Speak Now

Perhaps no other artist today presents such a remarkable success story as Taylor Swift. At only 20-years-old, she has won Grammies, CMT awards, and MTV awards to name a few. She has broken the record for the number of singles by a female artist to debut at #1. More than Mariah Carey or Madonna. She's gone platinum on all her albums (undoubtedly including this one). And what's so incredible is she did it all on the merit of the music itself, not on her sex appeal (although she is pretty, you won't see her pole dancing or sporting black leather or pretty much anything besides cute dresses, unlike Rihanna, Gaga, or...dare we say it...her once-competitor Miley Cyrus). She's full of girl-next-door charm and her music is written and sung from the heart, full of emotion and passion. It amazes me how Swift speaks the language of the ordinary person. She says everything we want to say but can't or don't dare. Maybe that's why so many people (granted, the vast majority are under the age of 30) gravitate to her. With her third major album (if you don't count "Beautiful Eyes") Taylor holds onto the formula that helped make her famous, catchy love songs, whether they be roll-your-windows-down, summer anthems (Our Song, Love Story) or breakup ballads that make you want to sit down on the edge of your bed and just cry (Tim McGraw, White Horse). And of course the angst-ridden revenge threats (Picture to Burn). All of these are present and accounted for in "Speak Now" but there's also a surprising element of plain human songs about life. After all, Taylor is growing up. And so are her fans. Those high school student who followed her when she first made her debut at age 16 are now graduated and in college, experiencing a totally different aspect of life. There's a lot a new experiences and new feelings, a sort of initiation into adulthood. And sometimes it's hard. I know because I'm one of them. That's why the mention of new apartments in the big city and growing up are driven home for me. Musically, there's a lot that is the same, but there's plenty that show's Taylor's evolving style. Perhaps the biggest surprise is her vocal performance. I've finally heard what I've been waiting four years to hear: her belting out a song. I'm honestly impressed. She's finally a good singer. But then again, a lot of her previous material didn't really require a huge set of pipes. Alright, all the generalities aside, let's get down to the songs themselves. "Mine" is the first single. I think it's supposed to be the "Love Story" of the album, but personally I wasn't as impressed with it. There seems to be no difference, no creativity. Raidio-friendly, but not my favorite. 3/5 "Sparks Fly" is much the same, relying on generic hooks. The lyrics are good. I hate to say this, but it sounds similar to "Fearless" from her last album. It's too bad Taylor went formulaic on these two. 3/5 "Back to December" is the first song that grabbed my attention. It's recounts the meeting of former lovers after being apart for a while. She sings about how if she could she'd go "back to December" and change her mind. The words and music are paired beautifully. 5/5 "Speak Now". Oh where do I start? This is a breath of fresh air after the Tayloresque first two singles. Granted, it's about Taylor stealing the groom from the altar, which I can actually see her doing. But if you take it as a fantasy vs reality, it's really enjoyable. I think I'm sensing a little Ocean City musical inspiration, at least in the verses, which is a refreshing sound for her. 4/5 "Dear John" is a heartbreaking letter to an old boyfriend about their dysfunctional relationship and how hurt she is. I can really close my eyes and feel the music. It's bare and honest, but sad. 4/5 "Mean" made me laugh. It's probably the most country-sounding song of the album. It's not obsessive (thankfully). It's basically her telling this bully off. My favorite line is when she pictures him in the future, "Drunk and rolling on about how I can't sing". Take that, critics! I liked it. It's a nice sound for her. 4/5 "Story of Us" is not one of my favorites. It's a breakup song but, again, it's formulaic, the lyrics not even as good as "Mine" or "Speak Now". Musically, it reminds me of "The Outside" from her debut album. 2/5 "Never Grow Up" is perhaps my personal favorite, definitely of the album, possibly of all her songs. She speaks about growing up from experience, urging children never to grow up and to stay simple and innocent. The third verse is exactly where I am in life and it's very personal. I've listened to it maybe a half-dozen times and I've cried every single time. Once in public and once while I was driving, so beware. This is embarrassing seeing as I'm a guy. 10/5 "Enchanted". This is a real stand out track to me. It's about a stranger she meets and feels this enchantment towards. It's the beautiful, pure romance like this that make me like Taylor so much. On top of that, it's musically one of the most impressive songs. Practically flawless. 5/5 "Better Than Revenge". Oh my gosh this is interesting. Ok first of all, it's an aggressively obsessive song about getting even with the girl who stole her boy. It features some surprising lyrics: "She's better known for the things that she does on the mattress". Musically, she remind me of Avril Lavigne to which is scary. It's energetic and well-produced, and I guess the album wouldn't be considered Taylor Swift without a revenge anthem like this but it's not what I love about Taylor. 3/5 "Innocent" is a beautiful song about life. Everyone has messed up. Everyone, to one point or another, is haunted by their past. We all long for peace with ourselves. Taylor takes on the role of compassionate friend who makes you believe in yourself again. A really sad, but encouraging song. 5/5 "Haunted" is a very interesting direction for Taylor. As you can probably tell by the title, it is darker and semi-tragic. The vocals almost remind me of Paramore. It might be her best performance of the album. She really belts it out. The arrangement is creative as well. 4/5 "Last Kiss" is well-written. She does a good job at creating a mood and atmosphere. It's another heartbreaking breakup song, very easy to listen to. 4/5 "Long Live" is a tribute to her band. Love love the songwriting, using heroic visuals (heroes, crowns, dragons, kings and queens). It's an anthem to believing in yourself and taking on the obstacles as a team. I can definitely see it going into a lot of home-made slideshows of girl's soccer teams. I love it. 5/5 Overall, not a disappointment at all. It's hard to compare it to her previous albums because there are songs from each that I really love. But I'm happy to say that Taylor succeeded. She kept some vintage style that will be sure to please her fans, while maturing both in themes and vocals. This is a powerhouse album that you won't regret buying.

