I’m not downplaying songwriting, by the way, nor even Taylor’s own approach to that aspect. In the end, however, she is going to be judged most especially by her voice, and the bar has been raised extremely high. I really hope she is thinking very long and hard about it.

How did I forget this song! “Never Grow Up”. That’s the best song on the album. Although it really hits home with me right now since I just went through this about a year and a half ago. Your first night in a new apartment really is a lot colder than you expect it to be.

Erik, I think on cd, she’s okay. I don’t imagine I’d ever spend money to see her live, unless my 11 yr old little sis wanted to go. We’ll certainly see, but I think she’ll find her way into the adult world. At 24 myself, I’d say don’t expect that though until she’s either (1) close to 25, or (2) married with kids. Whichever comes first for her (which I imagine 25 will).

Back to Taylor, “The Story of Us” is probably my favorite song on the new album. “Better than Revenge” is also an awesome song. I get a kick out of the line, “And she’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress”. TS is my guilty pleasure. I do love this album. I still think she needs some vocal lessons, but as a song writer, I believe 100% in her.

I don’t know why some people said she can’t sing. She’s a good singer so far and Back to December is another step for her as a mature singer.

Well, like I said in my take on “Back To December”, this is a step in the right direction. However, up to this point, I have found her singing to be largely rather robotic and monotonic, full of irritating mannerisms. She really needs to keep on improving on the vocal aspect, because she is now approaching that magical age of 21 where she will be compared with other singers of the past at that same age, and the comparisons may well be even more merciless than what she has seen before.