Red: new album strays from roots

After two full years and all the buzz of Taylor Swift’s previous “Speak Now” album, there was no doubt that she would shine in her fourth album “Red” released on Monday, Oct. 22.

The country-candy pop album started off strong with its first hit single “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” The upbeat single showed this album would be quite different than her older ones with hard hitting melodies and lyrics.

Swift released a total of five singles before the album debut. In order of release, fans heard “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” “Begin Again,” “Red,” “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “State of Grace.”

Swift is known for her catchy and relatable lyrics with heartbreaking titles. “Red” has brought to life this exact formula in the first three songs on the album: “State of Grace,” “Red” and “Treacherous.” The first starting slow and soft, where the second sounds more computerized with an electronic sound. The third is more of the classic Taylor Swift bittersweet lyrics and country tune.

There are a total of 16 tracks on the album– not even on the extended version– and marks the largest of Swift’s albums. The other tracks are filled with a new electronic feel that is completely new to us from the country singer.

However this album is leading away from fans feeling sorry for Taylor. Instead, she’s invoking a sense of relating the problems of love. She’d rather her and her fans, “dress up like hipsters and make fun of our exes.”

Bill Dukes, Writer for Taste of Country, is worried she’s becoming to pop for her country label but fans don’t seem to mind. According to USA Today, the album sold 262,000 copies in the first day of release.

The album features two other artists both of which add a soft touch to the album. The two artists, both male, include Gary Lightbody from “Snow Patrol” and Ed Sheeran who Taylor announced will be going on tour with her this spring until next fall.

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