Re-recording an album has become a piece of cake for Taylor Swift, especially after dropping Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” just months apart in 2021. After 13 years, the singer has now released the reimagined edition of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” her beloved third record about the hardships of becoming an adult.
What made this era so special back in 2010 was Swift’s ability to relate to her fanbase, especially as a young woman cataloging her musical and personal lives between the ages of 18 and 20. This duality became the heart of the singer’s songwriting, captivating fans with her lyrics about heartbreak, nostalgia, love and angst.
This time around, Swift has proven that the magic within this album never died out, continuing to live on in classics such as “Mine” and “Back To December.” With these two songs specifically, you can already hear how much the singer’s vocals have improved, which is no surprise with the major time gap in between release dates. This strength remains at the forefront of this new version, still reminiscent of 2010s country music.
While songs such as “Mean” and “Sparks Fly” have lost Swift’s country twang in their production, Swift still sounds like she did 13 years ago, which is notable after many tracks such as “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “22” from her previous re-recording had several flaws with her delivery and vocal strength.
Even with some subtle changes, fans simply can’t be disappointed when they hear arguably one of Swift’s most famous breakup songs, “Dear John.” Written from the point of view of a betrayed lover, the singer transports back to a time in her life where her anger was all consuming, especially towards a certain celebrity of the title’s same name. Overall, it’s a high point in “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” far better than its former sound.
Of course, this review has to mention the elephant in the room: Swift changing the lyrics to “Better Than Revenge.” An infamous yet powerful rock ballad about competing with another love interest, the singer switched out the lyric, “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress” to “He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches.”
After listening to this track, it makes sense why Swift decided to change its lyrics. A feminist at heart and in the public eye, the singer clearly proved again her maturity and strength by pulling this move, being that the song was controversial from its fruition. All in all, it was the right decision, not causing the album to lose its momentum moving forward.
“Ours” and “Long Live” are some of the closing tracks that allow for this new version to emit a sense of deja vu as Swift sings about the ups and downs of love, as well as her hopes for the future. The latter feels like a coming home for the singer, as she now is one of the most successful pop stars in the world, and one can’t help but get emotional when listening to this song again.
Following the original tracklist comes the “vault tracks,” which Swift calls the songs that did not make it on her albums the first time around. Usually, this is where the singer surprises all fans with a banger or two, evident with past tracks such as “I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton)” from “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and “Mr. Perfectly Fine” from “Fearless (Taylor’s Version).”
On this album, Swift recruited talent from the emo-punk scene to sing along with her, including Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams from Paramore. Stump is featured on “Electric Touch” while Williams is on “Castles Crumbling,” and the latter is one of her best collaborations to date. With a powerhouse vocalist like Williams, she lets Swift remain in control of the narrative, and their voices meld so perfectly together as a result.
Other notable mentions are for sure “I Can See You,” for which Swift released the music video last week during her “Eras Tour” stop in Kansas City, Kansas. A much more upbeat pop record, this song at the time it was written most likely hinted at the singer’s longing to open to fans about her intimate relationships, especially as someone going into their 20s.
Lastly, “When Emma Falls in Love” is a track that potentially alludes to actors Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield’s former relationship, and is a sweet and fun song that sees Swift compare herself to Stone’s way of loving someone else.
In the end, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” is not only refreshing, but a strong sign that Taylor Swift has regained control of her career and vision for the future. From now on, nobody will remember the old version of this album, as its follow-up is worlds apart from the person the singer once was.
Rating : 5/5
