As a swiftie of many years, since I was nine years old, it is an obligation to do a write up on the brand new re-record of her discography. This is the second album in her mission to re-record and obtain the rights to her old songs.
Nevertheless, I do not feel a re-recording can necessarily capture the essence of the original entirely. I went into these albums with the mind of excitement, but also caution because there was no way some would ever be the same for me. However, Fearless got my expectations a bit higher for Red. Fearless only had a couple songs I genuinely felt were not par with the originals, and that is a lot for a re-recorded edition. Red did not quite live up to what I was thinking. I cannot decide if I in fact liked the original release far more than I imagined, or perhaps her passion for the project was not there. I think it is a mix of both.
We start with "State of Grace", which is one I was not quite grabbed by on the original recording either. However, the new recording muffles the instrumentals more and I don't think it helps the song much at all. The emotion does not seem far off from the original though.
The new version of "Red" is still good and does not vary much from the original at all. I miss that high note at the end though, she did not really go for it in the new recording.
"Treacherous" re-recorded is the first I feel is better than the original. Her more mature vocals blended with the smoother production make for a way stronger track. It feels like she felt the songs words more this time.
I knew going into "I Knew You Were Trouble" I was going to notice every tiny change. This is because I jammed to this song for ages and still did. I kind of like the added inflection to the "oh" before the trouble. The vocal technique seems stronger and more mature. I however don't feel the bridge was hit as emotionally hard. The song feels like in places it is lacking something and it keeps me from really being pulled in.
The new "All Too Well" similarly sounds more mature and vocally strong, but is also lacking the same passionate broken emotion that made the song what it was. Vocals mean nothing to me if you don't convince me you truly feel it - even if you are singing about things I don't feel passion for it.
Considering "22" was just an okay upbeat pop song originally, it did not really change now. I do think her vocals are smoother and nicer on the new recording. It sounds like she still finds it fun and she really went for it more emotionally with it. So I will give it her.
I will polish the pitchforks from other fans when I say "I Almost Do" is actually my favorite Red song originally by far. Yes, even over All Too Well. I feel like the re-recording gave it the extra punch it needed to compare. It made the song even stronger with the better vocals. I appreciate it getting the extra pound it needed.
We then go to the other relatively "okay" upbeat pop song from Red, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together". It was never my favorite, but there's still a lot of personality to the original. The new version drastically disappointed me. She lost all the raw cattiness, that made the song what it was. It sounds like she did a poor karaoke. SHE WROTE THIS SONG! This should NOT happen to something you wrote yourself. Think of someone who still pisses you off, I figured most musicians knew how to recapture emotions.
Contrary, I was happy to hear "Stay Stay Stay" sounding the same with no lyrical changes. Yes, sometimes you have petty stupid fights in relationships and sometimes you throw things but then you work things out. People will really get mad about anything. I like the new version too. I think they're on par with each other.
Now for opinions, the new production to "The Last Time" is gorgeous. The vocals are so much better. The emotion seems even better in this track. This is far superior to the original.
Similar to others, Holy Ground is missing the same passion that made it what it was before. I am not sure I enjoy the more electronic production either. It is not exactly a real band anymore it seems.
"Sad Beautiful Tragic" sounds mostly unchanged and unaffected by being re-recorded at all.
"The Lucky One" sounds very on par with the original. I think there's actually a bit MORE emotion in her voice for the new version even. I think I could interchange either edition easily.
"Everything Has Changed" actually sounds vocally stronger. I think their voices sound a little off from each other in the production this time though which bothers me.
"Starlight" is on par with the original. It is a decent song before and this time it sounds just as good. The production did not take away from it and her vocals are stronger.
"Begin Again" is an improved stronger self and makes me teary eyed now. It feels like she is singing it from the perspective of actually feeling it begin again.
I don't like the edited vocal layering on the new "Moment I Knew". Sometimes little production things can really make or break a song. It just doesn't capture the same emotion.
"Come Back...Be Here..." is definitely on par with the original. None of the editing negatively hurt the song at all.
I now come to the worst victim of re-recording, "Girl at Home". I realize that this song was not a fan beloved at all, but I was one of the few who adored the original. I initially thought this was a Jack Antonoff assault to a good song, but realize the young remixer who had been doing recent mixes for Taylor produced this track. I absolutely hate the re-recording.
"State of Grace (Acoustic)" sounds totally fine. Although I didn't really care about the original either.
"Ronan" is definitely on par with the original. Many felt she should not re-record it, but I am glad it was included. It is a beautiful song, one of her best works lyrically. It will emotionally kill you though so get the tissues ready.
I heard the "Better Man" version given to Little Big Town and I think I got so used to their emotional harmonies, that Taylor's version seems less refined.
The vault tracks start hitting with "Nothing New". It works as a real duet. It is a good song but does not grab me as hard as other tracks.
"Babe" done by Taylor sounds right. She gave this to Sugarland but I don't like the recording as much there. It sounded too much like a Taylor song she should have been doing. I am glad to hear her version finally.
"Message in a Bottle" is a fun upbeat track. Kind of surprised to hear it as a vault track. It is definitely a refreshing one for a vault though. I don't think it is stellar but it is not bad by any means.
I just like the vibe of "I Bet You Think About Me". It just stands out and has the cattiness I missed from some of the earlier tracks.
"Forever Winter" is by far my favorite and grabbed me enough to make the investment into this worth it. That's it. This song alone is worth the $19 cd.
"Run" sounds a bit more like an Ed Sheeran song than a Taylor song, that is my gripe with it. It doesn't make it terrible but she sounds secondary to a song she put on her own body of work.
"The Very First Night" actually reminds me more of the enchantment of Fearless, and melodically sounds more like it too. But I feel so endeared to it because of this. I love hearing this now.
The album closes with the everlored 10 minute version of All Too Well. Honestly, did not have high expectations for a pre-refined demo of a stream of consciousness as it was described. I feel some of the lines are beautiful while other added lines seem like they were added after the fact to fit into the "new" Taylor agenda. Which just makes me feel angry with it. I doubt I will return to it.
LYRICS: 8/10 - The album lyricism didn't change let us be real.
MUSIC: 6/10 - The melodic changes really hurt this album in places. The album had some weak moment before in general.
Overall: 6/10 - I cannot decide if Red did not capture me the same as Fearless, if I loved Red original more than I ever thought, or if perhaps something just was off in this re-recording. Pick it up for the good vault tracks, but the standard album is truly better in original form for the majority.
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