I have to admit, when I first listened to this album I was not impressed at all. I kept going through the songs, wondering when I would get to one that I actually liked. But like most albums I buy, after a few listens, I was hooked, and now I am convinced that this is one of the best albums of the year. Not only has Taylor Swift's voice matured greatly, her songwriting has become so much better. I still love all her songs from "Taylor Swift" and "Fearless", but I feel as if now, more than ever, is the perfect time for Taylor Swift's songs to change. There are so many well-written, well-thought out songs on this album... 1. Mine- It took me a couple of listens to really get into this song, but I love it. The lyrics are great and they go well with the music. It's not my favorite song on the CD, however, nor is it my favorite of Taylor's singles. 4/5 2. Sparks Fly- Such a catchy song. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the next single. I think everyone can relate to this song at some point in time. Perfect single material. 5/5 3. Back to December- At first listen, I was not impressed with this song. I thought it sounded so typical and overdone. But the more I listened, the more I realized that this is among Taylor's best. The lyrics are so well written, they go perfectly with the music. This song is very well penned. 4. Speak Now- I didn't like this song at all the first time I heard it. It's still not one of my favorites, but it's grown on me. It's cute and has snarky, clever lyrics. 4/5 5. Dear John- Wow. This song is amazing. It really tugs at your heart. I admire Taylor so much for writing a song about John Mayer and being shameless about it. Everything from the oh-so-familiar guitar wailing at the beginning to the clever words to Taylor's flawless vocal makes this song one of her best. 5/5 6. Mean- Another song that had to grow on me, but I like it now. Reminds me of older Taylor Swift. Catchy and funny to sing with someone in mind. 4.5/5 7. The Story of Us- Another one that was supposedly written about John Mayer. This song is easy to relate to for anyone. It's catchy. Could be a single. 5/5 8. Never Grow Up- The more I listen to it, the more I like it. The simplicity of the song is so sweet- just guitars and Taylor singing. Cute song. 4/5 9. Enchanted- Not only is this my favorite song off the album, it's also probably my favorite Taylor song ever. Everything about this song is perfect. The lyrics portray and innocence we can all relate to and the music is fairytale-like. The song is almost 6 minutes long but I enjoy every single second. The song is just a masterpiece. 5+/5 10. Better Than Revenge- It's obvious that Taylor had Paramore's "Misery Business" in mind when writing this song- it's basically the story from the other girl's point of view. It works so well though. The song is catchy and clever. I especially like at the end when Taylor sings "Show me how much better you are"- a reference to the Jonas Brother song. 5/5 11. Innocent- While I like the theme of this song, it's still taking some time to grow on me. Another song I admire, though, just for who it's written to and what Taylor has to say to him. 4/5 12. Haunted- It's still growing on me. I feel like the theme of "Haunted" has been overdone though- the dissonant strings, the hard guitars, and the loud vocals. It just seems overdone. 3.5/5 13. Last Kiss- Probably the only song I ever skip. It drones on and it's much too long for a song with so little material. 3/5 14. Long Live- Reminds me of "Change". A song about overcoming obstacles and breaking down barriers. It's growing on me, but it also seems overdone. 4/5

