I think the fact that she's a pop star based solely on song quality is impressive, everyone else has a distinct look/ style pun not intended, and Taylor being able to eschew that and have her career is cool
I'm not usually impressed by her vocals like technically?? or live performances but I think she can convey emotion well in her voice so it suits what she does, but her voice isn't really something I jump to praise about her.
I just don't really like the idea of anyone who isn't a Beyonce being an "average" vocalist. She's not, like, a big voiced pop starlet, but she's distinctive, versatile, and capable of conveying a lot of emotional color. I'm more drawn to a voice like hers than to an Ariana or a Mariah Carey or whatever. I think the fact that she doesn't necessarily have the range to go for the big showy runs or high notes (with a growing list of exceptions) actually helps her focus on better serving the song and melody. I'd be drawn to that voice in any bar or open mic night, on any given night, in any city in America.
I don't think anyone in here has even mentioned or compared her to the kinda diva style vocalists tho. I don't tend to gravitate towards big voiced singers. I usually gravitate towards singers who convey lots of emotion and whose voice has charisma. Like I don't listen to Britney Spears because of her sky high vocals lmao but I do often enjoy her vocals because they have (or did, idk she's inconsistent now) lots of personality and charisma. Taylor's voice often has that emotion I like but also often veers corny for me. I also find her vocals piercing sometimes and they hit a nerve on occasion. Has nothing to do with her not being aretha or anything.
Gave this album a spin today and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, given a lot of the bad reactions I’ve read. I think it’s one of my favorites from her. But then again, I’m just an occasional listener, with a few songs from her that I really love. Also, I like newer Taylor (Red-present) better, but yeah I listened front to back and didn’t find myself skip any song early, though the Ed Sheeran feature was atrocious.
1. Delicate 2. Dancing With Our Hands Tied 3. King of My Heart 4. Call It What You Want 5. Getaway Car Quality-wise, it's pretty much on par with 1989. Only tracks I keep skipping are "So It Goes..." and "Gorgeous", though neither is completely terrible.
I'm not the biggest Taylor fan but I've extracted a few songs from here into a tracklist that I enjoy: I Did Something Bad Gorgeous Getaway Car Dress Call It What You Want New Year's Day
I don't get the hits "So It Goes" is taking. Song is sexy as hell. I also don't really understand the ethos behind calling the instrumentation boring... not to be *that guy*, but it IS a pop record (which means an artist really trying to lean into that sound for the first time is bound to go with what's current instead of what's groundbreaking imo), and the sounds (especially on tracks like "I Did Something Bad" and "Don't Blame Me") were huge risks for this particular artist. The fact that she pulled it off is nothing short of miraculous. Honestly, I can think of at least two other pop stars who tried to release this album when it was much less of a departure for them this year and neither one of them did it as well. I also don't hate "End Game" anymore. "I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put 'em" or whatever the lyric was dragged me to hell and back. I think I was mostly salty because on the first listen, RIGHT AFTER I SAID "AT LEAST HE'S NOT RAPPING" Ed Sheeran started rapping and my bandmate laughed at me until the song ended. Features could've been stronger, but what can ya do. And this is a throwback, but... girl has been writing about sex since "Sparks Fly" and I will die on that hill with a smile on my face. "Getaway Car" is still a masterpiece and the only reason this isn't my AOTY this year is because Kesha's "Rainbow" exists.
I think this album is better lyrically than a lot of people are giving it credit for. There may not be a Last Kiss or All Too Well but I think it's a very honest record. Like Getaway Car is such a rebound anthem. I don't think her prior image would even really allow her to write a song admitting that. Also like okay in Gorgeous when people complain about her rhyming face with face, it's not like she was in a rut and was like "dang. Can't think of anything that rhymes with face. Guess I'll go with face again." She's obv using it for emphasis in that exclaiming kinda way. I do the same thing when I see Alfonso herrera tbh!!
Agreed about "Gorgeous" 100%. She's really good at matching how she approaches a lyric to the emotion it's describing - being sprung over someone really pretty is very simple, and very basic. I got what she was doing with that song immediately. I assume anyone mad about it has never been able to relate to it. It's like when people called "WANEGBT" immature, I was like... guess you've never been that over someone who always plays you hot and cold. It's relatable.