Album- Fearless
Artist-Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has definitely had one of the biggest years in
terms of success as an artist in the year 2013. Not only has her latest record
Red shifted 6 million copies worldwide, but she has gained another string of
successful singles that have also performed very well internationally, and she
has delved into different musical genres and shown great growth as an artist.
But it is safe to say that Swift became a power house artist that captured the
public attention and hit the big time with her sophomore set Fearless. Not only
did she find greater success in America, but the singer also gained a prominent
international breakthrough, with the record going on to sell 10 million copies
worldwide. But just what was so great about Fearless?
Track 1- Fearless
Title track and album opener Fearless is a light country pop
song that lyrically focuses on the concept of the fearless nature of love and
jumping into things to experience magical moments in life, with the lyrics
reading like a sweet story that romantic comedies will probably pool from. From
the beginning Swift shows her knack for a really catchy chorus, whilst her soft
vocal tones brings a cute quality to the track that brings out the head rush of
love sentiment very nicely. Production wise the track features a simple guitar
and drum based sound with an awesome guitar solo for the bridge and a build in
power to make this fearless love story really come to life.
3.5/5
Track 2- Fifteen
A mid tempo country pop ballad, Fifteen finds Swift giving
us a more emotionally loaded vocal performance that highlights the
vulnerability of both the age perspective she is singing from and the wise
words that she is trying to convey to her listeners. Lyrically the song focuses
on the love and heartbreak and awkwardness that come with being fifteen years
of age, with Swift giving her listeners some nice advice that will probably
make the track a fan favourite. The songs sound features quite a preppy, fun
guitar rhythm against some striking but equally as light drum beats that
captures the love-struck teenage feel and offsets the cautionary lyrical
quality of the song.
3.5/5
Track 3- Love Story
The song that really broke Taylor Swift into international
markets and remaining her biggest selling track in the US to date, Love Story
is another country pop tune that finds Swift taking on a romantic perspective
inspired by Romeo and Juliet, with Swift seemingly taking on the role of
Juliet. The first person narrative and sweet tone of the chorus makes the songs
lyrics instantly catchy, whilst Swifts delicate vocals with a nice bit of
layering just makes the songs romantic sentiment that bit more potent and
powerful for the listener. Things are bright and simple with the tunes melody,
creating this ever rushing pace that highlights the power of this love story,
whilst the slight twang of the guitar brings an earthy, country rooted element
to both the song and the story.
4/5
Track 4- Hey Stephen
Reportedly inspired by Swifts hidden feelings for Stephen
Barker Liles of the band Love & Theft, Hey Stephen is lyrically all about
Swift telling this story of a love not expressed and the placing of this guy on
a romantic pedestal. The song’s lyrics are sharp and well thought out to bring purity
to the songs message, whilst Swift’s delivery of her vocals gives a lovely rise
and fall effect in the song that shows this is really a girl with true feeling.
The ‘ummm ummm’ hook is great and the laidback groove of the guitar and finger
snapping percussion gives the song a brilliant sound that shows Swift can
really create a whole package of a song where each of the elements really
capture the whole emotion behind its creation.
3.5/5
Track 5- White Horse
A weepy country ballad, White Horse finds the singer’s fairy
tale visions and love-struck sensibility broken apart and displaced with
disillusionment and pain, as you realise the relationship isn’t all that great.
The lyrics are more powerful coming after the love songs of the albums
beginning and bring a lovely sense of light and dark to the record. The song
features a breathy vocal performance from Swift that is rich in its
vulnerability, whilst the sparse production with its acoustic guitar, piano and
accents of cello creates a simple, pure sound that allows the vocals to take
centre stage.
3.5/5
Track 6- You Belong
with Me
Another of Swifts biggest hits, You Belong with Me brings
the record back to a more upbeat state but also still finds the singer tackling
a different kind of love. Here Swift sings of the boy next door who doesn’t
realise that you are perfect for him and that you are meant to be a couple. The
chorus is instantaneously catchy and although some high school clichés are
employed the lyrical quality of the track makes it extremely enjoyable, nicely
capturing the spirit of unrequited young love.
Backed by a cool mix of banjo and New Wave guitar instrumentation, the
songs sound has a vibrant and infectious sensibility in its own right and
perfectly compliments the lyrical message, whilst Swift’s twangy vocal gives the
track different shades of depth and light that makes for an interesting country
pop number.
4/5
Track 7- Breathe
(featuring Colbie Callait)
Taking things down to a lighter, more acoustic level,
Breathe finds Swift teaming up with American singer songwriter Colbie Caillat,
who serves as the records only featured artist. However Caillait’s presence in
the song is really only in giving us some nice backing vocals, and so her
appearance on the track can’t be said to add much appeal. The song focuses on the
two artists singing about the end of a friendship/relationship that is I heart-breaking
in a way but which is sadly inevitable and that eventually we learn to move on.
The message is sweet and simple but doesn’t quite grab you in the way the other
songs have, although you can’t deny the singers amazing ability to really analysis
typical life situations and make good pop tunes out of them. Backed by simple
acoustic guitar with some string flourishes, the songs sound builds in
intensity to be in tune with the dramatic and climatic feel of the lyrics.
