Review: ‘1989’

Review: 1989

Jenna Fackrell and Leorah Addadi

An outdated, synth-poppy beat from the song “Welcome to New York” starts off the much anticipated album 1989. The first three minutes of the album were not that impressive. Then, Blank Space plays and I was blown away with a catchy tune and lines that are easy to relate to, which is Taylor Swift’s forte’.

1989 is Swift’s fifth studio album, which includes 13 songs and 13 polaroids; 13 is her lucky number. Swift anticipated the release of her album all over her social media, sharing photos on instagram and tweeting lyrics on Twitter. Fans and non fans alike were excited to hear Swift’s new sound. She even hosted Secret Sessions, inviting fans to her home to listen to the album and eat baked goods. She ended up selling 1.287 million copies of the album just in it’s opening week. This set a new record for solo artists everywhere.

Completely derailing from all of her familiar country roots like her past albums, the third track “Style” talks about a James Dean-like character. This is one I would belt out alone in my room because of its catchy hook. Among others that weren’t as good were “Bad Blood” and “Out of the Woods” because they seemed to lack a purpose and a plot line. They don’t catch my interests yet I still get them stuck in my head.

This album was ‘in all of the best ways’ unexpected. In the tone of the songs you can tell she was and is feeling a little more independent with it’s feel-good-saturday-night kind of vibe. The new ‘80s pop sounds goes along with it quite nicely, even if there are barely a handful of truly good songs on the album.