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REVIEW: 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

By Kathryn Taleporos | October 30, 2023


1989 (Taylor’s Version) Tangerine Vinyl

Photo Credit: Kathryn Taleporos / The ASP


Singer Taylor Swift released her rerecording of her album “1989” on Friday, Oct. 27. After having the rights to this album stolen from Swift by her ex-manager Scooter Braun, Swift re-released this album with the addition of five new “From the Vault” songs. Those songs were written during the time the album was first released, but originally were cut from the album.


The album opens with the iconic pop song “Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version).” This song is the perfect opener for this album because it sets the tone for the rest of the album. This album is different from Swift’s other albums, it is not all about ex-boyfriends or drama she’s experiencing, but about her moving to a new city and finding herself.


Moving on throughout the album, Swift makes subtle changes in this re-recording that make some songs sound completely new. For example, in the song “You Are In Love (Taylor’s Version),” Swift changed the background vocals to be quieter and have a slightly different tone. The subtle change makes the song sound even more romantic and beautiful.


Other subtle changes that Swift made include the introduction to a couple of the songs. The one that should have stayed the same however was the intro to “Style (Taylor’s Version).” Before, the intro to this song fit perfectly, it hyped the listener up with its upbeat tempo. Now, the intro just doesn’t fit the song, it doesn’t sound right, and it sounds more techno than pop.


Some songs sound pretty similar though. Fans expected the bridge of the song “Out of the Woods (Taylor’s Version)” to be recorded differently, especially after the 1989 World Tour, where Swift performed a rock rendition of the song. However, the song sounds pretty much the same as it does on the original album.


The new songs on the album, the “From the Vault” tracks, exceeded expectations. The songs “Suburban Legends” and “Is It Over Now” are the highlights of the vault tracks. These songs are perfect pop anthems but also have deeper meaning. The song “Is It Over Now” tears apart Swift’s ex-boyfriend Harry Styles, and drags up some drama from the past but the song is true pop perfection.


Overall “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” is an incredible pop album that captures the perfection of the original but adds subtle nuances that elevate this album to a new level of perfection.

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