America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift brings out the pop goddess in everyone, regardless of: age, gender or setting. Next time you’re on your supermarket crawl and 1989‘s first single, ‘Shake It Off‘, pops on the overhead speakers: observe how instantly uplifted the surrounding strangers are. 1989 may be the fifth studio album from the twenty-four year old; but this is the first official ‘pop’ album to be released from the Pennsylvanian princess, and a record worth the wait.
Openers ‘Welcome To New York‘ and ‘Blank Space‘ act as the initial introduction to the newly-matured Swift sound. Although originally penning and singing lyrics under the genre of country; the horizons of pop – first expanded in 2013’s Red era – have truly been conquered, fitting Swift’s mesmeric, flawless voice like a florescent pink glove.
‘Style‘, described by Lorde on Twitter as “EVERYTHING” and her favourite track from the new album, is a medium-tempo, optimistic love song, as well as the climax of 1989‘s first quarter. “You’ve got that James Dean/daydream/look in your eye” is one of Swift’s celebrated hooky lyrics residing within ‘Style‘ and a line sure to be circling around your ears for hours.
Singles ‘Out Of The Woods‘ and arguably, the superlative pop release of 2014, ‘Shake It Off‘, create a gigantic splash of sparkle, but its ninth track ‘Wildest Dreams‘ and the arousing ‘I Wish You Would‘ which give 1989 it’s edge. With a typical, Taylor Swift break-down and an emotional heartbeat-like pulsation at its backbone: ‘Wildest Dreams‘, an outstandingly aesthetic track, is one of 1989‘s crowning moments.
Building a legacy upon the foundations of emotional break-ups; it would be seen as a crime for Swift’s favoured theme to be excluded from her fifth album. ‘This Love‘, championed by both Hayley Williams [Paramore] and Lena Dunham, ‘Bad Blood‘ and ‘Wonderland‘ express the turbulence of relationships: the latter being the red flag, urging us to remember that even someone as radiant as Taylor Swift has troubles with the male species.
‘You Are In Love‘, the penultimate track of 1989, is a definite ode to the 80’s, an era which has ultimately influenced the entirety of Swift’s fantastic album. Fading out and quickly replaced by the ebbing, future dancefloor filler, ‘New Romantics‘, the album explodes into a crescendo of bright light and pure pop: the ending of Taylor Swift’s 1989 couldn’t be more perfect nor more fitting.
1989, the seminal fifth album by Taylor Swift is everything it needed to be and more. A record sure to go down in history: 1989 is available to purchase now.
Ella Scott
@ell44h
ELLA LOUISE SCOTT 