Red - Taylor Swift

This is the 4th album by country singer songwritter Taylor Swift. On this album I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't think much of the We Are Never Getting Back Together single. I actually kind of didn't like it at all. I was nervous to see if the album would be this way. So I am now, today, listening to it for the first time in it's whole. I might listen to it more than once, but I am not sure yet. I have to hear it first. One thing I noticed is that a shit load of people produced for this album. The last album Speak Now only had Swift and Nathan Chapman. On This one there are a total of 9 people credited, one being an executive producer, as producers for this album. And some of the producers have really only produced pop shit. I don't have a good feeling about this, but I'll tough it out... I hope. I do like how her style has changed, as in appearance. I think she looks better with straight hair and not dresses and a ton of make up. I actually think girls look better like the way she does now than almost any other way.

1. State of Grace: This song starts out pretty promising. I actually think that this is a pretty cool song. It reminds me of The Cure. I know I compare things to that band, but I remember hearing Just Like Heaven a ton while in the car with my Dad. This the backing vocals during the chorus remind me of Eisley. I like the bass sound in the song. I also like how this isn't so country? This song also reminds me a lot of the 2005 Paramore album All We Know Is Falling. That's not my favorite Paramore album, but I still think it's a decent album.
2. Red: This song starts out, before she starts singing, with what reminds me of '90s music. This song is kind of like a part 2 of the last song. There isn't much of a difference. Her voice is kinda dubbed weird. By that I mean it kind of sounds like its a loop, but a short thing looped. Either that or Auto-tuned. But overall I still like this song.
3. Treacherous: This song reminds me if the last album. To be honest, this is doing well thus far.This also reminds me of 2009's Misguided Ghosts by Paramore. The "do do do, do do do" reminds me of a song I can't quite think of. This is probably my favorite song on the album thus far.
4. I Knew You Were Trouble.: When I first heard the intro I was afraid. I heard that's he had dubstep on this album, an well the way the song was it could. It wasn't a stretch for it to be there. I don't think that the drop is Skrillex but it isn't bad. I kind is f like the song. The more I hear it the more it grows on me.
5. All Too Well: This song kind of reminds me of the last album also. I like the fact that she kept some of the stuff that was on her last album. Also that she isn't all out Fearless on this. I don't know why, but this reminds me of her county friends that are popular, but I think this song. Have you ever heard the song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue by Toby Keith. I don't care for that song, but it reminds me of it. I also kind of hear a little synth in the background.
6. 22: All I'm gonna say is this sing is a load if bullshit. I really can't support it are compliment it that much. The beginning of the song...... This is like a Katy Perry's Taylor Swift. I kind of respect that she had a song Fifteen and now 22. But I know how to count.
7. I Almost Do: This song reminds me of like a solo version of the song I Wish by Eisley. Especially at the chorus of the song. Like when it going "Ooooow, Oooooww."
8. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together: This song is an ok song, if it was acoustic. Like if she did it alone with her vocals and an acoustic performance of the song.
9. Stay Stay Stay: This reminds me of the CVS commercials. I like this song though. It's a pretty cool song. I think she uses a ukulele. I really like the way the bass sounds.
10. The Last Time: This song apparently features Gary Lightbody of Snowpatrol. I have no idea who that is, but I do know that there is a Stones song called The Last Time. 
11. Holy Ground: This is an ok song. I didn't really think much of it.
12. Sad Beautiful Tragic: This song sounded in the beginning like Linkin Park's song Powerless. Like the first 3 seconds with that open, before the instruments. This is another Ok song. 
13. The Lucky One: This another OK song. I think they are being a little too consistent.
14. Everything Has Changed: This track features Ed Sheeran. I don't know who he is, but I've heard of him before. I guess it says he co-wrote this with Taylor. I think that this is another Ok song. It is kind of starting to kill the album for me.
15. Starlight: This song kind of makes me wonder if there is gonna be any dubstep. I like how its set up lik its gonna drop but kind of changes up a little. I'm note huge on this, but its a little different from the last few songs.
16. Begin Again: This song is a decent ending to the album. I actually like this. I'm suprised, but for some reason I feel like this might become a favorite of mine.

Overall I have to give this a 7/10. This was a lot better than I expected. I planned on not liking this at all. The reason was because of the more commercial shit. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is a good song. But the album version kind of sucks. If she did a pure acoustic version that'd be awesome. This album sounded like a country-esque Paramore, for at least a lot of the songs. I plan on getting this CD. No matter what I was gonna buy this Cd, but yeah. I think some of the songs dragged on a little. I also am gonna listen to the deluxe tracks, but not now. I'll give a short sentence or two about them after I hear them.

Speak Now - Taylor Swift

Now I've never really been a huge fan of this girl. Actually there were like 2 songs that I liked by her. Well my cousin Stevie showed me the videos of Better Than Revenge, Speak Now, and Haunted. I thought that those were really cool because I'm used to hearing Taylor sing about being sad, and something that is, for lack of better word, "cute". The first song I heard of this was Mean and I really liked that song. So I decided to someday listen to the whole album, but I never really got to it. Today that's changing. I heard 77% of this album before I started reviewing this and I have to say I was, well....

