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Review Summary: Pleasant, glitzy and resoundingly superficial Although far from a masterpiece, Fearless proved to be a huge step forward for Taylor Swift, displaying a verve for songwriting that left her debut album choking in the dust. Here was a sophomore record awash with easygoing, memorable tunes, all given a real sparkle by Swift’s delightful voice. For all its simplicity, it received some critical acclaim - albeit nothing in the realms of its commercial success – andnning to sound more like manufactured politeness. This will surely help the record to achieve its maximum sales potential; ‘inoffensive’ will always be a great selling point, but sadly, it leaves the record with all the depth and pathos of an average 8 Simple Rules episode.
The emphasis in previous records was always on pop rather than country, but the latter is pushed even further to the sidelines in Speak Now, only peeking through in Swift’s accent and the rather quirky ‘Mean’, with its cheerfully hokey backdrop. There’s some variance throughout the record, with toe-tapping, hook-laden numbers like ‘Mine’ and ‘The Story of Us’ perched among more introspective moments such a1. Fuck Yeah
2. Crankin' My Bands Demo On A Box At The Beach
3. Loudest Stereo
4. Kickin' Your Ass And Fuckin' Your Bitch
5. Hot Girls On The Road
6. Whiskey, Coke And Sluts
7. All I Give A Fuck About Is Sex
8. I'm Gonna Give You AIDS
9. Yay! It's Pink!
10. I Wish My Dealer Was Openthe record to a standstill – something that Fearless managed to avoid. Lyrically there’s a shot at some edgy subject-matter, the lamenting ‘Dear John’ invoking an ex-lover’s ‘dark twisted games’, but this doesn’t change the impression that Swift Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson’s attempts at punk seem like Black Flag in comparison. With its success already writ in stone, the chances of any record following Speak Now deviating from the formula seems all too slim, but hopefully Taylor Swift will recapture some of that charm which once set her apart from the crowd.
| other reviews of this album |
Knott- EMERITUS (4.5)
Impressively fearless....
Rudy K. EMERITUS (4)
It's not about where you're going, it's about where you've been....
Sowing STAFF (4.5)
When you get right down to it, Taylor Swift is a country singer who makes pop music. And ...
Channing Freeman STAFF (3.5)
If pop culture is the Wicked Witch of the East, then Taylor Swift would be the house that ...
mattdwyer16 (5)
Taylor Swift doesn't hold back on Speak Now, but quietly plots her next move...
shostakoverture (4)
Couldn't be more enchanted to hear Ms. Swift's third offering......
DanCry (4.5)
Back when taylor swift was a force to be wreckened with...
FromDaHood (5)
After two tumultuous years, Taylor Swift returns with an album as dazzling as its cover...
Eclectic (3.5)
An unfortunately inconsistent album, Speak Now nonetheless showcases incredible growth fro...
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Album Rating: 2.5
I liked it at first
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well well... what do we have here?
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
‘Enchanted’ will probably tear at some heartstrings as it’s played over the image of a crying doctor
i can't see that song being used in a medical drama. maybe the cheesy ending to a chick flick or season finale of something along those lines
even though i gave this a 4.5 i can see the merit behind everything you say...although i obviously disagree. i think the album's push in a pop direction doesn't doom it because it executes the transition so well. eh whatever good review man, pos'd
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Cheers, Sowing. It's not so much the pop thing per se, I just don't think it has the strength of Fearless. It feels a little artificial to me.
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play it very, very safe, with the barest film of polish applied to her formula to make it seem new
disagree
the sense of naivety once present in her music is beginning to sound more like manufactured politeness
disagree
makes Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson’s attempts at punk seem like Black Flag in comparison
that's something I love about her though, how she's well-aware she's not Black Flag and doesn't seem to strive for that
anyway, fantastically written and you once-again do a good job at presenting your points... I mean some of them could stand being backed up more, but they're thought out well for the most part.
posalicious
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Well, I wouldn't want to hear her do Black Flag-style punk, but just a touch more bite would be a great bonus. I do tend to leave points swinging sometimes, mainly for the sake of brevity, but thanks, Sea.
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yeah don't get me wrong, you obviously pull off the brevity here well, but from my standpoint, as a reader who disagrees with your analysis (as will most who read, I think), I'd like to see a little more backup. No worries though, like I said this is still great, that's just something I go by, personally.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Yeah, that's a good point. I think in future when I disagree with the majority I'll take that on board and go into more detail. Going back for a minute though, do you see this as a big step forward musically? The poppier moments seem like Love Story mark II at points to me.
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I wasn't looking for a ton of progression, personally. I agree that "Sparks Fly" and "Mine," two of my favorites, are definitely reminiscent of Fearless, but they sort of polish out Fearless to a similar, but nicer product. On the other hand there's "Better Than Revenge" and "Long Live," songs that I thought mark a change, not as much sonically, but in attitude from Ms. Swift... something I found refreshing. So, I'd say this isn't a huge step forward, but more of a welcome step to the side. She definitely isn't stagnant, and I think that's what's was important, here.
PS there's some fantastic songs on the Deluxe Edition if anyone cares.
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about time someone gives it a low rating. Didn't read it but you get a pos
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
urgh ratings votes
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
this definitely is a great review but c'mon man actually read it
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yes to this review
posssssssssssssssssssss
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Pity Julie Christmas can't sing as good as this chick.
No I'm just kidding, man. Thanks.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
It's not the pace that drags it down, it's the tone
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Great review dude. I enjoyed reading it - and its concise-ness is something I'd like to aim for someday.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Short review, but I like concise reviews. Guess it's good there's a different viewpoint, but I definitely agree with the positive reviews. It's her most diverse and mature album yet.
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THANK YOU! i found this incredibly insipid
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Thank God for you John Melvin.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Yeah, me too. At first it seemed good but after a couple of listens it seemed weak as hell.
haha cheers, Foxy.
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