Taylor Swift - Red (4th Album) (3 Viewers)

I find the extent of her appeal in America quite BAFFLING. Don't get me wrong, I think she's entirely pleasant, her songs are relatable and catchy - but she's not really alone in that respect and I don't even know who her fanbase IS; I presume it's mainly teenage girls but even they don't mobilise in the same numbers for One Direction/Justin Bieber who must be an easier sell to that demographic. I'm pleased for her because I really do think 'Red' is a great little album (I can't get enough of the title track) and I hope she finally gets a bit of success beyond a lead single in this country.
 
A quick LOON rate:

09 State Of Grace
10 Red
04 Treacherous
08 I Knew You Were Trouble.
06 All Too Well (This sounds SO familiar to something I can't quite put my finger on - it might be 'Long Live' from her last album)
07 22 (This is just 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' again)
04 I Almost Do
08 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
06 Stay Stay Stay (*giggles* "So FUN" :manson:)
06 The Last Time
07 Holy Ground
05 Sad Beautiful Tragic
08 The Lucky One
06 Everything Has Changed
10 Starlight
08 Begin Again

I think there's a decent amount of singles to keep the album selling into next year, it hangs together much better as an album than picking out individual tracks though; I listened to it for a few hours yesterday and really enjoyed it, but trying to rate some of the mid-tempo/ballads individually makes you realise they're a bit samey. The best tracks for me are the ones where she is essentially playing at being a proper pop star as opposed to a twee country singer. And whilst nowhere near the best track, the Ed Sheeran duet is far from the worst thing on there.
 
Well, according to HITS, 1 million is likely.

TAYLOR’S SWIFT RESPONSE: Indications are that Taylor Swift’s Big Machine album, Red, officially available today, has a million copies in its sight, based on early retail reads. Can the country-pop diva actually get there? If she does, it will be the first time in a decade that an artist has had consecutive million-selling debut weeks, since the days of Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Eminem. Swift currently boasts approximately half of the iTunes top singles, due to the fact the online retailer's “Complete My Album” function was down for the first 15 hours that the album was available, which may account for the large number of track sales as consumers opted to buy the songs a la carte. The Target version of the album contains six additional songs, three live and three new studio tracks.Stay tuned as we gather more information. (10/22p)
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Pretty astonishing that she can sell THAT many singles and album tracks on iTunes and still probably fly past 1 million in one week with the full album.
 
I just started this. The first songs are good but not really what I was expecting at all (not necessarily a bad thing). Then All Too Well hits and 22 follows and we're back to Fearless/SN Taylor.

I'll be living for this in a week.
 
Oh and yeah Red is AMAZING.

I think she appeals to all sorts really. Even some of the pop haters I know feel they're 'allowed' to like some of her songs because she plays guitar and writes music y'all. And then there are the new generations of teenage girls (and gays) she's getting on board with each new album. And I think the country world still accepts her even though she isn't really country at all anymore. And obviously there are just the masses of people who like catchy pop songs, which she's never short of.
 
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new video for "begin again"

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cMPEd8m79Hw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

i like the song but the video is a bit BORING isn't it?
 
"Begin Again" is cute but so was "Back to December" and that didn't quite do the business either
 
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Sggk0dfL_3s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Red is definitely my favourite track off the album based on my single listen thus far.
 
Struggling a bit to get through the whole album (bonus tracks and all) :(

I like the poppier moments + "Begin Again" but I have yet to find a special ballad on the level of "Enchanted" or "Untouchable"
 
"Treacherous" and "All Too Well" really are a BORE as well
 
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All Too Well is one of my favourites.

I Almost Do is the most boring thing she's done after Dear John.

I love the album though. Especially ATW, State of Grace, Begin Again, Red, WANEGBT, Starlight, The Lucky One, Twenty Two and Stay Stay Stay.
 
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I just listened after seeing you give it a 10 and I like it a lot but it doesn't quite reach the highs of the last couple albums for me. The guitar solo is very welcome though :disco:

"State of Grace" probably intrigues me the most, it almost channels Coldplay yet still sounds very Taylor Swift friendly. Not sure it would work as a single since it's not quite pop enough for pop radio and not country enough for country radio, maybe good for Hot AC.
 
I've really tried with the album, but it's just not very good at all. There's a handful of very good tracks, most of which were the promo singles, with State Of Grace and Red being my highlights, but overall it's just a bit of a slog to get through. Speak Now was pretty much the same length, at least the deluxe version, but it never felt as LONG as this one does. That triplet of Sad Beautiful Tragic, The Lucky One and Everything Has Changed is the lowest of the low.
 
