99 - "Red" by Taylor Swift

 Red is the fourth studio album by Taylor Swift. It is probably most notable for being the turning point in Taylor’s career between teenage country singer and more straight up pop star, and contains several huge hits that were inescapable in 2012 and 2013 (e.g. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “22”).  

I was a bit surprised to see this album on the Rolling Stone’s list. I get that it’s a pivotal album for Taylor’s career, but I feel like I remember much more acclaim for her next album, 1989, when it came out, than I ever remember hearing about Red. And upon listening to this album now, I have sort of mixed feelings. The album’s singles are poppy earworms, with varying degrees of obnoxiousness. I’ve always been pretty annoyed by “22,” frankly. And listening to it now, as someone a few years past the age of twenty-two… is this actually how twenty-two year olds act? You’re going to “dress up like hipsters,” have “breakfast at midnight,” and “make fun of our exes?” Are you twenty-two, or fourteen? Sorry, but this is describing the behavior of middle schoolers, not adults who are four years out of high school. That said, the song is kind of a guilty pleasure; I can’t deny how fun and catchy the chorus is. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is also a lot of fun, and I can kind of enjoy the lyrics, for the most part. I will say, I don’t think that the dubstep-infused “I Knew You Were Trouble” aged particularly well. It’s not the worst early 2010’s dubstep inspired music out there (see Korn’s The Path of Totality for that), but the fact that a song released less than ten years ago can accurately be described as “of a bygone era” is perhaps not a good sign. I’m not a huge fan of the title track, either; I find the chorus a bit annoying, and the lyrics pretty trite and uninspiring.

“All Too Well” is a song I was unfamiliar with at the time this album came out, but became aware of in the album’s re-release (trivia fact alert: the 10 minute version is now the longest song ever to hit #1 on Billboard, displacing “American Pie”). This may be my favorite song on the album; it’s description of Taylor’s memories of a relationship following that relationship’s untimely end is well paced and moving, and the song manages to feel nostalgic, melancholy, and angry at the same time. I will say, though, I’m not sure how I feel about releasing an expanded version of a breakup song, with additional verses dunking on your ex, nine years after the original, especially when said ex is a public figure as well. It’s of course understandable to have a lot of feelings after a breakup, but… I mean, you dated the guy for three months, nine years ago. If you’re still working through it, that’s totally understandable, but publicly bashing your ex so long after things have happened just feels pretty tacky. Maybe that’s just me, though.

There were a couple deeper cuts off the album I enjoyed quite a bit, as well. “I Almost Do” is a definite highlight, as is “Starlight,” a charming love song apparently about Ethel Kennedy.