Music review: Taylor Swift 鈥� 鈥楻eputation鈥�
Let鈥檚 face it, our little girl is growing up so fast. Taylor Swift has come a long way from her days as a country sweetheart on her self-titled debut. At the time, Swift was a 16-year-old singer-songwriter embracing her Nashville surroundings.
The Pennsylvania native continued her country leanings with 2008鈥檚 鈥淔earless.鈥� A year later, Swift was rudely pushed into music history when Kanye West hijacked her acceptance speech for 鈥淵ou Belong to Me鈥� at the MTV Video Music Awards. That incident seemed to be a defining moment for Swift鈥檚 blossoming career.
With the release of 2012鈥檚 鈥淩ed,鈥� Swift began her transformation from country superstar to pop sensation. Her next effort, 鈥�1989,鈥� shook off Swift鈥檚 country roots with slick and infectious tracks like 鈥淲elcome to New York,鈥� 鈥淏lank Space,鈥� and of course, 鈥淪hake It Off.鈥�
With 鈥淩eputation,鈥� Swift鈥檚 sixth studio release is one fearless statement about confidently embracing the trappings of success both professionally and personally.
鈥溾�eady for It?鈥� kicks off the 15-track set with an ominous bass groove mixed with a pulsating electronic beat that reveals Swift鈥檚 urge to go after what she wants without regret. I must confess, Swift sounds an awful lot like a boisterous Avril Lavigne (not a bad thing) as Swift announces, 鈥淏aby, let the games begin.鈥�
鈥淓nd Game鈥� finds Swift getting attention from Future and Ed Sheeran as Future sings, 鈥淵ou so dope鈥� and Swift adding, 鈥淚 wanna be your A-Team.鈥� I certainly pity the fool that dares to mess with Swift.
On 鈥淚 Did Something Bad,鈥� Swift does something bad by dropping her first swear word as she demonstrates that she can handle her own battles all by herself. Yes, she may have done something bad, but why does it feel so good?
The innocent country girl from earlier albums makes a brief appearance on the album鈥檚 final cut. 鈥淣ew Year鈥檚 Day鈥� is a stripped-down track featuring Swift reminiscing about holding on closely to the memories we make.
Great memories will certainly be made when Swift arrives in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on Aug. 7 for a performance that is sure to reinforce her reputation as one of the biggest stars in music today.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.