Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl

💖 The Life of a Showgirl

by Taylor Swift

I really believe this is the closing of the book on the first part of Taylor's career. Everything leads up to the happy ending that this record is. 

1. The Fate of Ophelia 100 💖
2. Elizabeth Taylor 90
3. Opalite 100 💖
4. Father Figure 95 💖
5. Eldest Daughter 80
6. Ruin the Friendship 90 💖
7. Actually Romantic 95 💖
8. W$sh Li$t 80
9. Wood 95 💖
10. CANCELLED! 90
11. Honey 85
12. The Life of a Showgirl 100 💖

4.5 out of 5

Grade: A

Eminently listenable. Sometimes hilarious. Often lacerating. I adore this record.

In the end, I don't think I have heard a "bad" Taylor Swift record.

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - Midnights

 Midnights

by Taylor Swift

This was the album that drew me in to Taylor's vinyl experience. 

I have no pre-listen commentary. 

1. Lavender Haze 90 💜
2. Maroon 85
3. Anti-Hero 90 💜
4. Snow On the Beach 90
5. You're On Your Own, Kid 90 💜
6. Midnight Rain 90 💜
7. Question...? 90 💜
8. Vigilante Shit 95 💜
9. Bejeweled 90 💜
10. Labyrinth 95 💜
11. Karma 90 💜
12. Sweet Nothing 85
13. Mastermind 100 💜

4.5 out of 5

Grade A

One of my favorite of hers. 

I guess I really like this record. But, then again, I have a soft spot for soft-rock/disco/pop. My first crush was Olivia Newton-John on the cover of Have You Never Been Mellow. 

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department

 The Tortured Poets Department

(The Manuscript version)

by Taylor Swift

Is this Taylor's worst album? (I haven't really listened to Lover or Reputation so, I can't say for sure...)

1. Fortnight 90 💜
2. The Tortured Poets Department 95 💜
3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys 90 💜
4. Down Bad 90 💜
5. So Long, London 75
6. But Daddy I Love Him 85 💜
7. Fresh Out the Slammer 85
8. Florida!!! 95 💜
9. Guilty As Sin 60
10. Who's Afraid of Little Old Me? 85 💜
11. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) 65
12. loml 55
13. I Can Do It With a Broken Heart 75 💜
14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Live 85💜
15. The Alchemy 75
16. Clara Bow 65
17. The Manuscript 80

3.75 out of 5

Solid B

I don't get the hate. Is it a bit long? Sure. But Taylor is a songwriting machine. And this is the reflection on two really terrible relationships. If anything, she is a confessionalist who takes us on her emotional (read:relationship) journey.

She doesn't really write about much else but that's why she is the avatar for a generation of young women.

The other thing I noticed is that this record sounds the most like a return to her country roots dressed up in Synth-Pop & Soft-Rock. 

Also, that it's really front loaded but, in the end I think it's a really strong record.

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift 1989 (Taylor's Version)

 1989 (Taylor's Version)

by Taylor Swift

At the time this came out, if I recall correctly, Taylor had been hanging out with Lena Dunham. Girls was shooting in NY and Taylor was in NY and I knew people involved with the show and they were hanging out with Taylor and Lena and Lena's boyfriend, Jack Antonoff and I was hyped for this record.

Then I was surprised. 

Then I really fell into it. What a change from the previous four. 

Opening with "Welcome to New York" it's really....man, I hate to say this...a new era.

Does it hold up?

1. Welcome to New York 100 💗
2. Blank Space 100 💗
3. Style 100 💗
4. Out of the Woods 100 💗
5. All You Had to Do Was Stay 90
6. Shake It Off 100 💗
7. I Wish You Would Come Back 95 💗
8. Bad Blood 85 💗
9. Wildest Dreams 90 💗
10. How You Get the Girl 90 💗
11. This Love 80
12. I Know Places 85
13. Clean 80

1989 Rating:

A

4.5 out of 5 (runs out of steam after "How You Get the Girl", proving that 10 songs is perfect for any album)

Bonus tracks:

1. Wonderland 90 💗
2. You Are In Love 85
3. New Romantics 85

From the Vault:

1. Slut! 80
2. She Don't Go 90 💗
3. Now That We Don't Talk 85
4. Suburban Legends 85
5. Is It Over Now? 95 💗

Bonus & Vault Rating:

B+

3.75 out of 5

It's weird that she wrote a song with Diane Warren and that ended up in the Vault. What does that say? 

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - evermore

evermore

by Taylor Swift

Our hero turns 30, follows up one of the best albums of the century...with another great record.

1. willow 100 💗
2. champagne problems 90 💗
3. gold rush 95 💗
4. 'tis the damn season 90
5. tolerate it 100 💗
6. no body, no crime 95 💗
7. happiness 85
8. dorothea 80
9. coney island 80
10. ivy 90
11. cowboy like me 95 💗
12. long story short 90
13. marjorie 95 💗
14. closure 90 💗
15. evermore 100 💗

A

4.75 out of 5

There are two bonus tracks on the vinyl because...of course there are.

1. Right Where You Left Me 85
2. It's Time To Go 90 💗

Solid inclusions. 

Terrific record. 

