Written by: Carolyn Mish and Sarah Yu
The steady thwack of a snare drum marches on. A metallic whir quickly gives way to a vibrant, familiar guitar riff. After a few seconds of anticipation, the instrumental defaults to strong vocals, and listeners are transported back to 2012.
“Red,” released in Oct. 2012 by then up-and-coming singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, attracted massive attention. Swift’s third studio album, a development of past successes in pop country, nabbed four Grammy nominations and solidified her ascent into global stardom. Where her first two albums were almost exclusively country, “Red” ventured into new territory, experimenting with classic pop, folk and electronic styles. “Red” was a coming of age story; a step into new adulthood with the ups and downs of adolescence and young love chronicled in decisive, sonically catchy accounts of Swift’s experiences. This blend of nostalgia and fresh air carries into “Red (Taylor’s Version),” her latest album, perfectly coalescing the old and the new.
“Red” is the second of two re-recordings, which Swift has decided to create to gain both artistic and financial ownership over her past work. By streaming both “Fearless (Taylor’s Version” and “Red (Taylor’s Version),” the profits go to Swift herself, not the entities who purchased the rights to her recordings.
The album begins with “State of Grace,” the final single released in 2012, immediately setting the tone of youthful hope and optimism. Swift opines on the duality of love and its nature as a double-edged sword. However deep love may cut, it’s ultimately “a state of grace / this is the worthwhile fight.”
“Red,” the titular track and second song on the album, perfectly opens both Swift’s lyrical vision for the record and the sonic feeling of it. Her vocals shine, much improved from her earlier works, and are skillfully accompanied by guitar and a constant drum. The color metaphors paint a picture of slightly simplistic yet powerful lyricism. The lyrics perfectly highlight the youthful, intense emotion conveyed in the song, explosions of color demonstrating the gravity of experiencing and losing love. A radio hit at the time of its original release in 2012, the quality of Swift’s re-recording demonstrates that “Red (Taylor’s Version)” will undoubtedly maintain its versatility and timelessness.
While tracks like “22,” “Stay Stay Stay” and “Starlight” maintain an upbeat, free-spirited tone, the album also taps into the melancholy of youth, particularly on tracks like “The Last Time,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and “Come Back … Be Here.” Oscillations between happy and sad are frequent between tracks. While tracks that bridge the two moods would create a smoother listening experience, Swift’s ever-powerful vocals and similar sonic tones compensate for the wild ride. Additionally, the listening experience is reminiscent of tumultuous adolescence as it’s full of raw, unfiltered emotion. Swift states it best in “22:” “Yeah, we’re happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time / It’s miserable and magical, oh yeah.”
“The listening experience is reminiscent of tumultuous adolescence as it’s full of raw, unfiltered emotion”
A few of the vault tracks, which were written during the “Red” era but not released at the time, embody the same gloomy emotion, including “Nothing New.” The track features singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, whose own work reflects the melancholic tones in the song, as the first female vocalist to have a verse on one of Swift’s tracks. The song carries the sadness of the previous track, “Better Man,” but stands out as a moving reflection on growing up as a woman when society places so much value on youth.
“Forever Winter” taps into a more energetic tone but details the sorrowful topic of her desperate attempts to help a man she loves with his mental health struggles: “If I was standing there in your apartment / I’d take that bomb in your head and disarm it.” The more upbeat melody parallels her attempts at being the joy in someone’s life, yet listening closely reveals the true struggle underneath. The song is also fluid, with backing vocals that reflect the comforting, everlasting presence of love: “I say, ‘Believe in one thing, I won’t go away.’”
Despite the album’s many high points, a record with thirty songs has to drag somewhere. With a discography as lengthy as Swift’s, some songs just don’t stand the test of time, lacking the electric emotional factor that gives “Red” its spark. Despite a stark difference from its country counterpart, the re-recording of “Girl at Home” is forgettable, with slightly bland, dated lyrics that obscure a solid melody. Tracks like “I Almost Do,” “Stay Stay Stay” and “Everything Has Changed (feat. Ed Sheeran),” which each have their strengths and sonic merit, fade into the background of the album’s more striking pieces.
Finally, and most notably, Swift included the original, extended version of the fifth track on the album. “All Too Well,” a power ballad chronicling the end of a tumultuous relationship, was rereleased as both a longer track and an accompanying short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. The 10-minute-long version of “All Too Well” maintains the charged emotional lyrics of the original, adding new verses that culminate into a highly personal outpouring of grief and anger. Hearing Swift sing “The idea you had of me, who was she? / A never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you” and “You kept me like a secret but I kept you like an oath” in regards to a past relationship cuts deeply, alluding to the emotional turmoil and resentment of an unraveling love.
Part of the allure Swift’s re-recordings is the unique perspective granted by an older, wiser artist recording music written by and for a younger audience. As Swift belts out her past lyrics, her public presence and her voice having matured greatly, the album peaks in catharsis, allowing both Swift and her listeners to breathe and revel in the emotional space “Red” creates.
“All Too Well (Ten Minute Version),” is emblematic of the entire album — a perfectly executed balancing act between service to longtime fans and a tribute to Swift’s earlier years. “Red” doesn’t dismiss adolescence, as many often do. Rather, it heralds its uncertainties as what they are: real and important parts of life.
Overall, “Red (Taylor’s Version)” is massively successful at what it aims to do: revive an era of bright, magnetic music and even brighter emotions. Swift revitalizes her past work, all while avoiding redundancy and boredom. For longtime fans and new listeners alike, the experience of songs such as “22,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic,” “All Too Well” and “Nothing New” is a vivid exploration of youth, celebrating the ups and downs of life and love. The album deserves four and a half stars out of five for its many, many shining moments — excavated gems from the depths of Swift’s prolific discography.
