The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

Taylor Swift ‘Shakes It Off’ with 1989

When Taylor Swift decides to do something, she does it bigger and better than ever before. So with her fifth album, “1989,” nothing was left undone or unsaid as she turned herself into her own version of a 1980s pop sensation.

The country star-turned-pop singer has shed every last bit of her country twang on this album and has given her fans a glitzed-up pop powerhouse that doesn’t miss a beat. This album takes a drastic departure from her usual emotion-filled lyrics and changes the game. Swift has collaborated with producer, Max Martin, who produced seven of the thirteen songs on the album. His beats provide that Saturday night fever feeling as Swift sings about the single life in the Big Apple. The best moments come when Swift shakes things up and mixes up the best of her new tricks with some old ones as she strums her trusty acoustic guitar over an aggressive disco beat.

Although Swift was only a mere month old in 1989, her album shows otherwise. She has said that the title declares her symbolic rebirth, cutting the umbilical cord between Nashville and the stylistic trappings of country music. The first single, “Shake It Off,” does a great job at not only catching the listener’s attention but also transforming the energy into a dance hit.

With songs like “Welcome To New York,” Swift is moving full force ahead singing of her new hometown of New York and being able to spread her wings. “Blank Space” brings a Lorde type of beat to the race, with the relatively dark lyrics for Swift. She’s always sung about romantic ups and downs, but on “1989,” Swift took a slightly different approach. Adopting a slightly more adult attitude, she has strayed away from finding Mr. Forever. The album is certainly a refreshing take on the new and improved Taylor Swift who only seems to have more surprises up her sleeve.

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