The country starlet everyone loves and adores is back with a brand new album announcement and lead single. Taylor Swift, multi-platinum selling artist, has returned to the music scene with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", the first single off her upcoming October 22 album, Red. The single is her first since her two contributions to the Hunger Games film soundtrack.
The new track took me by surprise, for good and bad reasons. The song shows a change in sound for the artist. An artist who has slowly been shedding her strict country roots. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" could be a new pop song from Katy Perry or Ke$ha. Speaking of Ke$ha, that is exactly who Swift sounds like and seems to be imitating on this break-up single.
I have never been a die-hard Swift fan, to me her best release is still "Back To December", but I do appreciate her changing up her image and style. However, the new music direction does not suit her too well. The songwriting is a bit mediocre and throwing in the spoken word portions just strengthens the Ke$ha connections that I do not view as a compliment.
Sure, girls will fall in love with the subject matter, it will go to number one as well, but is it a great song? Swift has been known for her public break-ups, but you think she could come up with a better way to show her frustration. The song is indeed filled with some sass and attitude, but it is not enough to warrant another listen. The chorus is the highlight, that is not even perfect, and the verses seem to be ripped straight from a diary. I am trying not to harsh on this new pop-sounding Taylor, but I really only like pieces of this offering.
C+
My "Fuck U Betta" songstress has returned with a more PG-13 offering and it is hot and everything pop music should be. "Gold" is the name of Neon Hitch's new single, presumably off her upcoming debut album, and it shows the fiery redhead going in more of a lovey dovey direction than a hot in the bedroom approach. It is sugary sweet and already on repeat in my head.
What quickly drew my attention to the track was the fact that I felt as if I was watching the movie Clueless, the scenes where they are all together taking photos together and Alicia Silverstone is trying to hook Brittany Murphy's character up. You know what I'm talking about? No? Ok then moving on. The song just carries an airy, 90s feel and I can't stop listening.
Here Neon Hitch is showcasing a softer, tame vocal performance and it goes with the underlining message of the song. Telling someone that they shine like gold has probably already been done before in a song, but Neon makes it sound new. Yes, some lines in the song are pretty cheesy and amateurish, particularly the ones referencing cheetahs and Tylenol, but it's still fun.
If I had one problem with the project, it would be the added rap verse from Tyga, a rapper I do not have anything nice to say about. Hopefully Neon and her label will get smart and omit his verse from the radio version of the new single. Kind of like Maroon 5 did to Wiz Khalifa on "Payphone". If Neon's talents alone were not enough to sell the gorgeous track, maybe the fact that "Gold" was written by singer-songwriter Bruno Mars will help a little more. I mean Mars did write Adam Lambert's "Never Close Our Eyes". Both track are pop gold!
B+
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