Shades of Red (Taylor’s Version)
A look back on the Swift re-recording that is much more than just a cry-your-heart out soundtrack.
As we all bask in the greatness that is 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and the emergence of “Tayvis,” we would do well to remember the great acclaim that was the 2021 autumn of Red (Taylor’s Version). The self-proclaimed sad girl autumn album that first released in 2012 was repackaged with a short film, ten “vault” songs, and an era longer than any of the other re-recordings combined.
With each re-recording, Swift must do the impossible: she must toe the line between innovating and building upon fan-favorite classics while also staying true to the works, or face the wrath of devoted fans who, at times, can’t respect the changes she makes to her own music. And the vault tracks must, above all, wow the Swifties and the masses; they must be uncovered gems and buried treasures, and certainly not unfinished pieces that were set aside with good reason. The original Red was the last album of Swift’s I truly enjoyed before joining the Taylor Swift hate train. And while I had been coming back into appreciating her music for a while, Red (Taylor’s Version) truly reignited my love for Swift’s sound and the power of her pen. Here are the highs (and lows) of Red (Taylor’s Version).
The intro to Red (Taylor’s Version) is “State of Grace,” an upbeat track of almost five minutes that introduces Swift’s new sound. Unlike Speak Now, Red takes a step towards the pop scene. While Red (Taylor’s Version) is still considered a country album, the original release of tracks like “State of Grace” foreshadowed a major shift that would, like “hands of fate,” raise Swift to new heights of fame and legend. Immediately you can sense the strengthening of the bass, and the way in which Swift has added dimension with the new technology available to her, ultimately creating a song that mimics love at first sight. It sets the perfect scene for the rest of the album: it is brimming with excitement and anticipation, with a hint of dread for the heartbreak to come. It is the first breeze of autumn with a little chill in the air; the leaves are beginning to turn, but they have yet to fall.
“Red,” the title track, perfectly encompasses the album. It once again leans into the pop bend, but still with hints of a country sound in the chorus, even as the “re-e-e-eds” have become more electronic. This song makes use of simile and metaphor like no other, and elevates them to double meanings that only Swift could formulate.
The big hits with the original release of Red were “22,” “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble,” all fun pop anthems that quickly became fan-favorites, even if a bit overplayed. But on the re-recording, Swift runs into the same problem with all three: overproducing. Each of the “stolen” hits seemed to be her first foray into the use of electronic backing tracks and synths, which came out sounding fresh and new, and it seems like she attempted the same for the Taylor’s Version release. Unfortunately, while the originals were a precursor to her glitzy pop era, all three now have overwhelming levels of synth that, with a good pair of headphones, can even be borderline painful. The synth feels like it’s pushing down on you, and on “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” it is unbearably high-pitched. These songs still stand up as fun danceable tracks, but the overproduction on Red (Taylor’s Version) distracts me from their artistry, and sadly turns three legit pop hits into skips in headphones.
I’ve never been able to get behind “Stay Stay Stay.” It definitely sounds cleaner and more developed on Taylor’s Version, but no amount of vocal maturation can hide the simplistic backing tracks which remind me of the theme song on a kid’s show. There’s no chance this song would stand out on a 30-track album, especially not one with so many heavy hitters. Even among the other bright tracks on the album, it just falls flat to me. It’s definitely a sweet cut, but that’s the problem: it offers very little as to depth, and is generally just a poor show of Swift’s talent. Unfortunately, “Starlight” is another easy skip on the re-record. It has a very different sound from the rest of the album that makes it feel disjointed. It almost sounds like a leftover from Speak Now. With the instrumentals, the more country tone of her voice, and the song itself being about dancing the night away with big dreams, I just hear a wholly unnecessary mix of “Long Live” and “22.” Red has so many strong tracks, to the point that each song has to hold its weight and memorability compared to the last. “Starlight” fails that test.
