Tuesday 16 November 2021

REVIEW: TAYLOR SWIFT - RED (TAYLOR'S VERSION)


4/5

Red Notice. 

Starbucks lovers! That STILL may not be the lyric, but Taylor has taken over your local store...swiftly. Just as she has record breaking Spotify streams for you folks this fall like countless Autumn leaves and grabs for the gram. Between passing from a pumpkin spice latte to a festive treat of your choosing you can hear Taylor Swift constantly on the green mermaids radio for your 'Bucks. But this isn't like the time that entitled U2 album started automatically appearing on your iTunes. Why? Because becoming the biggest streaming female artist in a day with a new album in the same record breaking stratosphere, everyone want to Taylor make their playists with her new version of 'Red'. All on the same day the monster Hollywood big-three of Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot made Rawson Marshall Thurber's (version) 'Red Notice' the biggest opening day stream for a movie on Netflix going for that 'Squid Game' cryptocurrency. This is why 'Miss Americana' can break Saturday Night Live conventions by performing a lengthier version of classic songs that we know 'All Too Well' for ten minutes on SNL. Ladies and gentlemen, this weekend, that's star power. These 'Versions' are too much of albums in their own light and right not to be reviewed. All as this country star like a 'Nashville Skyline' going electric and then eclectic again with the acoustic is looking for her own great American songbook in this Springsteen land with a Dylan twang.

'1989' to infinity. Gaining quite a 'Reputation' amongst the industry as more than just a megastar, but one of the most instrumentally influential when it comes to inspiring the depth of this songwriting craft and how many moods and molds a song can take, Swift is back again. Even if Jake Gyllenhaal is tired of always being painted as 'The Guilty' party in her songs. Mark our words, that scarf will have its own Twitter account by the end of the week of it doesn't already. Just one year after her 'Lover' took it back to the bubblegum chart popping hits, Swift came out of quarantine with some new forest 'Folklore' for her urban legend. All before surprising us again in the fall with the 'Evermore' follow-up and it's hallowed Haim ('No Body, No Crime'), Este murder mystery (not a true story, don't worry) storytelling in the vain of the greats like she already is. Taylor returning the favour igniting a remix of the Haim sisters 'Gasoline' from the fire of last years best album in age of her, 'Women In Music Pt. III' for you wimps. And locked down in the studio when most are taking off their quarantine protocols like they are their masks (let's just wait a little longer) don't write off her releasing a brand new album by surprise again to close out the calendar. Although this new shade of 'Red' for the artist whose making that lipstick as iconic as Dylan shades needn't with these 'Fearless' new versions that in a fall that sees releases from the likes of Adele and Coldplay will still be one of the biggest albums and best ones to find under your tree in its presence this Christmas.

I remember hearing the original 'Red' for the first time a year and change after its release (no man wants to hear 'We Are Never Ever Gettting Back Together' whilst in the midst of a bad break-up, but what an iconic, empowering track and new take) leaving a new home and walking with no place to go but following the sun on one Summers day off back home in Britain. The drums and guitars of the epic 'State Of Grace' opener kicked into play, kickstarting my day and mood on this tailor made record for the scorching season. My mood was instantly on a high of self solidarity in that moment. This is what all those classic Taylor refrains from letting a bad boyfriend kill her vibe no matter how famous he is must feel like. Now the mood is much calmer, wistful in this empheral 'Mono-no-aware season of impermanence and all its pathos. But the 'State Of Grace' is still the same. Even if it communicates the message in a more gentler way. Grace is still beautiful. Grace is still kind. Grace is still her. And of course like the mother of all pop icon legends for this modern era Britney Spears emancipation herself from her conservatorship (BRITNEY IS FREE!), all these vivid versions of far from cash-ins. Taylor Swift doesn't need the money, she wants the masters. And these countermeasures against the changed ownership of her first six studio albums is a master move. And they even sound all the better for it. But don't pay any respect to the man, real victories belong to those who turn life's lemonade into 'Lemonade' gold...no I'm sorry platinum, forgive me, diamond records like Beyoncé. And now the biggest queen in music we know not called Knowles is about to get it like the Carter, no Kanye. Come on over to this 30-track, movie like album that even comes with it's own one ('All Too Well: The Short Film') for the country great who can even outsell Shania. Man, what it must feel like to be this woman. Take that as read. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Playlist Picks: 30 for 30, everything and all versions of all albums that are without a doubt...hers.

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