Taylor Swift's - "Taylor Swift" *Revised*

                 Taylor Swift released her self-titled debut album in 2006 which quickly thrust her into country music stardom. She is one of those artists that practically everyone is familiar with, whether they are a country music fan or not. Swift was only 16 when she released her first album. This becomes apparent in “Taylor Swift,” which mainly reflects her innocence as a young teen crushing over the cute boy next door. Even though Swift has a common theme flowing through a majority of the tracks, she pulls it off well. Most of the songs still have a unique sound based on the genres she combines. Her main influences seem to be pop and rock. This album does not get boring, like how I have found some country albums to be. She accomplishes this by having slow songs that are followed by those with fast and catchy beats. In one track she may be dissing the boy that has so terribly wronged her, and in the next she is beyond elated over the one of her dreams. I feel that it is geared more towards the female population, but that’s not to say males can’t indulge in a little T-Swizzle. This album surpasses the bounds of the country genre to create something special that can be enjoyed by a wider audience.

                “Taylor Swift” begins with a classic country song and her hit single, “Tim McGraw.” A song about lost love, it mingles modern with traditional country music. Swift’s voice is introduced with a twang of a country accent, which has seemed to be lost in her newer music. I would categorize this song as a ballad because of its slower beat and guitar. This song does not refine the country music genre in any sort of notable way, but it is a nice way to introduce the album and give fans what they are expecting.

                Next on the album comes “Picture to Burn” which is a definite divergence from the sound of the first track. It starts off strong with a fast tempo featuring guitars, banjos, and the drums. From the beginning it is evident that this song is highly influenced by rock. Swift is more aggressive in her lyrics; no longer passively reminiscing about a lover. This genre of “country rock” has been around for a while, dating back even to the 70’s, however it has become more and more popular since the release of this album. Country artists have been continuously experimenting within the genre by pulling influences from all kinds of different music. Zac Brown Band is a standout example of this method. Their usage of a diverse range of instruments such as the fiddle, banjo, and ukulele allow them to create a sound that can’t be pigeonholed in one genre. Swift is comparable to this band due to the pairing of her hard-edged lyrics and fast guitars in this track alongside country croons in others about the good ol’ small-town life. The combination adds depth to the album and keeps the listener interested.

                Swift again throws the listener for a loop in her next track, “Teardrops on My Guitar.” Suddenly she is back to being depressed about the boy that she’ll never have. Returning to a slow beat with soft vocals, it primarily reflects the country genre with the constant strumming guitar and theme of lost love. 

                I feel that the next standout track on this album is “Tied Together With a Smile.” It seems to be just another slow ballad when you hear the opening, but as the chorus builds and becomes stronger, you see that this is not the case. The theme deviates a bit in that it is more about self-confidence and feelings of unworthiness. I mean, of course this is due to a boy, but at least she’s trying. This track would probably also be listed primarily as a country song.

“Should’ve Said No” is a song on the album that I feel again uses a sort of rock influence to create a very powerful sound, primarily in the chorus with the strong, building vocals and electric guitar. It is a “revenge song” that Swift seems to accomplish in creating so well. The listener can feel her frustration with the boy that has so wronged her. Immediately this track makes me think of Carrie Underwood’s “Before he Cheats.” Carrie Underwood is an artist that has commonly been compared to Swift in terms of how they mix genres to create their own sound, and the themes of their music. “Before he Cheats” incorporates a very similar story of refusing to put up anymore with a man’s uncommitted behavior. Therefore, the only obvious plan is to get revenge. Both of these songs have an empowering feminist approach to the issue by taking the problem into their own hands. No longer will either of these artists rely on these men, they are going to make sure he regrets this decision. It’s refreshing to see a woman taking charge and asserting her place not only in this track, but in the country music scene in general. In a typically male dominated genre, it’s pretty impressive that a 16 year old girl was able to become so popular at such a young age, and retain that success to the present.

                The listener might think that by this point Swift has had enough of the male population. However, they would be mistaken. Of course she has to end the album with the heartfelt track, “Our Song.” It is a purely country track primarily driven by the banjo and a fiddle solo. This song includes all the elements typically expected of a country song: guitars, love, and a strong country accent. I feel that it is a good choice for tying up the album because it allows it to end on a cheerful, even if a bit cheesy, note.