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - Red (Taylor's Version)

 Red (Taylor's Version

by Taylor Swift

Was Red Taylor's magnum opus? I recall falling in love with this record when it came out and of course I had to get the red Target 45 RPM version. This is the end of the young Taylor, the C&W Taylor, the post-teenage, early 20s, about to become an adult Taylor. 

How does it hold up?

1. State of Grace 100 💗
2. Red 100 💗
3. Treacherous 90
4. I Knew You Were Trouble 100 💗
5. All Too Well 100 💗
6. 22 95 💗
7. I Almost Do 90
8. We Are Never Getting Back Together 100 💗
9. Stay Stay Stay 100 💗
10. The Last Time 90
11. Holy Ground 95 💗
12. Sad Beautiful Tragic 90
13. The Lucky One 95 💗
14. Everything Has Changed 90
15. Starlight 85
16. Begin Again 95 💗

Red Rating:

4.75 out 5

A+

There are a few moments that take it away from being a 5 for me. That might be familiarity or maybe I just fell in love with her on Fearless and I'm already a fan here. 

No matter. This album is spectacular. 

And there's a LOT of extra songs. How are they?

1.  The Moment I Knew 90 💗
2. Come Back Be Here 80
3. Girl At Home 80
4. State of Grace Acoustic 95 💗
5. Ronan 90
6. Better Man 90
7. Nothing New 90
8. Babe 75
9. Message in a Bottle 80
10. I Bet You Think About Me 85
11. Forever Winter 80
12. Run 90
13. The Very First Night 90
14. All Too Well (10 Minute Version) 100 💗

Bonus Material Rating:

B+

4 out of 5

Red holds up. It's the crowning achievement...of this chapter of her career, that is.

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

 Speak Now (Taylor's Version)

by Taylor Swift

This was the album that shot her through the stratosphere, yes? Didn't she play New Year's Rockin' Eve in support of this? 

More importantly, this is the album with the response song that took apart Bob Lefsetz. She's a billionaire and Bob's...got a podcast. 

I was full in on this album and it has some of favorite tracks. It's still country flavored but, let's see what I think years later.

1. Mine 90 💗
2. Sparks Fly 85
3. Back to December 90 💗
4. Speak Now 100 💗
5. Dear John 100 
6. Mean 100 💗
7. The Story of Us 95 💗
8. Never Grow Up 85
9. Enchanted 80
10. Better Than Revenge 100 💗
11. Innocent 85
12. Haunted 95 💗
13. Last Kiss 95 💗
14. Long Live 85

Speak Now Rating:

4.5 out of 5

A

From the Vault:

1. Ours 75
2. Electric Touch 75
3. When Emma Falls in Love 75
4. I Can See You 85
5. Castles Crumbling 70
6. Foolish One 80 💗
7. Timeless 80

Bonus material rating:

3.75 out of 5

B

It's a little more maudlin than I recall at the time but still, what a terrific follow-up to the excellent Fearless. 

Hearts & Numbers - Taylor Swift - Fearless (Taylor's Version)

Fearless (Taylor's Version)

by Taylor Swift

This was the first thing I'd heard by Taylor. 

I remember it like it was yesterday only I can't recall the name of the website that I used. It allowed one full listen to an album and then you had to buy it and, I think, Apple bought it and it became iTunes.

By the time I heard "The Best Day" I found myself weeping and I thought there must be something wrong with me.

I commented that to an editor of a blog I was writing for and he said, "They're good songs, dude".

That they are.

Dilemma:

Do I rate the album with or without the bonus tracks? 

Because the "album" is a redo of the original album.

Hmmm...Let's see what happens.

1. Fearless 90
2. Fifteen 100 💗
3. Love Story 100 💗
4. Hey Stephen 95 💗
5. White Horse 95 💗
6. You Belong With Me 100 💗
7. Breath 85
8. Tell Me Why 90 💗
9. You're Not Sorry 90 💗
10. The Way I Loved You 85
11. Forever and Always 90 💗
12. The Best Day 100 💗
13. Change 90

(With that last song you know...Taylor wants to rock)

Fearless rating:

5 out of 5

A+

Bonus tracks:

1. Jump Then Fall 85
2. Untouchable 90
3. Forever and Always (Piano version) 90
4. Come In With the Rain 85
5. Superstar 70
6. The Other Side of the Door 75
7. Today Was a Fairytale 75
8. You All Over Me (From the Vault) 68
9. Mr. Perfectly Fine (From the Vault) 72
10. We Were Happy 73
11. That's When (From the Vault) 80
12. Don't You (From the Vault) 70
13. Bye Bye Baby (From the Vault) 73
14. Love Story (Elvira Remix) 90

Bonus Material rating:

3.5 out of 5

B-

The second part, the stuff "From the vault"...it doesn't really add anything. The songs are fine but the 13 that makes of the real album are chef's kiss perfection.

Fearless holds up nearly 17 years later, despite these recordings being newly crafted. The songs, man, it's the songs. I don't listen to a lot of Country but, boy, if they all had songs this well written, I would. 

This is the story of a 19 year old navigating the world of burgeoning adulthood and relationships and teenage love and it lands every step of the way.