"Speak Now" is Taylor Swift's recent musical creation that is very original, creative, upbeat, and left me feeling very peaceful and content. You can really feel her happiness and enthusiasm through her singing in this collection such as in the musical numbers of "Mine" and "Enchanted". Most of the songs are very upbeat, but even the more solemn songs make you think such as "Haunted". Watching the music video to "Mine" compelled me to buy this collection because the song is both serious and happy at the same time. The seriousness side is regarding the song's meaning where her and the person she falls in love with navigates the practical realities of life (where she sings about living together, and singing about paying the bills). The happy part is how the challenges of navigating this only brought them closer together (there is a part in the song where she sings about a fight at 230am, and just when she thought the relationship was over, he (the person she fell in love with) reassures her that he plans to stay with her even in spite of the challenges. This is why I say that "Mine" is a song that has a serious undertone, but is also happy and beautiful at the same time. Most of the songs on the cd are very good. The only song that I have to admit that I must give more of a chance is "Last Kiss". "Last Kiss" is ok, but is definitely a song that I would have to play more to enjoy (although there may be others reading this who are going to love "Last Kiss"). My favorite songs in this collection are "Enchanted", "Better Than Revenge", and "Sparks Fly". "Enchanted" is a very beautiful song about her developing intense feelings for someone that she connects to on a deep level who captivates her (hence her saying I was enchanted to meet you). "Better Than Revenge" is a creative musical number about how people can be much more powerful and stronger than what they appear to be on the surface. Truthfully, Taylor does sing about taking revenge on another female that may have been unaware of her power and more from an intent to give her a taste of her own medicine, (not from a physical or dangerous perspective). "Better Than Revenge" is a great musical pop, country, and rock hybrid (the guitar sounds used in the song are very enjoyable). However, my overall favorite song in this collection is the very happy, uplifting, and fun "Sparks Fly". "Sparks Fly" is a fantastic song about how someone gives her the butterflies and a feeling of romantic excitement just from smiling at her. She sings this song so joyfully and passionately that you really get the sense of a happy soul singing about a person that makes her feel alive. I say to definitely consider getting this collection if you like any of the following songs: "Teardrops on my Guitar", "Lovestory", and/or "Mine". Fortunately, she is going to perform in the area that I live the summer of 2011. I definitely intend to go to her concert

One of my favorite albums. I love how magical it is.

You can see in previous Taylor Swift reviews, that I thought her lyrics were a little on the childish side and that I hoped they would evolve with her. With this CD, I got my wish. Her lyrics appear to honestly reflect who she is. And if that's true, she's not always a good person. But emotionally, she's very deep. And she's not ashamed for people to know what's in her heart. I've had this CD since it became available on Amazon. I was listening to it on the way home today, trying to figure out what about it was different from any other CD I've ever listened to, and it hit me: Every song is like a painting. This CD is a masterpiece, and it firmly cements Taylor Swift's place in the world as a true artist. With this CD, Taylor puts her heart on her sleeve, and stands there in tears, candidly presenting herself without holding back, and without affectation. In The Girl in the Dress (and in Dear John) she shamelessly presents her pain, without judgment or anger, to a past lover. In Back to December, she talks about her mistakes and blames herself for the heartbreak she has caused. In Speak Now she's a young woman who shamelessly, selfishly and publicly stops a wedding to run off with the groom, because she knows she's a better match than the jilted bride. In Mean, she taunts a bully. A bully who called her a bad singer, no less. Taylor's lyrics are more literal and direct than most artists', in my opinion. That's especially true with this CD. I don't see much symbolism - the songs mean what they mean. But that doesn't keep my imagination from getting involved. To the contrary, the CD weaves a beautiful, aching, emotional tapestry of loves had, loves lost, revenge and humor. It's just too wonderful to describe. This collection makes me feel good. And sometimes sad, though still in a good way. She's still young, and she has a long career ahead of her. But this CD is so good, I fear it could be her best work ever. I hope she doesn't get lazy like a lot of singers and start buying her lyrics from other songwriters. Because her wonderful voice and her unique, honest lyrics belong together. With "Speak Now," she proves herself to be not just a great singer, but one of the greatest artists of our time. Before this CD, I was sort of fan. Now I'm completely hooked. If you only have one Taylor Swift album, this is it.

