Album Review: 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift
1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Taylor Swift
GRADE – A
While 1989, the album, not the year, has been viral since its release in 2014, Taylor Swift has aimed even higher with her re-record of the most-awarded pop album in history. With the launch of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), I was delighted with the improvement in production and vocals. After nine years, Swift’s differences in the original tracks of the re-record are loud, playful, and in your face. Some tracks, such as “Out of the Woods” and “Shake It Off,” received a drastic makeover. However, a fan favorite from 1989, “Style,” was the most disappointing track on the record. The intro, which contributed to its popularity and love from the fans, was arguably butchered out of style. What was an iconic guitar intro is now painfully electric and bass boosted to the moon and to Saturn. But aside from the change that angered an entire fanbase, the vault tracks truly put 1989 (Taylor’s Version) above all of her released re-records. Upbeat tracks like “Now That We Don’t Talk” and “Is It Over Now?” had me dancing and trying to pretend that the break-up lyrics weren’t painful to hear, while the lovely, dreamy sound of “Slut!” was a pleasant surprise of a love song, where Swift claims her devotion for an old flame. All in all, I found 1989 (Taylor’s Version) to be a national treasure and beyond my wildest dreams.
-Bella Coco
