Swift, Taylor Speak Now [VINYL]

Description

Debuting at #1 on the American Billboard chart, the third album from the award-winning country/pop superstar is sure to carry on her worldwide success. Includes the singles 'Mine' and 'Speak Now'. Review: Perhaps no other artist today presents such a remarkable success story as Taylor Swift. At only 20-years-old, she has won Grammies, CMT awards, and MTV awards to name a few. She has broken the record for the number of singles by a female artist to debut at #1. More than Mariah Carey or Madonna. She's gone platinum on all her albums (undoubtedly including this one). And what's so incredible is she did it all on the merit of the music itself, not on her sex appeal (although she is pretty, you won't see her pole dancing or sporting black leather or pretty much anything besides cute dresses, unlike Rihanna, Gaga, or...dare we say it...her once-competitor Miley Cyrus). She's full of girl-next-door charm and her music is written and sung from the heart, full of emotion and passion. It amazes me how Swift speaks the language of the ordinary person. She says everything we want to say but can't or don't dare. Maybe that's why so many people (granted, the vast majority are under the age of 30) gravitate to her. With her third major album (if you don't count "Beautiful Eyes") Taylor holds onto the formula that helped make her famous, catchy love songs, whether they be roll-your-windows-down, summer anthems (Our Song, Love Story) or breakup ballads that make you want to sit down on the edge of your bed and just cry (Tim McGraw, White Horse). And of course the angst-ridden revenge threats (Picture to Burn). All of these are present and accounted for in "Speak Now" but there's also a surprising element of plain human songs about life. After all, Taylor is growing up. And so are her fans. Those high school student who followed her when she first made her debut at age 16 are now graduated and in college, experiencing a totally different aspect of life. There's a lot a new experiences and new feelings, a sort of initiation into adulthood. And sometimes it's hard. I know because I'm one of them. That's why the mention of new apartments in the big city and growing up are driven home for me. Musically, there's a lot that is the same, but there's plenty that show's Taylor's evolving style. Perhaps the biggest surprise is her vocal performance. I've finally heard what I've been waiting four years to hear: her belting out a song. I'm honestly impressed. She's finally a good singer. But then again, a lot of her previous material didn't really require a huge set of pipes. Alright, all the generalities aside, let's get down to the songs themselves. "Mine" is the first single. I think it's supposed to be the "Love Story" of the album, but personally I wasn't as impressed with it. There seems to be no difference, no creativity. Raidio-friendly, but not my favorite. 3/5 "Sparks Fly" is much the same, relying on generic hooks. The lyrics are good. I hate to say this, but it sounds similar to "Fearless" from her last album. It's too bad Taylor went formulaic on these two. 3/5 "Back to December" is the first song that grabbed my attention. It's recounts the meeting of former lovers after being apart for a while. She sings about how if she could she'd go "back to December" and change her mind. The words and music are paired beautifully. 5/5 "Speak Now". Oh where do I start? This is a breath of fresh air after the Tayloresque first two singles. Granted, it's about Taylor stealing the groom from the altar, which I can actually see her doing. But if you take it as a fantasy vs reality, it's really enjoyable. I think I'm sensing a little Ocean City musical inspiration, at least in the verses, which is a refreshing sound for her. 4/5 "Dear John" is a heartbreaking letter to an old boyfriend about their dysfunctional relationship and how hurt she is. I can really close my eyes and feel the music. It's bare and honest, but sad. 4/5 "Mean" made me laugh. It's probably the most country-sounding song of the album. It's not obsessive (thankfully). It's basically her telling this bully off. My favorite line is when she pictures him in the future, "Drunk and rolling on about how I can't sing". Take that, critics! I liked it. It's a nice sound for her. 4/5 "Story of Us" is not one of my favorites. It's a breakup song but, again, it's formulaic, the lyrics not even as good as "Mine" or "Speak Now". Musically, it reminds me of "The Outside" from her debut album. 2/5 "Never Grow Up" is perhaps my personal favorite, definitely of the album, possibly of all her songs. She speaks about growing up from experience, urging children never to grow up and to stay simple and innocent. The third verse is exactly where I am in life and it's very personal. I've listened to it maybe a half-dozen times and I've cried every single time. Once in public and once while I was driving, so beware. This is embarrassing seeing as I'm a guy. 10/5 "Enchanted". This is a real stand out track to me. It's about a stranger she meets and feels this enchantment towards. It's the beautiful, pure romance like this that make me like Taylor so much. On top of that, it's musically one of the most impressive songs. Practically flawless. 5/5 "Better Than Revenge". Oh my gosh this is interesting. Ok first of all, it's an aggressively obsessive song about getting even with the girl who stole her boy. It features some surprising lyrics: "She's better known for the things that she does on the mattress". Musically, she remind me of Avril Lavigne to which is scary. It's energetic and well-produced, and I guess the album wouldn't be considered Taylor Swift without a revenge anthem like this but it's not what I love about Taylor. 3/5 "Innocent" is a beautiful song about life. Everyone has messed up. Everyone, to one point or another, is haunted by their past. We all long for peace with ourselves. Taylor takes on the role of compassionate friend who makes you believe in yourself again. A really sad, but encouraging song. 5/5 "Haunted" is a very interesting direction for Taylor. As you can probably tell by the title, it is darker and semi-tragic. The vocals almost remind me of Paramore. It might be her best performance of the album. She really belts it out. The arrangement is creative as well. 4/5 "Last Kiss" is well-written. She does a good job at creating a mood and atmosphere. It's another heartbreaking breakup song, very easy to listen to. 4/5 "Long Live" is a tribute to her band. Love love the songwriting, using heroic visuals (heroes, crowns, dragons, kings and queens). It's an anthem to believing in yourself and taking on the obstacles as a team. I can definitely see it going into a lot of home-made slideshows of girl's soccer teams. I love it. 5/5 Overall, not a disappointment at all. It's hard to compare it to her previous albums because there are songs from each that I really love. But I'm happy to say that Taylor succeeded. She kept some vintage style that will be sure to please her fans, while maturing both in themes and vocals. This is a powerhouse album that you won't regret buying. Review: The package arrived in great condition absolutely loved it ❤️