Taylor Swift

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) strives to balance fidelity to a memory whilst soothing the regrets of the past.

By now, anyone even remotely interested in Taylor Swift's journey will be well aware of her mission to reclaim the first six albums of her life’s work. To achieve this endeavour, Swift has already successfully re-recorded both Fearless and Red. This time, it’s Speak Now’s turn.

As with its (Taylor’s Version) predecessors, the third instalment in the project is effectively a 4K remaster of the glorious self written album you remember from 2010, with new additions to the collection.

The LP is a cornucopia of emotion, whether it’s the tear-jerking maternal ode ‘Never Grow Up’, a scathing rebuke to a former lover (‘Dear John’), a mischievous flight of fancy (‘Speak Now’), or even an ‘Enchanted’ encounter. The essence of the original million-selling album is painstakingly preserved and, for the most part, enhanced.

As Music News has noted with past Taylor’s Versions, the general public won’t have a Scooby (yes, that is the technical term) when it comes to discerning the original from the do-over. Instead, it’s for the fans to appreciate or occasionally bemoan Swift’s subtle reworks.

For instance, the opening of ‘Mine’ has been softened by removing a throaty guitar, which trades a peppy beginning for a cosier one. For a Swiftie playing spot the difference, this will be an eyebrow raising introduction, for some UK fans.

That’s because this seemingly new opening actually takes its cue from the US version of the song, and not the pop version found at the top of the old British release.

‘Haunted (Taylor’s Version’) has a slightly more restrained orchestral introduction, whilst its predecessor pops to the ear immediately. ‘Mean (Taylor’s Version’) boosts the vocal and clarifies the wording. ‘Last Kiss’ adjusts its drums to have more boom, and the pedal steel in the background steps out from the shadows.

These are just some of the tweaks that can be found across the record. A tighter drum here, a more vigorously plucked string there; a finer masterclass in mimicry you could not hope to find.

Swift delivers an excellent performance in the studio. ‘Last Kiss’ remains as emotionally charged as it ever was. ‘Long Live’ is still a fist-pumping joy, and ‘Dear John’ hasn’t lost any of its lustre.

‘Innocent’ is surprisingly one of Swift’s brightest highlights on the set. When first released, the song was intended as a note of forgiveness to Kanye West, for his MTV stupidity.

The years have not been kind to this musical Olive branch, with the rapper, taking credit for the hitmakers career via the Famous misogynistic line and then having a phone call amateurishly, edited to make it appear as if the musician gave her informed consent to the lyric.

The press and Internet, alike happily lapped up the drama and merrily went about vilifying the Pennsylvania native. With all of that context in mind you have to marvel at swift’s ability to pull off heartwarming sincerity during ‘Innocent (Taylor’s Version’.)

It’s been 13 years since the original offering, and the songstress brings all her fresh experience to bear, providing a gentle, tender, empathy that belies the baggage of the past.

The backing musicians bring their A game to match their star and producer’s efforts.

The attention to detail is superb as not only do we get to appreciate instruments at the forefront of the piece, but when they’re quietly working away in the background. There’s the tear droplets of tingling piano, guitar gently warbling away, and ethereal harmonies all on humble display.

Rather like a painting, you can always appreciate the broad strokes, but the best offer the finer detail for those who care to look for it.

As with the rest of this venture, diehards will find their favourite version based on the small but unavoidable differences. Younger Taylor might just have a hint more sass on the old ‘Mean,’ and some will definitely think that the lighter voice on the OG ‘Enchanted’ brings out the smitten nature.

This level of nitpicking isn’t enough to mark an artist down, but it will undoubtedly be judged by those who call a song their favourite.

Regrettably, there’s also one conspicuous subtraction from the original work in the form of the beautifully atmospheric piano rendition of ‘Haunted.’

This is an odd omission given that the singer achieved a similar feat for the superb acoustic version of ‘Forever and Always’ on her ‘Fearless’ remake.

The Grammy award winner’s attention to detail is meticulous, save for one glaring exception. ‘Better Than Revenge’ is an unabashedly caustic grump of a rock song that verbally eviscerates the subject of its wrath. The tune hints that the storyteller’s beau has been cruelly stolen away by a rival.

“I had it all I had him right there where I wanted him she came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause she took him faster than you could say sabotage”.

After the original album's release, ‘Better Than Revenge was a set list mainstay on the subsequent tour, but hasn’t seen the light of day since 2012.

This is likely because of one testy, if not downright vitriolic line.

In the original, Swift spits:

“She’s not a saint and she’s not what you think,
She’s an actress; she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”

The line reads to many as slut-shaming, and even Swift has since distanced herself from it during an interview with the Guardian in 2014.

