It’s a fleeting moment, and a telling one. In the video for “Shake It Off,” the lead single from her new album, “1989,” Taylor Swift crawls under the legs of a row of women twerking in denim cutoffs. As their butts bounce and jiggle, Swift peers up with a look of dismay. The punch line is obvious: This is not Taylor Swift’s world — never has been, never will be.
But “1989” also feels like her most inscrutable effort. The music is a bright, shiny, and bland pastiche of electronic pop and faint nods to new wave and R&B. And the songwriting feels generic, a departure from the personable details that have made her a unique voice.
This time out, they turn Swift’s songs into faceless hits. She doesn’t want to draw comparisons to Miley Cyrus or Perry — the latter of whom was supposedly the inspiration for the kiss-off “Bad Blood” — but Swift occasionally encroaches on other pop-star terrain. The chorus of “Wildest Dreams” has the windswept grandeur of Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful”; even Swift’s vocal is suddenly more sullen.
It’s a cruel irony that in Swift’s quest to sound like no one else, she doesn’t sound like herself, either.
Boston Globe I hate you. Metacritic shouldn't weigh the critics of sites that don't specialize in music in the same way than the ones who dedicate to music as her principal activity.
All the critics from music sites have loved the album, the stupid publications that keep this album from going acclaimed are stupid newspapers.
I can not @ Sputnik and AV Club suddenly stanning. What kind of reverse reality. Although AV Club gave "Red" nice score too if i remember correctly.
Interesting that both horrible reiviews came from publications that have history of loving Katy. Both pretty superficial too. We do not like the new direction blah, blah, blah....
Although AV Club gave "Red" nice score too if i remember correctly.
Both pretty superficial too. We do not like the new direction blah, blah, blah....