1. Mine: This song starts out the album. I think that this song doesn't nessicarly foreshadow how good the rest of the album is. It starts out cool and it isn't bad, but well it doesn't have that umph!. I think that the chorus is good but this song just doesn't leave that amazing of an imprint on me. This song reminds me too much of what I would of heard on Fearless.
2. Sparks Fly: This song isn't that amazing either. Trust me thought, try to forget about these songs if you don't like them. The album gets a ton better. It bugs me that these sound like Fearless leftovers. You know like outtakes or extra unused songs from Fearless. And it really doesn't, at least to me, like she tyred to change them up that much.
3. Back To December: There is this sound that sounds like it is tremolo. This song kind of reminds me of winter and December.This song also really reminds me of an orchestrated take, with different lyrics, of Mean. I'm not huge on it, but I still kind of like it. This song is cool, I'm just not digging it for some reason that I just am not. {4.6/10}
4. Speak Now: This song is a song that I could picture on Fearless but revamped for this new album. I'm not IN LOVE with this but I like it. I also like the idea of the song and the whole feel. I think that the instrumentation of the song is cool and think that the. I like this song I'm just not a psycho for this song as much as some of the songs after Mean. This song also has the overall old school country feel to it. For that reason it will get a {7/10}
5. Dear John: This is a long ass mother fucker. I was not looking forward to it. This song is neat in the fact that there is a big story behind it. Like a wedding and the man left her. I think that the music fits the song but for now I'm not crazy about this song. It does pick up pace but it has that country ideals feel to it. This is a pretty song thought and I think that a country music fan would very much so like this song.
6. Mean: I'm pretty sure I saw this the day the music video came out. I thought that this was a little different for T. Sweezy because I actually liked it. I wasn't a big fan of her. But this song was a little different. I really liked that the lyrics weren't so cute and they were more aggressive and it was more uplifting than some of her other love songs. Like your mean, but I can over come that and as long as I love myself I can accomplish anything.
7. The Story Of Us: This song picks up and goes. This song is also where the power of the album comes in. Mean was soft and not powerful, in the fact of the loudness. This song is the first fast paced song. This is a really good song. I like also how at the end of some of her chorus she says like "Next Chapter". I think that this is awesome. The way she sings it and the way the instruments are in this song are also really cool. This also has a really fun feel to it. Like though it is aggressively lyrically it seems like it would be fun to play live.
8. Never Grow Up: This song is complimented by the end of the last. This song is pretty. There is finger picking in this song and it still has that young feel to it. This song sounds like it is a person singing and saying to not leave their childhood. This song is very pretty and reminds me of being my age. It is nice to hear something that is so real to me. I think growing up is important, but you can't be an adult. You need to still have that kid in you and it means a lot to hear a song about wanting to stay young and a kid. There are so many people around me who are either immature or maturing. But on both sides they will grow up and lose their childhood and their inner kid. That's really no fun.
9. Enchanted: This song acoustic guitar part made me cry. The beginning made me tear up. It so strange to think that it is that way. It sounds so pretty and is just an emotional song. The part where the chorus comes in isn't as powerful to me. But the beginning and the verses is the part where it hits. It is just like "BOOM" on my heartstrings in the very beginning. I don't really know how to better explain it.
10. Better Than Revenge: This song is  bad ass. I mean seriously she fucking says "She's better known for her roles on the mattress" that's a pun. That is super sick, I didn't Taylor had that in her. Goes to show that people aren't always what you think. This is a fast song and catchy. It is also very powerful and has a hard chorus to get out of your head. This is more of a rock song than country, though there is still country sounds on it. The lyrics are just so, for me, mind blowing aggressive for what I thought she was capable of. I mean some of the lyrics are said pretty angrily. Just listen to this song, even if you don't like her music. You might be surprised, I was. {9.5/10}
11. Innocent: This song has a feel that reminds me of Paramore's 2009 song Misguided Ghosts. I really like that song. Part of the reason was because it was so different from the rest of that album. This also continues the themes of "revenge". I mean that in the way of angry and why did you do this. Your as Innocent as you claim to be. This song is still pretty and touching. There is like this buried guitar solo under everything else going on it the song, which fits perfect. I think that it's cool that they did that and how it sounds.
12. Haunted: This song is also way more mature than some of her other stuff. This song also has the huge orchestral sound to it. Some groups try to use strings to sound big and better, well Swizzle pulls that shit off in this song. This song's chorus is so fricken catchy and is hard to forget. I still remember when I first heard it. And that was at least 2/3 weeks ago. Seriously, I mean I don't constantly think about it, but when I do it hits. The guitar solo is short but it works. After the solo there is a breakdown that starts with her singing along with a piano and then come the strings and everything else. I seriously could see this being played at like the Super Bowl or something. Another thing too, there is like this electric guitar power chords and it is more supporting her voice along with the string and the drums and bass and everything fits. Prefect {10/10}
13. Last Kiss: This song is sweet and reminds me of Innocent. I like this song, because it is pretty. But I don't like this song because it is too similar to Innocent for me. As you see there are conflicting feeling to this song for me. This is also a nice love song, and is a pretty song. I like it, just not love it. Also this song is a little long for me to love.
14. Long Live: This song is better than Last Kiss. I like this song. I feels like it builds and it is a more upbeat than the last song. This song makes up for the last track It isn't huge, like I want it to be, but it is still pretty good. It also is meaningful and makes me think of running around with a life long friend that you love and it doesn't work out. And remembering the fun you had and trying to stay together. It is a good way to end an album.

Overall I have to give this album a 8.1/10. I was extremely surprised that I liked it so much. I very much dislike country, for the most part, and epically new country rock. It isn't that appealing to me. Well this album was very appealing to me, and I think part of it is because it is more mature than most country. By that it's not She Left Me, or Lets Get Drunk. It's more meaningful and aggressive. If those first 3 songs weren't on this album then that would of helped me out big time with the way that I rated this album. Possibly a 9/9.5 instead of an 8.1. I'm getting this on CD and if they make it, on Vinyl. I hope she keeps up this new sound/style, so to say.