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I've come to accept that this album has no 10/10 moments like the last two did but "State of Grace", "Begin Again", "Starlight" come pretty damned close. Anyway, I'd rank it about on par with Speak Now.
 
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The progression of her voice from the first album to Red really is staggering. "Should've Said No" and "Picture to Burn" in particular are just GODAWFUL - as songs and her vox.

"Tear Drops on My Guitar" and "Our Song" remain rather good though.
 
I'm sure Chlammy will be in here to denounce that as HERESY, but I agree. I do think Red is quite a big step down in terms of songwriting though, Speak Now was unexpectedly very good in that respect.
 
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I think Red is a big step up actually. I don't want to say that the music is more 'credible' because VoR and co. will surely jump down my throat, but she's far less reliant on her standard formula (ie soft verse, BIG chorus, same again, dramatic middle eight, soft chorus, BIG chorus, repetition of the first line of the song to close) and manages to complicate things a bit and change things up without deTaylorizing the songs and coming across as though she's trying too hard.

It was evident from the first time I heard State of Grace, which is just a really, really terrific song by any standard and would be impressive coming from ANYONE. Sure it's not terribly instant but it just opens itself up and gets better each time, which is unusual for Taylor because based on her last albums I'd have said her real talent is writing really instant and catchy pop songs.

Of course I still love the first album the most and probably always will but there's no denying the progress she's made vocally and artistically.

PS Picture to Burn is AMAZING.

So go and tell your friends that I'm OBSESSIVE and CRAZY
That's fine! I'll tell mine you're GAY,
And by the way...
 
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I've only heard CHOICE CUTS from the album so far but everything I have heard, "... Trouble", "22", "All Too Well" and "Red" are 9/10 pop songs
 
I'm not ranking every song ever but my favourites...

Taylor Swift:
Our Song - One of the best songs of all time.
Tied Together With a Smile - Everything that is great about early Taylor. Would sound tacky and cynical from anyone else but it works for her.
Teardrops on My Guitar - One of her greatest unrequited love songs.
The Outside - One that's grown on me more and more with time.
Stay Beautiful - We all know that guy.
Picture to Burn - Redneck Taylor. I hate that she took out the gay lyric when she beck massive because it's my favourite part. Hilarious to sing in a Southern accent at TSwift singalongs.
Tom McGraw - Very sweet and simple.
Cold As You - A bit more mature but doesn't lose herself.
Mary's Song - Closes generational gaps, makes you realise there isn't much difference between Taylor and the old couple because she could be singing about herself.
I'm Only Me... - Sometimes I don't like this much but the rest of the time it really just works.
Invisible - a bit crappy really but it works.

Fearless:
White Horse - I love the maturity here. It's what separates it from Teardrops and co. I love the tone of acceptance and finality set against the fairytale imagery.
Love Story - God the pop version just sucks any emotion out of this, but in its purest form w/banjos it is just a classic. I'll never tire of it.
Fearless - At her best.
Hey Stephen - so bouncy and perky.
Tell Me Why - is she actually singing about an abusive relationship? So great but quite ambiguous.
The Way I Loved You - It's her classic formula but it's sooo powerful.
You Belong With Me - obv. Harrrd to sing though.
The Best Day - a lovely change in pace from boy mania. Makes me appreciate my mummy.
Forever and Always - The poppiest she'd gotten at this point which worried me at the time but I love it.
Change - Revolutionary T. It helps beckon in the incredible Long Live

Speak Now:
Mine - Not as instant as the other lead singles but god what a song. I love the you learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded line.
Speak Now - Cheeky T
The Story of Us - next chapter! I love the whole vibe here. Playful with the speaking parts but really anxious lyrically and musically.
Sparks Fly - I don't like the firework line but everything else is great. Guy sounds hot.
Mean - My song to the haters. I wish I'd done this for Moop factor.
Long Live - Just incredible. How great would this be as an X Factor final song. Can you imagine screaming the 'and the haters were outraged' line at Simon and Cheryl and the 'I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you?' line at mentor Dannii before running up to sing the rest with your friends and fam in the audience, crying in the process?
Back to December - I feel like she matures with every big ballad. The next step after White Horse.
Haunted - I used to HATE this because i didnt think the big production suited her but now I think it's just great
Never Grow Up - Like The Best Day. Very sweet and I think if Change led to Long Live then this was the predecessor to The Lucky One in that it has that sense of regret re: growing into superstardom

Red:
State of Grace - what else is there to say?
All Too Well - God I love this. That climax. So incredible.
Red - I'm not sure about the electronic parts but it's great.
WANEEGBT - I love that nobody has any shame in admitting they love this. Just a terrific pop song.
22 - Who's Taylor Swift anyway? Ewwww.
Stayx3 - Really cute
Starlight - Needs to be released caused it's such an obvious hit. One of her best pure pop songs.
The Lucky One - Regretful of her game? Makes me want to comfort her.
Begin Again - I love the guy in this and I wonder of the target is the abusive guy in TMW?


