Jeff Baum

1. Mine - Harmless pop song. Catchy, but nothing to write home about. Very formula, even for TS, sounds just like the opening track on her last album. Same idea, at least. B-

2. Sparks Fly - Man, all her songs sound like they could be the next single, huh. Very strong chorus, and the lyrics stand out more than the first track. Green Eyes, Rain, Sparks, Staircase. Makes the first song sound even more bland. B+

3. Back to December - Already heard this song a few times. Is growing on me. Good summer romance themes. Thought it was “And then the cocaine, dark days…”, but she says “cold came.” Bummer. She also says “I miss your tender skin” and my friend Colin heard that as “Texting” which, also, would have been more fun. B+

4. Speak Now - I like this one. One of her creepy stalker jams. Basically the sequel to “You Belong With Me.” B+

5 - Dear John - This song is not good. And it’s creepy. There, I said it. Way too on the nose and explanatory about how innocent and helpless she is. We get it! You don’t have to literally say “Isn’t 19 too young for your creepy games” or whatever. Better to let the themes express that, It’s also slow and boring, the metaphors are off, (you can’t say he’s changing the rules to his chess game. Chess has rules already. If you change them it’s no longer Chess.) Just feels off all around. D+

6. Mean - Another I had already listened to before. Very solid, great structure. Gets back to why I like her songs. Tells a relatable story with some really good imagery. The whole bit about the bully sitting in a bar someday watching football and yelling at nobody is classic. A

7. The Story of Us - I find myself liking her formulaic generic songs just fine, which is why I can listen to her albums through without getting annoyed or distracted. This is nothing new or special, but works okay. Points for the tugging on her clothes trying to look normal or whatever that line is. Points off for it not being memorable enough for me to be able to quote it a minute later. B-

8. Never Grow Up - I think there was this exact same song on the last album, except from the third person perspective instead of first, till the end, when it’s revealed she’s singing about herself after all. Shock. Trite and pandering to people with babies in their lives. Could have been worse, I guess. Some of the imagery is strong, but a little too goopy and eye rolling. C+

9. Enchanted - Love this one. I would go out on a limb and say she’s never sounded better than when time she sings “I was enchanted to meet you.” Almost has an Emily Haines twinge to it at times. A+

10. Better Than Revenge - Um, this is a big fat Misery Business rip-off, but a little more psycho and obsessed and not nearly as good. Also not nearly as bad as it should have been. B-

11. Innocent - Okay, I guess I like this a slight bit better than I did at the VMAs. But if it’s loosely about Kanye, it’s gross and pandering. If it’s about some other dude in his 30s who tried to get with her it’s gross and pandering. A smidge better than Dear John, but I don’t when she plays up people reacting to her youth. C-

12. Haunted - Sounds like an 80s torch song. spent most of it trying to Google who it sounds like the most, so wasn’t listening closely. Roxette “Listen to your Heart,” perhaps? Distractingly complicated. C+

13. Last Kiss - This is a good one. As her slow songs go, this is the best on this record so far. Some nice lyrics, but her slow songs always kind of drag. B

14. Long Live - Finally, a mature song about a young relationship that acknowledges that it will end, and how that’s ok, but how she had a good time while it lasted and they can always look back at that. Must have been about a 5th grade boyfriend or something, how they were in a play together? I dunno. I liked it. A-