Well-known country music leading lady Taylor Swift has died. In the twangy teen’s place stands 24-year-old pop-star Taylor, with tracks that will satisfy every radio-famous pop lover around. Swift’s slow transformation from a country artist to a pop-alternative sound completes itself in “1989,” her new album titled in honor of her birth year.
FRESH BEATS
After mourning over the official loss of Swift’s country identity, one can begin to make some sense of her fresh sound. Her first single from the album, “Shake It Off” caught the attention of both avid Swift lovers as well as skeptics. Even the diamond cutters for the Durham Bulls shook it to her sick beats while grooming the diamond at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Two more tracks, “Out Of The Woods” and “Welcome To New York” came out before the release of the entirety of the album. While I sat in shock of the new Taylor, I knew this gave just a taste of what was to come.
THE ART OF NONSPECIFIC FAME
Swift masters the art of making each track sound identical to every famed pop artist blowing up the radio today. Subtle hints of Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Iggy Azalea and even Katy Perry show up throughout the album, especially in “Welcome To New York,” “Bad Blood” and “Wildest Dreams.” The only trace of her original acoustic sound appears in the tenth track, “How You Get the Girl,” but quickly gets drowned out with an electric beat.
REBUILDING A RELATIONSHIP
Overall, the album caters to a new audience while making her diehard fans reconsider their choice of artist. Her name appears as her saving grace, the only thing stopping her music from falling into the sea of today’s popular tunes. Taking second place on Billboard’s Artist 100 chart confirms her popularity, regardless of genre. After listening to the album on repeat for an evening, the songs grow on you, the lyrics slowly transforming the foreign tones into something that resembles a traditional Taylor love ballad. Country-lovers, listen with caution, and converts, enjoy the catchy tunes of the new Taylor Swift.
