Taylor Swift's Speak Now
By Erik Hammarlund
With modern music consisting primarily of hip-hop so bland it’s unforgettable, pop songs so fragilely constructed they collapse at the slightest critique, and various genres of rock that consist of whiny teenage boys singing about how their lives suck because their parents wouldn’t drive them to the mall, Taylor Swift’s forlorn, country-rooted style is a refreshing break from the status quo. That is, refreshing until you actually hear the music... and then you realize she’s just another catchy little gimmick.
Taylor Swift’s new album, Speak Now, hit stores on October 25, 2010, and following her tremendous success with Fearless, was predicted to become another successful release by America’s most favorite country gal. Unfortunately, upon listening to Speak Now as little as one time, it becomes painfully honest that this is not the Fearless sequel we were all hoping for. There is no catchy “You Belong With Me” companion, no bittersweet reflections on the past like “Fifteen”... rather, the album is filled with cookie-cutter five-second hits that put Swift plainly in the “whiny teenage [girl]” category, losing the noble side of her that was present in the past.
Some of the songs that deserved comment:
Mine: The introduction to the album is nothing more than “Fifteen,” set five years later. Groaningly repetitive, it lacks the sweetness and innocence that was so prevalent in her earlier work.
Back to December: One of the few songs on the album that actually sticks to mind, “Back to December’s” unique tempo and relative lack of accompaniment setting it apart from the other cookie-cutter songs. It’s one of the rare plusses of the album, a quick throwback to the days of Fearless and Taylor Swift.
Mean: ...well, at least it’s not about boys. The meaning of “Mean” (pun totally intended) was totally lost. It seems to have a bit of an anti-bullying message? Perhaps, but I don’t think bullying and banjoes really mix all that well.
The Story of Us: If it weren’t for “The Story of Us,” Swift’s music would lose any notion of the rock genre that it once experimented with. Thankfully, she moves out of the exclusively country-music bubble in this song, to produce one of the catchier hits on the album. Now if only she could do this more often.
Never Grow Up: A surprisingly sweet ode to the complexities of a parent-child relationship, “Never Grow Up” won even my cold lump of a heart over in terms of lyrics. Now if only the melody wasn’t so freaking boring.
Enchanted: One of the worst songs on the album, by far. The lyrics are cheesy and the melody is one big cliché. It barely deserves comment, but it’s being commented on anyway just so you know to avoid it.
Better Than Revenge: Swift goes back to the rock genre to produce this song, but it doesn’t catch on quite the way “The Story of Us” did. Rather, Taylor simply sheds all her innocence and charm in one raunchy boy-crazy sex-crazy psychopathic song. It’s rather disturbing.
Haunted: By far my favorite song on the album, “Haunted” does show the little growth that Swift has undergone post-Fearless. With an original (for once) country-rock backing and an extremely catchy chorus, this song alone almost justifies songs such as “Enchanted.” Almost.
Keep in mind that the songs not included on this list are generally “Mine” material; unoriginal and forgettable. When looking which songs are legitimately catchy and which ones simply defy any concept of “quality,” it becomes apparent what Taylor Swift needs to focus on in order to continue her role as America’s number one country gal; namely, step away from the “country” focus. Her best songs, “Haunted” and “The Story of Us,” are both experiments in a rock genre with a country twist, one that already found success in her worldwide hit “You Belong With Me.” Taylor needs to grow, get out of her shell a little, and try her hand at instruments other than the banjo and acoustic guitar. Judging by the first reviews of “Speak Now,” America is letting this one slide... so you’re off the hook this time Taylor, but try writing about something other than the cliché topic of “boys” for your next record-smashing hit album, okay?