             “Taylor Swift” is an album that varies between straying from the typical country genre, and sticking to its roots. This debut album paved the way for the rest of her career by establishing herself as a successful songwriter and performer. It gave listeners an idea of what to expect, even though she has become much more of a pop artist presently. If there’s something you can be sure of when you listen to a Taylor Swift album, it’s that there will be plenty of songs about lost love, and this album is no different. Her debut album paved her way as a hopeless teenage romantic that just happens to also be a country music star. It assisted in the growing change of the country genre to include more of a variety of musical influences, while still maintaining some of the most important aspects and ideas.

Montevallo Review *Revised*

   Sam Hunt is a relatively new artist that has been quickly thrust into the spotlight. A former college football quarterback, Hunt left his career as an athlete to begin a whole new life as a musician. His first album released in 2014, Montevallo, is difficult to fit into one genre. However that is what makes it so interesting. Hunt grew up in a small town in Georgia where country music had a major impact on him. However, he wasn't only a country fan. He also loved genres such as hip-hop and R&B, which shows in his music. Hunt also reflects the art of storytelling in his songs that is often seen in the country genre. Even his album title itself has a story behind it, it was named after a small town in Alabama that his ex-girlfriend is from. Many of the songs on this album contain spoken word sections that give the album a rap influenced sound, but also help in telling the story of his unrequited love.

               

The album starts off with the track “Take Your Time” which immediately introduces Hunt’s unique way of speaking intertwined with singing. You can tell he’s a sucker for romance right off the bat with this sweet, sad sort of song. All he wants is the girl of his dreams to pay him a little attention. His country accent that has a hint of a bluesy feel gave me the impression right away that this was a country album. However as the song approaches the chorus, it shows some influences of rock with the building guitar and vocals. Hunt accomplishes this feat throughout the album by integrating snippets of each genre all into the same song.

                Hunt switches direction on the second track on the album, “Leave the Night On,” which is the most popular and well-known song. To me, it seems to have the most pop influence. The major instrument that allows this track to differ from traditional country music is the drum, cymbal and bass heavy. It’s a feel-good song basically about staying out to party; something you would put on at a get-together to get everyone loosened up and having a good time. It’s corny, but that’s the whole point.

                Third on the album, “House Party,” follows the theme of partying in “Leave the Night On.” Hunt sings that he is going to “bring the good time home to you." It’s a fun and playful song that is very upbeat. However, two tracks in a row that do not provide any real substantial lyrics or deep thought starts to wear the theme out. In this aspect it is definitely geared towards more of a pop audience. 

                The album takes a sudden turn in “Break Up in a Small Town,” the fourth track on the album. Now this is a track that you could cry about a break-up over. It sounds genuine, probably due to the fact that it's based off an ex-girlfriend Hunt had. He starts off again with a speaking part, beginning to tell the story of how he knew he would see his ex around town, but never would have guessed she would “get down” with a friend of his. The hard-hitting drum beats add to his agonized tone, this track is when Hunt actually starts to sound like he has more substance to him.

                The next track is pretty self-explanatory by its title, “Single for the summer” which starts off with an electronic sort of feel. It picks up with a teenage angst with lyrics like, “I graduated but every year in May I get that school’s out feeling… and I’m drowning in the freedom.”  This song is my favorite off the album because of the different view it gives of Sam Hunt. It paints him as sort of the bad guy that is forgetting about the girl he truly loves so that he can go out and have fun. It is a carefree song that begs to be sung along to.

                “Raised on it” is the track that I believe has the most country feel of all the songs. It talks about growing up in a small town and how this shapes every day experiences, featuring a jumpy beat and prominent guitars. For anyone that lived in a small town, like I did, this song is very relatable. It's that loud barbecue night at the block party with your whole family: from the mailman to your baseball coach.

                Finally, the album ends with “Speakers.” Hunt starts off with a slow and deep voice. This song is about how Hunt feels out in the woods alone with a girl, which even though seems to be a familiar theme, Hunt is able to use imagery such as, “The engine is idling and girl this heat lightning is flashing
pictures of you and burning them in my head,” which would make any teenage girl swoon. His voice rises and falls with the beat, and it flows very well. 

          All in all, I would recommend this album. Even though it mainly focuses on common themes of country/pop such as love and parties, it is a feel-good album that will have you coming back for more. The mixture of genres works well together surprisingly, so fans of many different genres can appreciate Montevallo.