If there's one thing that can be said about the career of Taylor Swift, its that the girl knows how to surprise. Whether its transforming stadiums into confetti winter wonderlands, or welcoming the most-dedicated of fans into her post-show hangout spaces, Swift's got a clear love for the extraordinary and unexpected. And, with the October 27th release of her newest album 1989, the songstress has offered up to fans and critics alike her latest, and in many opinions greatest, surprise thus far.
With Red's release in 2012, Swift proved to fans that she was not afraid of transformation and straying from her Nashville heritage, but with the arrival of 1989 Swift proves she is not in the slightest afraid of shaking off (pun intended) these country roots entirely. Through the use of synth-pop tracks, 808 claps and echoing vocals, Taylor, in an attempt to create an 80's period piece, does something remarkable, creating a perfect hybrid between 80's pop anthems and the contemporary pop ballads that dominate radio today.
It's been clear that Ms. Swift has had a welcome place in the pop industry for years, but just like everything Swift has produced so far in her career, she has taken the time to meticulously study, calculate and craft an array of songs that both blend together and stand alone as singles with equal strength. Drawing from Lana Del Rey-esque vocals in "Wildest Dreams" or gal pal Lorde's soft electro-pop influence in "Blank Space", Swift has clearly taken the time to understand what makes pop music work, and made it her own.
However, where previous albums have relied heavily on Swift's songwriting prowess, 1989 marks the first of Taylor's albums to downplay some of these lyrics and let the music dominate the track. This, though, is not to the detriment of the album. Instead, the blend of classic Swift lyrics and pop melodies help to take Swift from her status as a songwriter and really and truly mark her for perhaps the first time, as an all-around musical artist. Not only does this mark a newfound maturity in Swift's music but it might also be the first significant mark of the beginnings of a new age for pop music as a whole.
With her contemporary blending of old and new pop music, Swift seemingly returns pop music to its roots. The powerful lyrics she has built her legacy on, coupled with classic pop melodies, show that Swift might be the exact change the industry needs. A little less auto-tune, a little more subtlety, a touch less bass drops reminiscent of today's rave culture, and a whole lot more substance; 1989 speaks now, for a much needed transformation in the pop industry.
It's hard to believe this newfound pop star originated from the twangy "Teardrops On My Guitar" singer that stepped on the scene in 2006, or perhaps not. With her love for reinvention, Swift has at once been a predictable and wildly unpredictable presence in the music industry for years.
Welcome to New York and welcome to new Taylor. But don't get too comfortable, because if there's one thing clear, its that she's going to do nothing less than keep you on your toes in the time ahead.
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