Have no fear, Taylor is here: A review of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”

BY ARIELLE KRAUS

It’s 2008. You’re driving with your friends while blasting and singing along to Taylor Swift’s latest hit song, “Love Story.” Now, it’s 2021 and yet you’re doing the exact same thing.

How did this happen? How did Swift’s masterpiece of an album, “Fearless,” make a comeback 13 years later and still live up to its beauty and excellence?

Well, it all had to do with complications with her label. At the young age of 16, Swift signed with Big Machine Label. Because of this, her first six albums are owned by this company and they have the right to sell Swift’s work without her direct approval. 

Additionally, the albums landed in the hands of music manager Scooter Braun, an individual who Swift has publicly stated her views against. Swift claimed Braun engaged in “incessant, manipulative bullying” and did not include her in the decisions made to acquire her music rights. 

How did Swift’s masterpiece of an album, “Fearless,” make a comeback 13 years later and still live up to its beauty and excellence?

To combat these problems, Swift decided to re-record her albums to regain her independence and remove herself from this label, which she left in 2018. Swift began by releasing “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” on February 12, followed by the entire album, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version), on April 9. 

This release sparked nostalgia in the Taylor Nation, the large and dedicated Swift fanbase. With “Fearless” arguably being one of her best albums, it brought every fan back to their favorite tracks including “You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version),” “Fifteen (Taylor’s Version),” “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version).” 

Although it is a re-recording of the exact same songs, there are still numerous differences if one looks close enough. The most notable difference between the albums is Swift’s maturity. Swift was only about 19 years old when the original album was released and is now 31. Her voice, experiences and life have changed a lot and this is evident throughout this album. 

“It’s just an incredibly, incredibly well-made record, it really is,” Professor of Commercial Music at Azusa Pacific University Michael A. Lee said. “From the players to the engineering to the mixing and mastering on it. I mean, no surprise, but it’s just got an incredible attention to detail and it’s well-crafted the whole way through.”

“It’s just an incredibly, incredibly well-made record, it really is.”

Professor of Commercial Music at Azusa Pacific University Michael A. Lee

The music, although sounding similar at first glance, is more prominent in this new album. It ties into Swift’s mature vocals as well as makes the songs even more exciting than they already were. The instruments illuminate her vocals and the combination makes for an excellent soundtrack. 

Not only did Swift amaze her fans with the re-release of her entire album, she also appealed to them by releasing six songs “From the Vault.” These six were cut from the album in 2008 but brought back to life in the best version possible: Taylor’s. The “From the Vault” songs are “You All Over Me (Taylor’s Version),” “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version),” “We Were Happy (Taylor’s Version),” “That’s When (Taylor’s Version),” “Don’t You (Taylor’s Version)” and “Bye Bye Baby (Taylor’s Version).”

For Swifties worldwide, the release of this album only added to Swift’s stellar past and glittering discography as she recently released two hit albums, “Folklore” and “Evermore” in 2020. Swift continues to save the currently crazy world with the release of her calming, catchy and comforting songs. It is only a matter of time before she rerecords the other five albums in her own, independent way and continues to bring joy and comfort to all her fans. 

Photo courtesy of Inside NU