Taylor Swift’s 1989: a Gothy review

Worst Goth ever.

My guilty pleasure that is Taylor Swift and her music is more than a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of deal, which is why- despite my three page list of rock/metal albums that I Absolutely Must Buy ASAP- I was determined to own her new album, 1989, whatever the cost. It was gifted to me for xmas by my brother’s girlfriend (she knows me so well), and its been in my CD player on repeat since.

As with a lot of fans, I was a teeny bit sceptical when Swift announced that her new album would be deviating further from her country roots and settling in an eighties-inspired pop sound. In her last albums, she produced a healthy mix of country-ish pop songs, so I was pretty excited to see what she would come up with.

On the 18th of August, she released Shake It Off amid a flurry of a livestream, as well as a very chirpy music video in which she portrays herself as the everywoman. Surrounded by professionals, she dances badly to all kinds of dance styles, and ends up in a group of fans that dance just as weirdly as she does. Awwww. Shake It Off was the perfect first glance at her new album. The song is catchy and upbeat, with a very positive, very important message to all who hear it; be yourself because that’s what’s important, and people will judge you no matter what you do. Her second single to hit YouTube, also with a music video, is Blank Space. Along with the video, we see a very different Swift than the innocent little girl of before (think Love Story, Mean, Mine, Begin Again, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together…. The list goes on). The girl in this song is crazy. The whole thing is over the top with defacing portraits, stabbing jam-filled cakes and bashing a very pretty, very expensive looking vintage Shelby AC Cobra (that’s the fancy car). I never thought I’d see her with running mascara and I absolutely love it, and I respect her for taking the risk of alienating herself from what she’d done before.

The album is just stuffed with amazing songs. I’ve been in love with Style (soon to be a single) from the first listen and its definitely one of my top favourites from the album. The chorus is just a perfectly written masterpiece that rolls off the tongue, and the whole thing has a very dreamy aspect to it. It’s one that has been playing in my mind constantly. Swift’s lyrics are written as though from a page of a diary. It definitely needs its own music video. All You Had To Do Was Stay is another gem on this album. While it is pretty damn sad, it is also extremely upbeat. Swift describes herself- and the listener at the same time- as someone who follows her heart and wants to see the best in people, yet has the self respect to decline a former lover’s request at a second chance. The last song that I will mention (I’d end up going through them all otherwise) is I Know Places. This song is beautiful, yet incredibly dark, enough to send shivers down my spine. The shadowy lyrics dance with the entrancing melody, giving it surreal entity that would almost be fitting for a nightmare. Again, Swift’s voice does the whole thing justice and shows exactly how talented the 25 year old is.

Lyrically, 1989 is one of Swift’s best pieces of work. I’m not going to lie, I was really hoping that she’d do an oul’ Speak Now job on 1989 and write all of the songs herself again, but the only one she wrote solo is This Love. Which happens to be my least favourite song on the album. Heartbreaking stuff. Regardless, there are just countless excellent and inspiring lines in this album. There are those that are so sad and devastating that anyone with a broken heart can identify with (and cry along to)- think the chorus of Wildest Dreams-; the ones that are perfectly beautiful and phonetically pleasing- think the chorus of Style-; and the ones that give you that weightless, airy feeling- think Out Of The Woods-. The whole album is filled with absolute gems with Swift’s very particular writing style all over them. This girl is only getting better.

I truly love the cover art for 1989. Compared to her last three, its much more mature and elegant, yet perfectly simple. Its clear that Swift has grown up from her teenage days and is embracing the page she has turned. The booklet itself is printed on some sort of smooth paper (further research gave me nothing as to how and describe it) that fits along with the Polaroid theme that is used throughout. As for all of her albums, she has written a foreword to accompany the songs. Beautiful and inspiring, its always one of my favourite parts of her albums. And its another reason to get the whole thing on hard copy. Go on, you won’t regret it.

To those who doubted Taylor’s future with a pop album; eat your heart out. 2015 is going to be even bigger and brighter for the beautiful 25 year old, so keep your eyes on this one!

Again, just to reiterate, this album is not for the broken-hearted. Beware.

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