't help but feel like getting on that stage with her and beat drums with her all night. Next came the speech before the next number. She greeted the crowd with a 'selamat malam', introduced herself and told her about how excited she was to be in KL and that she's been hearing a lot about Malaysia from fans on Twitter, Instagram and such.

Red
'Bright burning red' was how she described the emotional spectrum of love. And I was blown away with her performance of this album title song. I was singing every single word to this song as loudly as I could. I loved the amazing dancers with their red flags all over the place, the guitar solo with Paul Sidoti (Taylor's guitarist), the lighting and Taylor's vocals. It was just all so impressive and amazing. I honestly can't think of anything else to say.

She was looking right into people's souls

Greeting the crowd before launching into Red

'Loving him was like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street'

'Losing him was blue like I've never known'

'But loving him was red'

Awesome dancers!

The Lucky One
Before the actual song starts, a video is played on the big screen (which was like ultra freaking HD crystal clear) about Taylor narrating the perils of fame in a dressing room, in black and white. After the video, the actual song starts. I liked how the production element of this song fit so well with everything including the intro video. The backup dancers are dressed as press members, photographers, the media and paparazzi in 80's themed outfits carrying fake old giant cameras with those giant round flashes chasing Taylor around the stage. To be honest this is my least favorite song on the Red album but it has started to grow on me. With careful attention to the lyrics, it gives out a positive and meaningful message. The production elements for this song's live performance were also a plus in helping me like the song a lot more. Oh and Taylor's dress for this song is my favorite. So cantik!

Video clip before the song

Love that dress so much. So elegant and beautiful

Mean
'Saya cinta Malaysia'. Now that really did get the crowd roaring. Taylor descended from the top stage, wearing the top half of her dress from The Lucky One with black leggings (Malaysia is an Islamic country so she had to cover up some skin like in Indonesia). With her was a 6-string banjo which she played while sitting on a box on the T stage. Here she told us about how she used to write songs and how she wasn't invited to parties and bullies and mean people. I can totally relate to what she said and I found myself thinking about my own life experiences with bullies and name-calling. When she launched into the song, I was singing every word of it and I meant every word of it. This was the song that I find comfort and inspiration in whenever I felt like the whole world was kinda mean. After the heavy pop and slight rock sound of the previous three numbers, it really was nice to have a little banjo, mandolin and that ol' country Taylor that we know and love so well.

22
Blessed are those who get to touch Taylor and have her face inches away from your camera. There was a lot of clapping and people showing the number 2 with their fingers (me included) for this song. I mean why not? Who wouldn't wanna be happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time? It suddenly seemed so cool and hip. I was happy (I'm freaking singing along with Taylor Swift), I felt free (I can dance and sing as loud as I wanted because nobody would judge me because thousands of others are doing the same) and confused? Perhaps not so. This song just makes me so happy and I don't know why (oh, there's confusion). Mid song, Taylor goes down the main stage and through the crowd to a small B-stage at the back of the stadium (where all the far seats are). Suddenly I wished I could teleport from my original seat to the back of the stadium just to see her closer.

It feels like a perfect night to hang out with Taylor

This girl's got some cool dance moves

Taylor on the B-stage with a 'I <3 KL' shirt. Well KL loves you too, Taylor.

You Belong With Me
This song was supposed to be after Red (just like in the American, Europe, Australia and UK legs) but due to the stage design, prop availability and perhaps time constraints this song was rearranged in the setlist as an acoustic song on the B-stage which was fine but I preferred the jazzy feel of the Non-Asian Tour version. Here it was just Taylor and her red Taylor 614ce maple guitar serenading us with our all time favorite. The crowd was singing along so loudly it was crazy. I literally needed earplugs because it was so loud.

Enchanted (Secret Song)

If I were to describe The Red Tour in Malaysia with just one word, it would be 'enchanting'. Why?

A. It's Taylor's first time in Malaysia and we definitely feel enchanted to meet her

B. Of course she's enchanted to meet us too!

C. A Swiftie had Enchanted as her wedding song and so Taylor mentioned this before she sang it and it just falls together so perfectly that this is THE song. 

By the way Enchanted is not part of the setlist. Song number 8 on the Asian Tour setlist changes every time, every show, every different night. Honestly I was hoping for Sweeter Than Fiction but when I saw what chords she was playing I knew it wasn't gonna happen. But Enchanted was still good. And I loved the part when the crowd sang along with 'please don't be in love with someone else' like damn chills. 

