Taylor Made.
'1989'! Back then you where probably gearing up for the nineties golden era for music and movies by getting rid of that Bon Jovi perm and matching pants, all whilst convincing yourself and everyone around you that there will never be a film quite like 'Back To The Future' (there kind of isn't)! Taylor Swift? Well...she was born then! Feel old? Well you're about to feel even older! In her 24 years Taylor has moved swiftly along. She was released 5 albums and sold 65.5 million digital singles. Following her breakthrough 'Our Song' and self titled debut, the girl from Reading, Pennsylvania, has been adopted by the country 'Music City' of Nashville, Tennessee following her mega-multi albums 'Fearless' and 'Speak Now'. Still the country strong star saw 'Red' like an old Bruce Willis film two years ago and realised she had a platinum pop pedigree with her biggest hit and probably best high-school break-up song of all-time, 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' (admit it you've sang that one in the shower after the worlds worst date). Now following this, leaving Nashville and adopting as well as singing 'Welcome To New York City' (there's the new generations 'Empire State Of Mind' anthem) Swift is going all pop in her new album named after the year she was born.
Call her 2014 a rebirth! With her latest, great new single looking to eclipse her last Taylor is remade as she shows all the critics and exes she can 'Shake It Off' like Mariah Carey....and we all know how great that was for Mimi in her emancipation. Poking fun at every other pop star in a video even more popular than the billboard powerful song, country pop music has never been this tongue in cheek fun since Shania Twain felt like a woman. From this moment on too T.S. is the biggest country to chart crossover since S.T., impressing much. No wonder this girl can stand up to the powerful pop queen that is Katy Perry like an aspiring princess, but let that publicity drummed up cat fight go. When it comes to the art of pop, these girls are showing the genre giving way to rock and R&B is still alive. Just like when rappers rock, or movie star sing this bold new direction from Taylor is the pitch perfect making of 'Glee' like video and dancing performances and sectionals showcased songs. With a great year for guitar greats releasing albums from Bruce Springsteen to Prince and Ryan Adams to Maroon 5, this girl who wasn't even graduating when the youngest of these where great shows she can chart top them all.
Even the polaroid perfect album artwork shows this young starlet who is already making movies understands the power of nostalgia. Just like the stadium synth-pop number of 'Out Of The Woods' that sounds like she was a star in the making a few years before she was born. This is her new classic and with lasting lyrics its also in tune to why she's a part of the songwriting Hall Of Fame. The country one is bound to follow like Dolly and Cash. Even the 'Like A Prayer' era Madonna would put her hands together back then for a hit like this. Sure inbetween 'Style', 'Blank Space' and 'All You Had To Was Stay', there's a lot of synth similar songs, but when it all sounds this good it all just plays perfectly. Besides no one complains when a Black Keys album flows this fondly. Now they may be leather boot smooth, but Swift is geek cool. All the way to the white tape in the middle of the black rimmed glasses and in this age of Avengers what more fo you want? Vengeance is also on the cards as this young woman answers all and any hate, growing up and airing out any 'Bad Blood'. 'I Wish You Could' and 'How You Get The Girl' continues this diva, redefining trend. While the epic, evoking 'Wildest Dreams' could wake up some Beyonce numbers. After the signature Swift 'This Love' shows more 'Red' than Maroon 5 it all comes to a close on 'Clean'. Unless you go deluxe and fall down the 'New Romantics' and 'Wonderland' rabbit hole. It may just be worth the spare change for those 'Voice Memos'. It's no coincidence that Taylor Swift brings out a new album inspired by the pop music with more meaning from her birth year, like the Eurythmics, the same week as Annie Lennox brings out her new one. With 'Woods' lyrics like, "Remember when you hit the brakes too soon/twenty stitches in a hospital room" this girls bringing more meaning too, like the classic couplets, "I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free/But the monsters just turned out to be trees". In taking it back, Taylor moves forward and shows she can play pop like her string roots. Besides if Lionel Richie can go all Willie Nelson for an album, this little bit of rock and roll can go the other way round. Real pop music is back and it came from this country. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
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