DON'T LISTEN TO THE REVIEWS THAT SAY BAD THING ABOUT THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS I HAVE EVER LISTENED TO IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE REPLAYED IT SO MANY UNCOUNTABLE TIMES IN MY CD PLAYER AND WHEN SOMEONE TELLS ME TO TURN IT DOWN OR OFF, I TURN TO MY IPOD (WHICH HAS ALL OF THE SONGS ON IT, BTW) HERE ARE THE RATINGS OF EACH SONG............... Mine- amazing, as most Taylor Swift song are. 5/5 Sparks Fly- aammaazziinngg! really sweet. 5/5 Back To December- a really beautiful song with rumors going around that she wrote it about Taylor Lautner. I believe those rumors because in the song, she sings "I miss your tan skin." totally Taylor L. he played Jacob in the Twilight movies. Jacob is tan. She is apologizing to him for breaking up with him.4/5 Speak Now- Amazing! a great song about barging in on a wedding to tell the guy that he is marrying the wrong girl and he realizes that and says hes glad she came. 5/5 Dear John- This one is just okay.........Joe Jonas got off easy! I usually skip this track, it's almost 7 minutes long! 3/5 The Story Of Us- A break-up rock song. I love this track! 5/5 Never Grow Up- Great, but it's a little slow for me. i usually listen to it, but I'm a little to impatient for the next track.............4/5 Enchanted- I LOVE THIS SONG! It' s about meeting the guy and falling for him, even though you don't know when you're going to see him again. really sweet. 5/5 Better Than Revenge- Who doesn't want a little revenge in life? A great song about wanting revenge on the girl that stole your boyfriend and telling him how the girl isn't good for anyone. 5/5 Innocent- The song written to Kanye West after he interrupted her speech about how happy she felt after winning an award. He had said that he wanted Beyonce to win. She is singing about how she forgives him and how he's "32 and still growing up." 5/5 Haunted- THIS SONG SHOULD WIN AN AWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's saying how the guy she likes turned on her and is gone but she won't let go. she claims how "something keeps me holding on to nothing." 5/5 Last Kiss- I feel the same way about this one as I do with Never Grow Up. I just can't wait for the next track.................3/5 Long Live- This one it the 14th track on the disk and is an amazing finish, like Change on her Fearless album, great ending song! It's About this guy she used to like but she can't see him again and she's remembering all the fun they had pretending to fight dragons and how the pretended that they were the king and queen. p.s.- Taylor Swift wrote all 14 song on this album without any co-writers

Before I start talking about the album, I should note that this review is for the double vinyl LP of Taylor Swift's "Speak Now". The vinyl is heavy weight (I wouldn't be surprised if this was 180 gram vinyl) and the packaging consists of a high quality gatefold jacket, covered with bright pictures and song lyrics. However, the sound of the music on the vinyl itself is very poor. The first song on side A, "Mine," sounds acceptable, however, not perfect. As the album wears on, the imperfections laying in the vinyl transfer become more and more apparent. Distorted and hissy, the songs play back with a little less life than on the CD or even MP3. The vinyl was released just a month after the actual CD came out, leading me (at least) to believe that the production on this was rushed, in an effort to cash in on the growing vinyl trend. While it feels good to have Taylor on vinyl, it is quite unsatisfying when it just sounds so bad. In summary, great package, poor sound quality. Let's just hope that Big Machine takes notice of these problems and will keep them out of the pressing of Taylor's next record, or even her previous records. I, for one, would love to own "Fearless" on vinyl. The music itself is worth discussing. Taylor Swift, the pop-country princess that we all met on her self-titled debut back in 2006, has grown up. The list of boys that she has been involved with has gotten larger, and so has her musical ambition. While many complain of the lyrical themes that she chooses to include in her songs, many of the motifs here have been subdued. Taylor Swift has always been introspective. Flashes of other people's interaction with her inspire what she writes about, but it is still introspective. Yes, even with the first song, she brings up that 2(:30) AM concept that she writes about all the time, but at the same time, what if Springsteen stopped singing about cars and radios? Things like that establish the artist as to who they are and what they romanticize. Taylor wrote these songs, not those critics in the audience. Talk to her after you've co-written a song as successful as "You Belong with Me." With "Speak Now," the 21 year-old allows herself to stretch out and lets the music grow along with it. There are more strings, more instrumentation, more elaborate song structures... One listen of the song "Haunted," and it becomes clear that Swift is taking risks and challenging her listeners. This isn't a bad thing, but it's definitely different. The simple pop jangle (as heard in past songs like "Our Song" and "Tell Me Why") is harder to find on this album. It's shrouded in Swift's stabs at musical maturity, which works more times than not, such as "Mean" and arguably the album's best song, "Enchanted." There are still flashes of youth, from mid-song giggles and a song ending with Swift declaring, "The end," but it is hard to decide, even after a whole year of listening to the album, whether or not this change in Taylor Swift is welcome. "Never Grow Up," one of the album's less engaging tracks, begins as a one-way conversation to a young child, and evolves into a full-fledged letter to Taylor herself, reminding herself to hold onto the things that made her feel young. However the songs on "Speak Now" suggest that her coming of age has been a bit uncomfortable, as she skyrocketed into fame and maintained a long string of very public relationships, and to an extent, her coming of age feels contrived. You feel that Taylor is stuck in between what she knows and what would WOW her audience. While that's definitely not a bad thing, this album serves as a fine testament to where she is in her career. Taylor really lets her voice shine on this album, something that sort of falls by the wayside on other releases. Her leap into maturity is a good first step, but she has yet to find the perfect balance being ambitious, while also being good at what she knows she's good at--genuine, simple pop songs about love. If this is her transitional album from the simple and familiar into the more complex and elaborate, then I cannot wait for what Taylor Swift will come up with next.

AMAZING CONDITION!!! Bought Used - Very Good and it’s almost new!!! Both cds work wonderfully and the jewel case came slightly cracked, but overall great condition for a used cd