Other:
I'd Lie (amazing, my first Taylor song. Who doesn't have those days where they put on their make up and pray for a miracle involving their secret crush in the morning?)
Christmas Must Be Something More - She is so right about the whole superficiality of the season.
Today was a Fairytale - took ages for me to get it but now I do
 
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Do you have the Platinum Edition re-release of Fearless that features the six new songs? "Untouchable", "Superstar" and "Come in With the Rain" are all great.
 
I've only just gotten to like Superstar recently but it's a bit painful for me right now. CIWTR has lovely verses but the chorus just sounds like part of a completely different song to me and it's kinda jarring. I haven't listened that much though.

I'll probably stick more Red songs up there in time. ATW, SOG and We are never... are easily three of her all time best though.
 
Currently liking this album very hard :disco:

10 State Of Grace
09 Red
06 Treacherous - this is really all about the middle eight, isn't it
08 I Knew You Were Trouble.
07 All Too Well
07 22
04 I Almost Do
07 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
06 Stay Stay Stay - whenever this comes on I think it is a Spotify ad break, same exact music :D
07 The Last Time
07 Holy Ground
03 Sad Beautiful Tragic
05 The Lucky One
05 Everything Has Changed
09 Starlight
10 Begin Again

Shave off a few of the weaker tracks and you've got a truly great pop album... but as it is, it's still very solid.
 
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11 State Of Grace
10 Red
08 Treacherous
06 I Knew You Were Trouble.
11 All Too Well
10 22
05 I Almost Do
10 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
07 Stay Stay Stay
06 The Last Time
08 Holy Ground
05 Sad Beautiful Tragic
09 The Lucky One
06 Everything Has Changed
09 Starlight
10 Begin Again

(10 Come Back... Be Here)

There are some that I just haven't paid much attention to but gave 6s to as a nice middle score. They have the potential to go up when I listen more.
 
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All Too Well is just amazing by the way, if I haven't mentioned it already.

Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it,
I'd like to be my old self again
But I'm still trying to find it.
After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own,
Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone.

:(
 
POP! said:
06 Treacherous - this is really all about the middle eight, isn't it
Click to expand...

It really is. I think the "FOLLOW YOU FOLLOW YOU HOME" bit is my favourite part of the whole album :disco:
 
09 State of Grace
07 Red
05 Treacherous
10 I Knew You Were Trouble.
06 All Too Well
10 22
04 I Almost Do
11 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
08 Stay Stay Stay
08 The Last Time
08 Holy Ground
05 Sad Beautiful Tragic
08 The Lucky One
09 Everything Has Changed
09 Starlight
09 Begin Again

Have you guys heard the other bonus tracks? "The Moment I Knew" is one of the best on the entire thing, should've replaced one of the dull moments from the standard edition.
 
Ugh - she's going with "22" as the third UK single and presumably the US will follow suit. "Starlight", "Red" or "State of Grace" would've all been preferable.
 
22 will be massive. It's the most instant song on the album but I'm still not sick of it or bored of it and I play it a few times every day at least.
 
It sounds too similar to the previous two pop singles for me. The swoon-pop of "State of Grace" or the uplift of "Starlight" would've been a nice change of pace but still very commercial.
 
12 State Of Grace
11 Red
08 Treacherous
08 I Knew You Were Trouble.
11 All Too Well
10 22
09 I Almost Do (grower)
11 We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
08 Stay Stay Stay
07 The Last Time
09 Holy Ground
05 Sad Beautiful Tragic
09 The Lucky One
07 Everything Has Changed
09 Starlight
10 Begin Again
08 The Moment I Knew
10 Come Back... Be Here
09 Girl At Home
07 Treacherous (Demo)
08 Red (Demo)
-12 State Of Grace (acoustic version)

I hate her pronunciation of 'foyer' in TLO.
 
"Red" does seem like the big country pop crossover of the album.
 
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