“Holy Ground” is one of my favorites, though: it’s a fabulous, pop-leaning track that often gets overshadowed by the radio singles. Where “22” was butchered by oppressive synths, the additional backing tracks for this Taylor’s Version actually builds up the song’s kinetic energy. “Holy Ground” feels like youthful, exciting love, and while it speaks more to reminiscing on happier days in a relationship, it’s the kind of song that just requires a dance. “Begin Again” has always been highly underrated as well. I think it pairs well with “Everything Has Changed” (feat. Ed Sheeran), like the continuation of a new, healing relationship. The acoustics are soothingly pared back, and when accompanied with Swift’s crisp vocals, the overall softness of the song makes it so easy to listen to. “Begin Again” leaves me with a feeling of contentment, like a comforting kind of love.
The vault track “Nothing New” (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) is one of my favorite songs on the entire record and Bridgers offers its best feature. Swift plays to the indie singer’s strengths, creating a haunting, almost nostalgic track that devastatingly explores the feeling of falling into irrelevance, especially in an industry that rarely tolerates aging. Everything feels like déja vu: the vocals sound distant and foggy, creating a surreal effect as if time is passing even faster around you. Really, you become so entranced by the music that you too are witnessing the world move on without you, drifting into obscurity, becoming “nothing new.” The second best feature on Red (Taylor’s Version) belongs to Chris Stapleton on “I Bet You Think About Me,” which made a massive splash not just with its vindictive lyrics and unapologetically country sound, but also with its music video rich with splashes of bright reds contrasting with pure whites—not to mention all the usual hints planted for fans. Stapleton’s rasp and Swift’s smooth voice make for a fantastic blend, and their harmonies in the pre-chorus make me incredibly hopeful for the eventual vault releases on Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version) and any other potential collaborations in this duo’s future.
While the majority of its tracks rely more on acoustics and the strength of their visceral lyrics, the vault is rounded out in the addition of two bright and buoyant tracks that feel like precursors to 1989: “Message in a Bottle” and “The Very First Night.” Both tracks succeed where the likes of “22” fail: every aspect of their production feels intentional and necessary. The innovative use of banjo and the highlight on the bass riffs on “The Very First Night” bring life to the song. “Message in a Bottle” has synthesizers that actually enhance the song; they don’t make you feel like you need to lower the volume on your headphones. As happier efforts on this so-called “sad girl” album, I think both of these tracks present a foundation for healing and joy beyond the depressing breakup or cathartic rage tracks that Swift offers otherwise.
Finally, we come to “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” Swift’s longest track in her discography, and easily the most notable release of this era. The extended edition brims with devastation and takes what could already be considered the ultimate breakup song to wild new heights. The track was transitioned into a more electronic song than the acoustic original, but in a way that adapts to the added verses. They seem like they were always there, and they slip by as you get dragged into the gritty details glossed over during the original “All Too Well.” The ten-minute version tears into wrongdoings within a deeply personal, deeply painful relationship. It is loss and betrayal, reflection and growing up, and becoming more and more aware that you were harmed in ways that go beyond simple heartbreak and lovesickness. Swift reaches superhuman levels of increasingly specific storytelling as she recounts how someone she loved so much could have been so harmful. Sure, conventional wisdom says that less is more and that there is magic in simplicity, but in these ten minutes, Swift illustrates the overwhelming power of a maximalist’s broken heart.
As much as I love Red (Taylor’s Version), lots of these tracks run together, and if you don’t have the motivation of a diehard Swiftie, the 130 minute run time may seem like more effort than it’s worth. I certainly thought its length was daunting at first, and sometimes still do. But something about it is compelling. How else would it have claimed a record-breaking 26 spots on the Billboard Hot 100? The reality is that everything on this record feels inextricably intertwined, like essential chapters of a story. The removal of one piece makes it feel incomplete, even if I may be tempted to skip a few.
That said, I think it’s wrongly labeled as a “depressing” album. Red (Taylor’s Version) is more than just sad: it provides a spectrum of dark and light. It isn’t the sad girl autumn anthem—”All Too Well” definitely is—but really, Red is a well-rounded experience that’s tinged with a combination of melancholy and vindication. It captures the feeling that you get when you feel that first cool autumn breeze and the changing of the leaves.
edited by Eva Smolen.
album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.