Taylor Swift: The Point of No Return

I’ll begin with a disclaimer that despite baking during the Super Bowl, an inability to grow a mustache, and this current post – I am NOT a fifteen year old girl.  (For real I’m not). 

I think I like Taylor Swift’s music. 

(Not a fifteen year old girl)

So let me give you some context.  On paper, considering my musical taste and subsequent anti-popiness contrasted with all that Taylor Swift (and her music) represents, it would only make perfect, logical sense that I have a disdain for Miss Swift.  But every time I hear her songs there is only positive indifference, which is quite a leap from the theoretical and expected hatred.  I realized such a fact the other day and this generated some curiosity within my soul.  Why do I not hate her songs?  And thus, does this mean I could possibly, possibly enjoy her music? 

There was only one way to find out. 

For the past few days I’ve been listening to her 2010 album Speak Now, here are my thoughts:

“The Bad”

Let’s all be real and start off with the obvious.  Her music is tailor-made (no pun intended) (that’s a lie, it was) for teenaged girls.  All of it.  Every single line.  A whole album’s worth gets a little tedious, lasting for maybe three songs too long.

Her style isn’t tremendously diverse, and I don’t really have an “ear” for this type of music, so many of the songs seemed to run together – but they are getting more distinct on each listen. 

“The Good”

Not going to lie, I’m judging this album on slightly different (some would say “lower”) expectations than other music I listen to.  But she is an impressive lyricist.  Now, she’s no Bob Dylan but I was quite surprised to learn that she writes all her songs.

 

She’s pretty real and authentic.  Her songs plumb the experiences of her life, and she is not apprehensive to share – even if they may seem trite to those who have experienced much more than teenage romance. 

She has a very good voice, albeit many of the songs do not fulfill the potential.  “Enchanted” is one song that reveals her range.  I had high hopes for this song, lyrically speaking as well.  The first two verses have some nice imagery and emotion, but then the song reverts to girl-stuff, that I wasn’t sure what to do with… Really, what do I do with it!?!

Universal Appeal – Everyone can relate to at least one song, as she does show the full spectrum of romance.  For me, there was a lot of nostalgia laced within these lines of love. 

All these songs are super catchy.  I’ve listened to this album only twice, some of the songs at most three times, but they’re all in my head.  Forever.  For better or worse.  

“The Ugly”

Again, I have never been, and I don’t think I will ever be a fifteen-year-old girl, but I think this album gives me insight into their brains, and it’s a little terrifying.   The album itself is not the most cohesive in its arrangement.  Nearly most, if not all, of the songs are related to love and romance, but again she gives us the full spectrum.  This provides an almost schizophrenic atmosphere as one listens to the endearing charm of a tested romance in the opener “Mine” and then to a regretful lament for breaking up a relationship in “Back to December” while the next song has the narrator home wrecking a wedding in “Speak Now,” only then to have the possible cast-off bride give her voice in “Better Than Revenge.”  Verdict: Yeah… hell hath no fury…

In the end, she’s dece.  Probably not going to have any Swift posters on my wall or anything like that… yet.  I’m intrigued what she does in the future especially since she’ll be getting older and more mature (I was shocked to find out that she’s not in a perpetual age-state of 16) and whether that will show in her songwriting.  This also put Kanye in a whole new light for me.  So terribly, horribly funny: 

Highlights: