Here`s

Taylor
in transition
cover story
What do you think about Taylor’s latest album? Tweet us @mashchicago.
TRACK 13:
ONLINE
Taylor’s sound isn’t the only thing
that’s evolved. See how her style
has changed over the years in our
photo gallery at
bit.ly/TswiftStyle.
“Clean”
The album ends on an interesting
note. “Clean” wraps up the tracklist—and Taylor’s story—with a
positive message. There are light
and dark elements to this song:
“Rain came pouring down when
I was drowning. That’s when I
could finally breathe.” The beautiful ballad reminds us that there
is light after the storm, and that
breakups are just part of growing
up. —BRONSON
The Mash
TRACK 3:
“Style”
TRACK 5:
Taylor Swift is hardly a one-note artist. She may have entered the music scene as
a heartbroken country princess, but when she dropped “1989” earlier this week,
Swift debuted her darker side. The 24-year-old jumps from pop-infused
tracks like “Shake It Off ” to deeper, emotional ballads like “This Love.”
We assembled a panel and set them loose on this album. They decided
which Taylor each song represented: her light or dark side.
“All You Had to Do Was Stay”
TRACK 7:
“I Wish You Would”
Taylor throws listeners another dark, nostalgic track
about lost love. Written with Fun’s Jack Antonoff, the
song is about wishing a relationship had never ended.
Taylor goes back to her roots with this lyric-heavy song
with lines like, “It’s 2 a.m., in my room. Headlights pass
the windowpane, I think of you.” –SANJANA
TRACK 9:
Sanjana Srinivasan,
Samantha English,
Bronson Roseboro,
Maggie Harden,
HINSDALE CENTRAL
JONES
MORGAN PARK
VERNON HILLS
Swift kicks off her new album with a not-soTaylor track. “Welcome to New York” boasts
a synthesized beat, sophisticated sound and
subject matter that doesn’t hang on a guy. In
a way, she’s introducing us to the new Taylor,
an adult musician “searching for a sound we
hadn’t heard before” in a city that’s always
changing. It’s clear that her days of girly country music are gone, but there’s still a sliver of
idealism in there. —SAMANTHA
TRACK 8:
“Bad Blood”
At first, the lyrics make us think Taylor is taking us to the dark side, but the catchy, upbeat
instrumentals prove otherwise. This track tells
the story of a backstabbing friend (rumor has it
Katy Perry may be the subject): “You say sorry
just for show. If you live like that, you live with
ghosts.” Although Taylor is famous for singing
about her exes, this girl-fight song reminds us
of her 2010 hit “Mean.” —MAGGIE
This track is reminiscent of “All
Too Well,” a song from Taylor’s last
album, “Red.” It tells a complex story
of love that was “built to fall apart.”
The relationship she describes is
multidimensional—the pair goes
through ups and downs only to discover that their “monsters turned out
to be just trees.” While she doesn’t
seem totally heartbroken, Taylor
makes us wonder if she’s really out of
the woods. —SAMANTHA
This song showcases Taylor’s dark side. She sings about a failed relationship that could have been saved if the guy had just stuck around—that’s
the Taylor we know. “I’ve been picking up the pieces of the mess you made.
People like you always want back the love they pushed aside,” she croons.