Caillat and Swift blend well with an airiness that brings out the songs
vulnerable tone, although as said Cailliat could have done with more of a
presence in the song.
3/5
Track 8- Tell Me Why
A track similar to Hey Stephen in terms of being inspired by
a love interest she was never romantically involved with, Tell Me Why is an upbeat
country pop number that is different in that here Swift lyrically vents about
the changing attitudes of this boy and how he is sort of playing with her
emotions to a point where she is just constantly questioning things. The
feistiness of the song is particularly elevated by Swifts snappy vocal
delivery, and this song just provides a different feel within the record that
shows that love and feelings can go in different ways. The song has a bigger
sound than some of her other material with more aggressive guitar production
that gives a slight rock tone to the chorus, whilst the banjo instrumentation
gives a frenzied country twang to the song that is almost a bit like an Irish
jig.
3.5/5
Track 9- You’re Not
Sorry
More of an old fashioned kind of ballad, You’re Not Sorry is
probably the most emotionally charged, vulnerable moment on the record. Here we
find Swift singing of the end of a relationship where she comes to the
conclusion that ‘prince charming’ wasn’t all he was cracked up to be. The
lyrics are powerful, but what is much stronger in this song is the vocal
performance that Swift gives, utilising her real life despair and putting this
essence of herself into her performance, showing how her songs can be read as
much as diary entries as they are simply nice country pop tunes. The swirling
string arrangement and lush piano melody on the track gives the song this
greatly intense feel and is nicely backed by the thumping drum beats and
storming electric guitars, making this a good break up tune if you just want to
kind of sit down and cry.
4/5
Track 10- The Way I
Loved You
From the intense heartbreak of the last track Swift changes
things up and gives us a song that actually revels in the sometimes volatile
quality of love. The Way I Loved You lyrically finds the singer narrating this
story in which the guy has done all these things and she is driven a bit crazy,
but at the end of the day it is just kind of why she loves him and she sails
along with the intensity of the relationship. The chorus is once again really
catchy and Swift taps brilliantly into her emotions, whilst she delivers a
vocal that builds along nicely with the tracks production and features another
storming delivery of the chorus that shows a cool side to the singer. The song
is more of a teenage love song but the heavy guitar and drum sound of the track
gives it a bit more of a pop rock country feel that will maybe resonate outside
of her core fan base, whilst the use of strings in the verses is great in
really allowing the chorus to make a dramatic impact.
3.5/5
Track 11- Forever and
Always
Out of all the songs on the record that Swift didn’t release
as a single, Forever and Always for me is definitely the one that stands out
the most as having that hit song potential, with the song being nicely primed
to work on both country and pop radio formats. Inspired by the singers
relationship with fellow teen star Joe Jonas, the song is lyrically a scorching
kiss off to a former beau who said they would be with you forever but who were
really just telling an array of lies. The song nicely borders the line of vulnerable
and venomous, which is strongly brought out in Swifts vocal delivery that is
simple and shows her in a kind of I am a strong woman light. The light acoustic
guitar mixed with the heavy electric guitar tones gives a catchy vibrancy to
the track that adds to its appeal, whilst the middle section is extremely
powerful with its awesome guitar solo that once again highlights the sadness in
the fact that this actually wasn’t a single (but I guess that just shows Swifts
awesomeness in a way).
4/5
Track 12- The Best
Day
Things are taken down to a softer, acoustic vibe with The
Best Day. Dedicated to the singers mother, the song is really the only song on
the record that isn’t focused on romantic love and is instead all about the
friendship the singer has with her mother and the way that she has grown up to
become a lovely woman because of this person. The message is sweet and will
probably make the hearts of mothers around the world melt, whilst vocally Swift
keeps the song very pure and simple and makes the song all the more
heart-warming because of this. With the soft guitar rhythm a light tone is
created that perfectly captures the sweet texture of the lyrical message and
just adds to the songs brilliance.
3.5/5
Track 13- Change
Final track Change is a stomping, big end to the record
inspired by the singer’s inner strength and the fears she initially had over
achieving her dreams on a label that was relatively small and new at the time
of her signing to the label. Instilling hope into both herself and the
listener, the song finds Swift singing about overcoming obstacles and then
revelling in your triumphs that other people thought you wouldn’t achieve. The
message is powerful and once again Swift wraps it beautifully around a really
catchy, easily accessible chorus. Her vocal performance exudes this lovely
inner belief in herself that affects the listener as well, whilst the pop rock
production gives a fierce edge to the track that makes it the perfect rumbling
and roaring end to the record.
3.5/5
Final Review
Fearless is an accomplished set from a singer songwriter
that to me kind of feels like she is already in this state of being wise beyond
her years. The songs are all sharply defined with catchy but also slightly
complex and astute lyrical compositions, whilst vocally Swifts light and airy
tone perfectly captures each songs emotion and gives the emotion extra oomph.
The songs are also nicely produced with a smart blend of country, pop and rock
that allows the record to appeal to a variety of people. So with these great
elements of the record all coming together, Swift gives us a strong thirteen
song set that thoroughly deserved the immense success it has got.
8.5/10
Best Track- Forever
and Always
Worst Track- Breathe
(featuring Colbie Caillat)
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