The Highlight Reel presents This Week's Recap - The Taylor Swift Edition

This Week’s Recap – the Taylor Swift Edition

Superstar of the Week: Taylor Swift



There was no bigger star in the world this week than country singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. With the release of her fourth studio album, Red, it was hard to ignore Swift this week. Taylor appeared all over television with promotional appearances on Good Morning America, Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View, Access Hollywood, and an ABC special hosted by Katie Couric. Major campaigns promoted Red exclusively at Target, Papa John’s, Walmart, and Macy’s. Taylor personally announced on the website the first dates of the 2013 Red Tour (including dates in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro). 



Oh, and Red itself opened to rave reviews from multiple publications spanning multiple genres while establishing itself as the biggest album of 2012 already. Red went gold with over 500,000 copies sold in less than 24 hours. On pace to sell over 1,000,000 copies in the first week, Red will open up number one on numerous Billboard charts next week including the Billboard Top 200, Country, Pop, and Adult contemporary charts. Her success is not limited to the United States either as Red is debuting number one in at least 32 countries all over the world.

While it became public knowledge this week that her most recent relationship with Conor Kennedy ended a month ago, that little blemish on an otherwise perfect week did nothing to stop the Taylor Domination from occurring. There was nobody bigger in the entire world this week than the 5’11” poet laureate of a generation named Taylor Allison Swift.

Jerk of the Week: Jake Gyllenhaal

With her music as a standing testament to her life and experiences, fans know that Taylor Swift’s music comes from her relationships. Considering some of the break-up songs on Red, it can be safe to say that Jake Gyllenhaal is a complete tool. Dating for a three-month period in 2010, Swift and Gyllenhaal ended quietly. However, some songs on Red have revealed to the world that this relationship did not end as nicely as one would think. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” expressed Gyllenhaal’s refusal to let the relationship die while lyrics in “Begin Again” show the lasting effect of Gyllenhaal’s insecurities when Swift sings of finally feeling comfortable to wear heels again. Apparently, Jake Gyllenhaal does not like a woman taller than he is – as if that matters.

Jake Gyllenhaal is a great actor. Nobody can deny that. However, if there is even one iota of truth to the songs in Red, Jake Gyllenhaal is also an insult to the male gender. Seriously, bro.

Babes of the Week: Taylor Swift and Michelle Beadle

Michelle Beadle on WhoSay

Red Review – Song by Song



“State of Grace” - This song is right in Taylor’s wheelhouse with the country/pop/rock sound that she has mastered over the last two albums (Fearless, Speak Now). I have read where some have said “State of Grace” was Taylor’s “U2 song” as it comes from the same cloth as many of U2’s biggest hits. I can see that. The song just has a feel of being custom made for rocking out as you drive down the highway with the windows down and wind whipping your hair. “State of Grace” is a great way to open Red.

“Red” - The title track of this album has radio success written all over it. “Red” features that blend of country, pop, and rock blending together to create the Taylor sound we all know and love. The best of Taylor Swift is never displayed better on Red than here. In addition, I love the lyrics. The colors create a great metaphor for the ebb and flow of a relationship perfectly. “Red” is Taylor Swift at her finest. This song should be one of her biggest hits yet.

“Treacherous” - Taylor delivers an outstanding modern country ballad with “Treacherous.” Describing the rocky road of a relationship (a reoccurring theme in Taylor Swift’s music), “Treacherous” builds from a soft low-tempo ballad into an epic, boisterous finish reminiscent of songs by country acts like Sugarland, Faith Hill, and Lady Antebellum or pop/rock acts like Kelly Clarkson or 2000’s Bon Jovi. “Treacherous” is a solid single that should be another radio success on the country charts.

“I Knew You Were Trouble.” - “I Knew You Were Trouble” is a purely pop song from Taylor Swift. I love the song. However, it really seems better suited for a Katy Perry or Kelly Clarkson. Of course, that said, Taylor works wonders with it. The chorus is extremely catchy. The base drums add a feeling of attitude and “oomph” to what could be a misfire. “I Knew You Were Trouble” will not be a country hit without the addition of some country elements. That said, this could be Taylor’s biggest pop hit yet. It really shows the evolution of her sound as something done more than to sell more records; it is also to make great music.

“All Too Well” - This is my favorite song on the album. “All Too Well” describes a relationship in the most bittersweet of terms. This song genuinely spoke to me as I remembered a prior relationship. The best parts turned to misery and neither of us was able to stop it. “All Too Well” is a song about remembering and the pain that comes with those memories. An outstanding modern country song, the low-tempo tune has a vibe reminiscent of Taylor from the very beginning of her career. The power and emotion in her voice, especially in the final third of the song, just grab at a listener and hold tightly until the end. “All Too Well” is one of the finest songs Taylor Swift has recorded in her career. They created Grammy Awards for this kind of song.

