No matter your taste in music, you’ve surely heard the name Taylor Swift. Over the course of her career, Taylor Swift has gone from a naive teenage girl with blonde curls and a guitar to a powerful global pop sensation. Some things, though, have stayed the same: her passion for music and songwriting and her commitment to making it sound as good as she can.
In recent months, Swift has gained many new fans from her sister albums folklore (2020) and evermore (2020), a pair of alternative albums both surprise-released with some of her strongest lyrics and most powerful melodies yet. These albums have gained the attention of new listeners just in time for Swift’s next venture: releasing re-recorded versions of her first five albums.
Swift signed her record deal with Big Machine Records at a very early age, with little to no knowledge of the music industry. What Swift didn’t know was that this record deal meant she wouldn’t own her original master tracks, which would greatly affect her so many years later. After leaving Big Machine and signing to a different label, Swift was able to release her next three albums and claim rights to her original work.
However, Swift didn’t stop there. She wanted her masters back, so to take back the power, Swift announced that she would be releasing re-recorded versions of the five albums that she technically no longer owns.
She first rereleased her sophomore album, 2008 Album of the Year Grammy winner, Fearless (2008). Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was released on all streaming services on April 9 at midnight. The 26-track album features re-recorded versions of all the album’s original tracks, original deluxe tracks, and six additional songs “From the Vault.”
These are songs from Swift’s Fearless era that didn’t quite make the cut the first time, but now that the power is in her hands, these songs are back on the album. They felt like a little gift from Swift to her fans, and a sign that what she wants to say and how she is going to say it is now up to her.
This album re-release was especially powerful to listen to as a fan who has supported Swift through the many ups and downs of her career and grown up by her side. Listening to an album about growing up, experiencing heartbreak and finding yourself is certainly a different experience 13 years later. Some of these lyrics are particularly striking to listen to.
One of the best songs of the album has always been “Fifteen” in which Swift sings, “back then, I swore I was gonna marry him someday / but I realized some bigger dreams of mine.” In the same song, Swift also sings the line, “when all you wanted was to be wanted / wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now,” which has shaped up to represent a particularly striking concept in an album that is allowing Swift to do just that.
Overall, the album sounds impressively similar to the original, with the exception of improved production and stronger, more mature vocals on every track. The similarity was intentional, as it will allow fans to delete the old album from their libraries and no longer give any money to the people who stole Swift’s masters.
Another highlight of the album is “Don’t You,” a song “From the Vault” co-produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff. Antonoff really brings the song to life with his signature glittery production style. This song certainly embodies the energy of the Fearless era with its narrative and simple-yet-impactful lyrics.
Other highlights include “Fearless,” the title track which is a beautiful reimagining of a magical and enchanting song, and “The Other Side of the Door,” an original deluxe track on the album whose new-and-improved vocals make the song that much more powerful.
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is an opportunity for many people to relive a part of their childhood, and it does not disappoint. The album’s strength lies in the statement it’s making and the way it’s so gracefully executed. The new versions of the songs sound just familiar enough for there to be no need to listen to the old ones anymore and just new enough that they’re still an exciting new listening experience.
Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is available on all streaming platforms now.