Sparks Fly
That amazing sounding 12 string guitar! Holy crap when she started picking it I was floored by how good it sounded. I should get myself a 12-string one day. When she started the first line of the verse, the crowd just lost it. I didn't know this song was so popular with Swifties after it being the opening number of the Speak Now World Tour. Mid-song, she makes her way back to the main stage through the crowd. And I repeat; Blessed are those who get to touch Taylor and have her face inches away from your camera. One of my favorite songs. "And you stood there in front of me just close enough to touch". Extend my hand and just daydream lah about touching her T.T

I Knew You Were Trouble

Caitlin's violin solo was incredible! She was so fierce and so fired up like gosh I've never seen someone play the violin with that attitude. The drums and dubstep incorporated into this song just does something to you when you hear it live. It's like it makes your body vibrate involuntarily or something like that. Whatever it is, it feels awesome! The production of this song was so good! The dancers, props, violin intro and everything was perfect. Oh and especially the dress change. I'm really impressed Taylor and her dancers are able to pull it off without fault every show. It takes just 2-3 seconds and when the white dress disappears, revealing a black tight outfit, the crowd just loses it. Taylor's vocals and her higher notes sound solid even after the mildly heavy dance routine and running around the stage.

Caitlin's violin solo

All Too Well

The sight of Taylor walking towards the piano just triggers some old memories. When she sits and plays the intro and talks about the songwriting process, I just absorb everything like a sponge. This is a maestro at work here giving advice before singing one of the greatest songs she's ever written. This song is too well known by Swifties all around the world that it needs no introduction or explanation as to why it is so deep and personal. But just in case there are people wondering why, it is because this song just guts you like a fish, making you remember everything all too well. Everything bittersweet, every smell, color, words and things that feelings just can't describe and words that can't describe the feelings, you just remember them suddenly. This is the song that I have been looking forward to the most. Sure I did plan to maybe shed a tear or two during this song but it would be awkward crying when seated on either side of you are two total strangers and no one to hug. 

Love Story
The ballet dancers were amazing! Like they were prancing around the stage and flipping each other upside down and sideways it was crazy to watch. I'm really glad that Taylor chose to retain this song in her setlist. This was the first song I've ever heard from Taylor and I would feel like crap if I didn't get to hear it live once in my life >_<  I liked her dress. It makes her look like a teenage girl in a fairytale. So young, innocent and carefree, looking for her Romeo. She ended the song with a firm and loud 'Goodnight, KL!' Hahah we weren't fooled. Of course there was gonna be an encore!

Like an angel bathed in white radiant light

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
The way she appears on stage for this song was very clever. Her backup dancers dressed as conjoined Siamese twins, clowns, rabbits and men walking on stilts certainly play a role here. The conjoined twins walk around the stage carrying a big black cloth, large enough to hide a person behind it and lo and behold when they drop the cloth, Taylor is behind it, seemingly appearing from out of nowhere. From my point of view, I can see Taylor sneaking up from behind the stairs to make her magical appearance seconds later. Ha! Not so much of a surprise for those sitting at the side of the stage right? Heheh. As this was the ending number and also because it was crazily addictive, everyone was on their feet chanting the words 'we are never ever ever getting back together'. A really fun song to end the show with. And it was sure fun chanting the words back to her along with thousands of people.

I find the men on stilts highly amusing for some reason

That's the end, folks!

Thank you indeed, Ms Taylor for a wonderful night where many dreams came true

And the fans were so awesome and hardcore! There were people with painted faces, lyrics on their arms, people dressed in the WANEGBT ringleader costume, some even dressed in her performance outfits from The Lucky One and State of Grace and there was even a guy in a cow costume. I never thought I'd get the chance to see all this madness but I did! XD
Sure it was a short 90 minute set but it was a memorable 90 minute set. I still wonder why the Asian leg of the tour was shorter with songs like Stay Stay Stay and Treacherous missing from the setlist.

All in all the Red Tour is one show that I will find hard, if not impossible to forget. I swear when she stares at my direction she was staring straight into my soul like omfg! Although there wasn't a Club Red, and although I didn't get Meet & Greet passes, the experience of seeing her live is enough to make up for all that. I shall now have a permanent reminder to go with a friend whenever Taylor drops by again.


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