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RepuTAYtion

First Critic’s Review of reputation

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It got a B+!! Maybe it won’t be as bad as I thought it would be..

 

Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' remains stellar on new album (Review)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If there's one thing Taylor Swift doesn't have to worry about, it's her reputation.

No matter how many tabloids write about her, people hate on her or guys regret dating her, Swift will still sell millions of records and be the rare modern pop star whose album release feels like an epic event.

That's what makes the rollout of her new album "Reputation" a bit disappointing. "Look What You Made Me Do"is one of the worst songs Swift has ever released. Even in the context of the rest of the album, it feels like several bad decisions that never mesh.

Paired with "...Ready For It?" (Another meh song)," the first singles from "Reputation" feel like the most forceful way Swift could have came out of the gate.

But, in reality, Swift and her team - mainly producers Max Martin, Shellbeck - overplay their hand with heavy synth sounds and wannabe Skrillex-style EDM, which isn't representative of an album that's serves as one of Swift's most ambitious projects to date.

"End Game," the song featuring Ed Sheeran and rapper Future that so many fans were worried about, is quite intoxicating. Swift drops lines like ""I swear I don't love the drama/It loves me!" on what is easily the best R&B song of her career.

Another early gem comes in the form of "Delicate," where Swift does her best Imogen Heap impression over a cascading electronic beat. "Delicate" is the first proof that things work better when Swift keeps the mood light.

For instance, "Gorgeous" plays like a beautiful, old-school Swift song. Lines like "You're so gorgeous, I can't say anything you face, 'cause look at your face" find Swift at her wittiest.

Elsewhere, The blissful vibes continue on "Getaway Car," the kind of dramatic tune that Jack Antonoff (whose plays a big roll in the album's second half) writes for his band Bleachers. 

 

King of My Heart" brilliantly plays up its 1980s vibe, borrowing the drum beat from Phil Collins' hit "Take Me Home," while "Dress" finds Swift milking the emotional elements of a fairy tale romance. Fans will be swooning for days.

Meanwhile, songs like "Call It What You Want" and "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" deliver the epic, mainstream pop Swift has spent the past half-decade reaching for.

Just one song on "Reputation" goes past the four-minute mark, making for a relatively smooth pop showcase. Yet, with all the album's production dynamics, it's the piano driven closer "New Year's Day" that serves as the boldest statement.

It's an emotionally powerful ballad that affirms one thing: Love her or hate her, never doubt Swift as a songwriter. The only reputation you'd be ruining is your own. Grade: B+

 

 

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