Lines like these are reminiscent of Taylor’s early country ballads, but the
pop-inspired sound makes it brand new. —SANJANA
MASH MUSIC PANEL
TRACK 1: “Welcome to New York”
TRACK 4: “Out of the Woods”
There’s unexpected depth to this seemingly upbeat song. Through her lyrics,
Taylor explains that a relationship can’t
be judged purely on looks—love is much
deeper and darker than that. Perhaps
the most revealing lines are about
confronting the male subject of the
song (rumored to be ex Harry Styles): “I
heard that you been out and about with
some other girl. He says ‘What you’ve
heard is true, but I can’t stop thinking
about you.’ ” —SAMANTHA
TRACK 2:
“Blank Space”
Although the second track is marked
with Taylor’s sassy flare, it makes us
think she’s been taking notes from
friend Lorde. In “Blank Space,” we’re
confronted with the girl who plays with
the players. She’s their “nightmare
dressed like a daydream” with a “long
list of ex-lovers.” Taylor is making a
victory game out of devotion, which
differs from her heartbroken past. Quite
frankly, it’s freeing. —SAMANTHA
“Wildest Dreams”
Some have already dubbed this song a Lana del Rey
rip-off, but “Wildest Dreams” stands on its own. Sure,
the chorus (“Say you’ll remember me standing in a nice
dress … red lips and rosy cheeks”) and haunting instrumentals are spot-on Lana—but Taylor’s touch is evident
throughout. She shows us her dark side while still making herself totally relatable. –MAGGIE
TRACK 6: “Shake It Off”
The album’s debut single definitely
represents Taylor’s light and bright
side. “Shake It Off” has an insanely catchy beat that’s practically
made for radio. Taylor pokes fun
at herself, putting the rumors and
gossip on blast: “I go on too many
dates, but I can’t make ‘em stay.
At least that’s what people say,”
she sings. The chorus reminds
us of her new life motto—she’s
shaking off the haters and fakes.
TRACK 11:
“This Love”
This track takes a deeper look at the emotional connection and support you lose in a breakup. “Clear
blue water … came and brought you in. … Skies grew
darker, currents swept you out again,” Taylor sings.
There’s no blame game, no accusations—just heartache. And by the end of the song, you’ll probably find
yourself taking Taylor’s side. –BRONSON
—SANJANA
TRACK 10: “How You Get the Girl”
TRACK 12:
Taylor’s voice is the main focus of this song,
which is a nice surprise considering some of
the beat-heavy tracks on this album. It’s light,
airy and easy to listen to—even though the
subject matter is slightly ironic: “Broke your
heart, I’ll put it back together. I would wait
forever and ever.” There’s nothing weighing
this song down. —MAGGIE
Light Taylor
Taylor Swift
GETTY IMAGES PHOTO
ABC PHOTO
dark Taylor
“I Know Places”
The verses of this song are set to a cool, crisp
beat, allowing Taylor to explore her edgy
side. She sings about running from prying
eyes and keeping the details of a relationship
secret: “Something happens when everybody finds out. See the vultures circling dark
clouds.” This track gives us a peek into her
rebellious, secretive side. —BRONSON
NEW ALBUM,
NEW SOUND
Who helped T-Swift make “1989” into the slick
pop number that it is? Here’s a who’s-who guide of
album collaborators.
Max Martin: This Swedish
songwriter and producer
has been on the scene since
the mid ‘90s when he was
penning hits like “…Baby
One More Time” for Britney
Spears and “I Want It That Way”
for The Backstreet Boys. He worked with Swift
on three songs for her album “Red” (“I Knew You
Were Trouble,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back
Together” and “22”), but for “1989,” he had a hand
in nine of the 13 songs, including the first single,
“Shake It Off.”
Shellback: Another Swedish
producer who regularly works
with Max Martin. You might
recognize their collaboration in
another hit this year—Ariana
Grande’s “Problem.” Shellback
snagged co-writer credit for six
tracks on “1989.”
Jack Antonoff: Swift may be besties with
“Girls” star Lena Dunham, but it’s
Dunham’s boyfriend who helps
her pen songs. Antonoff rose
to fame as the lead guitarist for the band Fun before
releasing new music this year
with Bleachers, his indie-pop
side project. Antonoff helped
write “Out of the Woods” and “I Wish You Would.”
Ryan Tedder: Best known as
the frontman of OneRepublic,
Tedder has also seen success
as a songwriter for artists like
Beyonce, One Direction and
Adele. In the past year, four
of his songs have become Top
40 hits. For Swift’s “1989,” Tedder
helped write “Welcome to New York” and “I Know
Places.”
Imogen Heap: An English singersongwriter known as one half of
the duo Frou Frou (“Let Go”)
and for her solo work (“Hide
and Seek”). She helped write
and is featured on “Clean,” the
final track of “1989.” She’s the
only artist besides Swift whose
vocals are featured on the album.
GETTY IMAGES PHOTOS, MARATONE.SE PHOTO