Welcome back to another round of a newbie’s reactions to Taylor Swift! I have minimal prior exposure to her music beyond what’s played on the radio or what popular songs people talk about. This is my first intentional, close listen-through of her entire discography. I do not claim to be a Taylor Swift expert, nor can I promise that my impressions of each song will be considered “socially acceptable” by her fans.
Each song will be scored out of 10, adding decimals as I see fit. Examples of songs that I would rate a 10 include “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Sound of Silence” for reference. Anything 5 or higher means I like the song! I listened to the album in track order, so my reactions and scores match accordingly.
With that being said, here are my thoughts on her fourth album, titled “Red”.
- State Of Grace
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This song is already sounding different than her previous albums! It has a very long non-vocal intro, which is interesting. I like the new heavier sound and the guitar choices. I also like the diversity in the energy levels. It makes the song more engaging even though it’s pretty long (4:55). Weirdly, this reminds me of a “Julie and the Phantoms song.” Rating: 7.75/10
- Red
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Again, cool intro. This song sounds like it would fit better in one of her previous albums, and it’s slightly more country than the last song. I don’t like the “red” echo-type vocal choice. However, I think this song is more catchy than the last. Rating: 6.75/10
- Treacherous
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Generally, I like quiet songs, but this one is mediocre. The vocals definitely aren’t my favorite, but I enjoyed the bridge the most. Rating: 6/10
- I Knew You Were Trouble
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Ah yes, I know this one. All I can think about when I listen to this song is the version with the screaming goats, which is probably unfair, but I can’t take this song as seriously because of it. Rating: 6.25/10
- All Too Well
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A nice, serene introduction! I find this song very soothing in a weird way, with very nostalgic, melancholy vibes. Apparently, I have been in a car with people while they sang this song, which technically means this isn’t my first listen. Rating: 6.75/10
- 22
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This song started off poorly, and I immediately didn’t like the initial tone of her voice. It’s almost too shrill for me. I honestly found this song annoying. Rating: 4.99/10
- I Almost Do
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I enjoyed the calm introduction! I also don’t mind the return to a more country vibe, but this is definitely not one of my favorites, either. Overall, it’s a nice song! Rating: 6.5/10
- We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
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I also know this song. It’s not my favorite, but I feel like I have watched this storyline progress in real life. Again, I don’t like whenever Taylor speak-sings in her songs, so there’s a portion of the song that I really disliked. 6/10
- Stay Stay Stay
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The intro sounds like it could be in a baking competition segment. The beat makes me laugh a little, and I can picture farm animals jauntily walking down a path for some reason. Overall, this song was very chaotic but fun with an interesting closing. Rating: 6.5/10
- The Last Time
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The introduction reminds me of a sad musical theatre ballad. I was not expecting for a man to be the first voice I heard, but I like his voice. I like the departure in tone, but I’m not sure how well it fits with the rest of the album. This is very cool! Rating: 7.25/10
- Holy Ground
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I was not expecting this strong of a drumbeat for this song. I appreciate the energy and the quieter moments, too. My least favorite part is honestly the loud drumming, but I like everything else. Rating: 6.75/10
- Sad Beautiful Tragic
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I could tell by the repeated piano notes that this was going to be a song based on sadness. This almost doesn’t sound like Taylor singing, though, because it’s very low compared to most of her other songs. The subdued tone is nice, though! Rating: 7/10
- The Lucky One
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I think this song has a better beat than “Holy Ground.” The vocals aren’t my favorite. In some parts, like the chorus, I enjoy the vocals. In the verse, I find her tone of voice somewhat annoying. 6.5/10
- Everything Has Changed
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An acoustic guitar! Exciting! A few seconds in and my suspicions were confirmed- I know this song. I like it, though! Ed Sheeran has a nice voice. 6.75/10
- Starlight
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I was surprised there wasn’t much of an instrumental introduction! I like the beat, and the vocals aren’t bad either. While I don’t think I’ll remember this one above the others, it’s a fun song. The guitar feature might be my favorite part. Rating: 6/10
- Begin Again
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I liked the acoustic intro- it was very pleasant and relaxing. I also can appreciate a good James Taylor reference. Even though I thought I would love this song because of the acoustics, it really didn’t have enough of an emotional journey to become one of my favorites. While I did like the song, this is something I’d put on in the background but not recommend to my friends. Rating: 6.75/10
- The Moment I Knew
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I like the sounds of this one, even though it surprised me a little! Overall, this is a pretty cool song. I do think the melody might be a bit high for Taylor’s vocal range, but it doesn’t sound bad. Rating: 7/10
- Come Back…Be Here
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I’m not totally sure that I like the beginning, and the overall lyrics are kind of plain. The song definitely got better the longer it went on. Rating: 6.75/10
- Girl At Home
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The harmonies are cool, but the overall vocals aren’t my favorite. Again, the lyrics seem kind of repetitive. Even at the end of the song, the harmonies stand out to me the most, but the melody isn’t anything super special. The song also ended weirdly. Rating: 6/10
- Treacherous – Original Demo Recording
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My problem with these is that I don’t remember what the original sounds like. I like the guitar in the background, but I am still not a fan of the vocals. As a unit, though, the song is not bad. 6/10
- Red – Original Demo Recording
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My opinions of this song also stayed pretty much the same. I still don’t love the echoey effect that they chose to use, but the cello line in the background stood out to me this time around. Rating: 6.75/10
- State Of Grace – Acoustic Version
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I really enjoy acoustic covers, which is probably obvious by now. However, this one doesn’t have enough energy to make it an interesting song. I definitely prefer the original over this one. Rating: 6/10
Average rating: 6.50/10
Favorite song (based on rating): “State Of Grace”
I was surprised that this album’s average was 6.50/10 when “Speak Now” had an average of 6.89/10. On the other hand, “22” had a rating of 4.99/10, which brought down the album’s total average. Without “22,” “Red” would have a total average of 6.57/10. Although the average scores suggest that “Speak Now” is my favorite album, I felt like I enjoyed “Red” better across the board. Either way, both albums are in my top two picks. I’m excited to see where the next few albums fall on my scale!