“22” - This song is all about fun. Taylor exudes the youthful exuberance of a 22-year-old woman with “22.” I can imagine this song being one of the biggest hits of the summer of 2013 if released for radio at that time. It is a fun, party anthem that will be the soundtrack for many women’s “girls’ night out” regardless of their age.

“I Almost Do” - As Michael Cole would say, this is vintage Taylor Swift. Swift’s lovely voice and an acoustic guitar start off a great country ballad about a young woman yearning to rekindle a relationship despite the pain it may bring. I think “I Almost Do” is one of the finest country songs on the album and a song that would receive universal acclaim from Swift haters if Miranda Lambert sang it. This is a perfect example of the amazing country artist Taylor Swift is.

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” - When “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” debuted, I was along many who feared Taylor’s entire album would have this pop sound. While it is a great song, it is such a departure from her usual sound that it was scary. Thankfully, Red is so much more than songs like this one. That said, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” is a classic kiss-off song and one of the biggest hits of Swift’s career. As long as Taylor does not completely turn her albums into songs with this sound, I eagerly await the next experiment Taylor makes in this genre.

“Stay Stay Stay” - I love this song! “Stay, Stay, Stay” makes you believe in love. This song is fun, catchy, happy, and draws a smile from even the most jaded of hearts. Also, “Stay, Stay, Stay” is a song that shows me how, within all of the pop polish of Taylor’s new songs, there lays the same country sweetheart who took the music world by storm when she sang about a romance blossoming to the music of Tim McGraw in 2006. “Stay, Stay, Stay” is a reminder that Taylor Swift is still a country girl at heart.

“The Last Time” - Joined by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, “The Last Time” is among the highlights of the entire album. This duet is just magic. The back and forth of two people struggling to finally give in and give love a try is so painfully beautiful in this song. As a Lady Antebellum fan, I could easily imagine Hillary and Charles doing wonders with a cover of this song. Love it!

“Holy Ground” - Taylor channels a little Miranda Lambert with the Southern rock vibe that comes off “Holy Ground.” The chorus of this one is infectious. While a good song, “Holy Ground” is my least favorite of the 16 tracks on Red.

“Sad Beautiful Tragic” - Soft, gentle, and soothing, the sound of a wonderful voice and a strumming guitar make for an outstanding ballad in “Sad Beautiful Tragic.” There is a bittersweet feeling that comes with the lovely depiction of a relationship that runs the gamut of emotions. The flow of the song expresses comforting and calmness while the lyrics scream of heartbreak and pain. “Sad Beautiful Tragic” is a depiction of a upsetting time in the loveliest of ways. 

“The Lucky One” - With many saying “The Lucky One” is Taylor’s ode to idol Joni Mitchell, this song reminds me of many songs about the joys and perils of fortune and fame. Faith Hill’s “When the Lights Go Down” comes to mind immediately. In a way, I think also this song is a dream Taylor Swift has for her life. She is the subject of gossip and ridicule from some and she takes it in stride. Ultimately, I believe Taylor will finish making her mark on the pop-fueled world of Hollywood and will return to the outskirts of Nashville where the country music world has embraced her since day one. That is what “The Lucky One” is to me.

“Everything Has Changed” - The much-anticipated duet with Ed Sheeran, “Everything Has Changed” is a wonderful little duet about young love and the energetic feelings surrounding a blossoming relationship. Considering Sheeran will join Swift on the 2013 Red Tour, I expect both this song to become a huge radio and a relationship between the two singer-songwriters to blossom within the next year. It is a great song. 

“Starlight” - Described as a tribute to Ethel Kennedy, another idol of Swift’s, “Starlight” is very energetic and exciting with a killer hook. Coming from the Katy Perry or Selena Gomez playbook with the solid pop base, Swift is wonderful in this number made for dance clubs and parties. I think “Starlight” would be a major hit on pop radio. 

“Begin Again” - “Begin Again” is one of the most beautiful country songs I have listened to in a long time. This is the kind of song that renews your faith in love after coming off a bad breakup or a long string of misery. “Begin Again” is a heartfelt declaration that love can begin again within the confines of a meeting at a café on a Wednesday. Catchy and touching, I love this song and its message. In an album full of the ups and downs of relationships, with more downs than ups described, “Begin Again” is a wonderful way to end Red on a high note.

Red plays like two albums in one. Taylor Swift has an outstanding country album and an outstanding pop album all in one. From beginning to end, Red is the most experimental and yet most complete album of Taylor Swift’s young career. I think that people will look at this album in the same way Shania Twain’s The Woman in Me is with admiration in the country music genre because it is a game changer. That is strong praise considering you can say the same for both Fearless and Speak Now. Taylor Swift is reestablishing what a female country artist is with each song she creates. Not only does she have the crossover appeal to reach her non-country fans consistently, Swift is also embracing that crowd without alienating her country audience - something Shania Twain and Faith Hill both struggled with upon reaching their respective crossover heights. Taylor Swift is currently on a roll never seen in the country genre before. Red is just another chapter of a career that will ultimately be one of country music’s most legendary.