The singer explained;

“I was 18 when I wrote that. That’s the age you are when you think someone can actually take your boyfriend. Then you grow up and realise no one can take someone from you if they don’t want to leave.”

The track has caused a fair amount of debate within the fandom, some believing the line should remain intact, whilst others thought it would face the chop.

Swift has perhaps unsurprisingly opted for the latter approach. The musician has since, faced tedious, and ever present jokes about dating men just to write about them. In 2017, Swift won a civil case, after proving to a jury that she had been groped. A former radio host was found liable for assault and battery.

Sadly, the new line lacks the venom to power the song.

“He was a moth to the flame,
She was holding the matches,” the artist sings, jamming the new words into their ill-fitting new home.

Swift’s songs have often succeeded because they carry a personal touch. The listener either feels this is an authentic moment or that they themselves have lived the emotion.

33-year-old Taylor has matured to realise that people in a relationship can’t be taken away; they choose to leave. Like most of us, though, teen Taylor had yet to learn key lessons and made mistakes along the way.

Suffice to say, an equally fiery line should have been found because, as mean as the song might be, it reflects the unbridled pain and anger felt in that situation at that age. This more philosophical
take chafs against the rest of the uncompromising bitterness.

Disappointing production on the new version of ‘Better Than Revenge’ also hampers the quality of the tune. The offenders are the opening drum salvo, with a hoarse bark, they crash into the listener.

This is one instance where making the backing more prominent doesn’t reap rewards. It’s not clear whether the new version, has loose drum skins or digital trickery added to them.

Things quickly settle down into a more enjoyable style, but the opening notes are an uncharacteristic stumble.

‘Better Than Revenge’ proves that good art doesn’t mean that the character in the song is always in the right. A poet’s perspective can bring so much passion and emotion, but that doesn’t mean their words hold the whole story.

As with previous additions, six never before released songs have been added to the record. Some of the half dozen, dubbed vault, tracks, even serve as entertaining forerunners to their writer’s later works.

The pick of the bunch, ‘I Can See You,’ is a slick, laid-back rocker, packed with playful sex appeal. The song has Swift discreetly eyeing a colleague and fantasising about some rather adult possibilities for the pair. The Brit Award winner puts it surprisingly plainly as she sings:

“I could see you up against the wall with me, and what would you do, baby, if you only knew?”

This is a fun, angst-free zone with delightful spy caper inspired guitar. The track’s best moment comes as the title track’s melody is injected into ‘I Can See You’. A classy callback that seems to connect the two fantasies and hands the audience a pseudo-sequel/prequel to that of the wedding day.

The song would have been a worthy addition to the original project, but to put it bluntly, it was too sexy for its time.

The third studio album had warmth, fairy tale, optimism, drama, anger, poignancy, and heartbreak, but physicality was not on the agenda. That honour would instead be left to the much more subtle pickup, “I’ll do anything you say, if you say it with your hands,” found on the Red album, just a few years later.

Perhaps the powers that be believed that a fairly young fan base wasn’t quite ready for that kind of passion.

Elsewhere, ‘Castles Crumbling’ could easily have been plucked straight off Reputation as it bears a striking thematic resemblance to Call It What You Want. With the assistance of Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Swift laments a career seemingly falling apart around her.

Swift dejectedly states:

“And I feel like my castle’s crumbling down, and I watch all my bridges burn to the ground, and you don’t want to know me,I will just let you down.”

It’s not clear when the song is set, but it’s not an unreasonable assumption that it stems from the MTV debacle of 2009. The artist has previously revealed to GQ that she thought the crowd was booing her as Kanye West invaded the stage.

In recent years, songs like The Archer and Anti-Hero have exposed a self-critical, almost self-reproaching side to the performer.

The work not only serves as a time capsule of struggles gone by but also as a sad indictment of how traditional and social media, in particular, have created an overzealous, angry fishbowl that is global fame.

Other vault tracks offer enjoyable, bubbly fun, with a few bumps along the way.

'When Emma Falls In Love' is a warm song about all the wonderful traits and contradictions that make a person great. it certainly passes, muster , save for the cringe inducing, line “all the bad boys would be good boys if they only had a chance to love her”

Elsewhere, 'Electric Touch' welcomes Fall Out Boy to the proceedings. While they certainly provide a competent take on the song, it feels slightly too tame for them. Instead, the vocal and melodic production feels much more in keeping with 2000s icon Avril Lavigne.

Overall, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is an excellently executed reconstruction of one of the discography’s high points.

The newly added songs are all enjoyable in their own way, with ‘I Can See You being the clear, standout. The controversial change to 'Better Than Revenge' is understandable, but artistically weakens the intent of the song and is the set’s lowest point.