Rewind, Relisten, Review: ‘Taylor Swift’

A retrospective of Taylor Swift’s debut self-titled album. PHOTO CREDIT: buzzfeed.com

Fans are excited for Taylor Swift’s latest album, “Midnights,” and understandably so. But what about the “old” Taylor?

Don’t get me wrong, “Midnights” is in the streak of equally great albums Swift has released in the past two years or so, all of which have experimented with a wide range of new sounds. But more than that, “Midnights” might (very arguably) be remembered as Swift’s best pop record since 2012’s “Red.”
While Swift continues to write confessional lyrics over new beats, true Swifties will never forget the strides that she made years ago.

Before the alternative rock sound of “Folklore,” the dream-pop of “Lover” and even her seminal album, “Red,” Swift was the biggest country star of the early ‘00s. 

In 2006, Swift released her debut self-titled album, which, funnily enough, doesn’t sound like it was produced by the same person. Taylor Swift is about as country as it gets. Its very first track is literally titled “Tim McGraw,” named after one the best-selling country artists in history. The hour-long album features other hits such as “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “Tied Together With a Smile.”

Chillingly old cliches aside, Swift’s first album did stand out stylistically from other contemporary country albums at the time. As a young teen making country music, Swift brought many new ideas to the rather tired genre, along with a much younger audience who began listening to country. 

If there’s one thing that’s constant about Swift’s music, It’s her famous (or infamous) personal style of songwriting, and it’s sure enough all over this album. Each song is full of heartbreak, unrequited love, and, of course, lots of references to Nashville, Tennessee. I doubt that many young fans struggled to connect with her music, however. Swift’s lyrics, although lacking in depth, work well enough so that fans can lose themselves in the music.

Sonically, the album is unfortunately rather outdated. There’s no mistaking it: This album definitely came out in 2006. Its sound is composed mostly of acoustic instruments, including banjos and guitars. Paired with Swift’s southern vocal delivery, the result is radio-friendly music that I could listen to for a quick laugh because of how trite it comes across today. 

“Taylor Swift” doesn’t necessarily sound bad; it’s simply just tired. The album isn’t strictly country, as it does contain elements of pop music, which would influence a new crossover sub-genre, country pop; perhaps the biggest contribution to mainstream country music this album has made. 

It’s interesting to see how far Swift has come. From “Taylor Swift” to “Midnights,” Swift’s musical evolution is akin to reading a diary and witnessing the many phases she’s gone through.

Though I can’t say I miss the old Taylor, her self-titled album is ultimately less relevant because Swift grew up. While I don’t think all of her efforts since then were great (yes, I’m talking about “Lover,”) her music is more meaningful and mature with each passing album, to the point where it makes “Taylor Swift” look amateur in comparison. Regardless, the album is a fun listen. 6/10.