Ellenor reviews the long-awaited, highly anticipated and extremely emotive re-work of Taylor Swift’s infamous ‘Red’. The artist has been teasing Swifties with this for months – and it couldn’t come at a better point in our lives, with deadlines and seasonal depression looming…
On 12th November 2021, Taylor Swift once again made history with her second re-recorded album Red (Taylorâs Version). Intertwined in a controversy with her former talent manager Scooter Braun over the ownership of her recordings, Taylor announced she would be re-recording her first six albums in order to ensure she had sole ownership of her music â and rightly so! As a result, Swifties across the globe have been able to relive the 2012 Red album with an evolved musicality and nostalgia, first experienced with the release of Fearless (Taylorâs Version) earlier this year. Red (Taylorâs Version) however has gone above and beyond with a short film release, plus nine bonus â(From The Vault)â tracks including a long-awaited 10-minute song, causing the album to break two Spotify records on the day of its release!
The nine bonus tracks seamlessly fit into the rest of the album with a mix of upbeat tempos such as âThe Very First Nightâ and âMessage In A Bottleâ, alongside slower melodies including âBetter Manâ, âForever Winterâ, and a personal favourite âNothing Newâ featuring Phoebe Bridgers. Swift and Bridgers explore the vulnerability of ageing in this track with profound lyrics that have clearly resonated globally with it being the most-streamed â(From The Vault)â song at the time of writing, excluding âAll Too Well (10 Minute Version)â which Iâll get into later.
Other features on the album include Chris Stapleton in âI Bet You Think About Meâ â whose vocals and harmonica add a real country twang to the album â as well as original features from Gary Lightbody in âThe Last Timeâ and Ed Sheeran in âEverything Has Changedâ, plus Sheeranâs other feature in the bonus track âRunâ. The Swift/Sheeran harmonies are effortlessly smooth in the latter song making for a pleasant listening experience which rivals the duoâs earlier track on the album.
In terms of the pre-existing Red (Taylorâs Version)âs tracks, they certainly succeed in living up to their original recordings. With pop classics such as âI Knew You Were Troubleâ, â22â, and âWe Are Never Ever Getting Back Togetherâ appearing on the album, I had concern that Swift may struggle to remake such iconic tracks to the same standard. Yet this concern was put to rest upon my first listen of the re-recordings. Despite Swiftâs sharper vocals since her 2012 release, she has maintained the novelty of the original songs, positioning the 2021 version at the same standard if not better!
The whole album however reaches its peak in the 30th and final track âAll Too Well (10 Minute Version)â. This long-anticipated version of one of Swiftâs most popular songs has been teased by the songwriter for years, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. With heartfelt lyricism âAll Too Wellâ expertly tells the story of a breakup, including prominent imagery and motifs that Swift is renowned for â âdancing âround the kitchen in the refrigerator lightâ. This more subdued 10 minute version tells the narrative in further detail with new verses and an extended outro which I personally cannot stop listening to. As a piece of music, the song is beautifully produced with synthesised instruments that is clearly distinguishable from the original and more so aligns with her recent albums folklore and evermore. I could ramble about this song for ages but you donât need me to tell you how good it is â the fact that the most-streamed song on a 30-track album is a 10-minute one should tell you all you need to know. Not to mention the release of âAll Too Well: The Short Filmâ starring Sadie Sink and Dylan OâBrien, which is based on the song and provides a moving visual to aid the lyrics.
The entirety of Red (Taylorâs Version) has exceeded expectations and smashed Spotify records. Previously held by Swift herself, the new release has become the most-streamed album in a day by a female, alongside Taylor becoming the most-streamed female in a single day in Spotify history!
It is simply incredible that Swift has achieved this with a re-recorded album, and has once again confirmed that she is the most successful female artist in the modern era. Taylor Swift may of course not be everyoneâs cup of tea, but her talent as a songwriter, singer, and entertainer cannot be disputed.
Iâd encourage everyone to give the album a listen, or at the very least the final track which has become an all-time favourite of mine!
5/5 stars.Â