Not a Swiftie, but....

I don't consider myself a "Swiftie," but I do like her music, and I do tend to purchase her albums when they come out. (On MP3. I'm not a return-to-vinyl gal, either.)

With that caveat? I don't understand the hate for her new record. It is, honestly, in my top 3 (the others being 1989 and Reputation. With Lover getting a close honorable mention. As does Midnights.)

Maybe people don't like it because she's back to pop? Like really, really good pop. Unapologetic pop. Pop that sends me back to the 80s and 90s pop. (Can I say pop any more? Probably.) I listen to a song and thing, "Man, this could be Madonna circa Cherish." or "Oh, yeah, Janet or Michael Jackson could totally have done this song." And then a few toes into the land of Blink 182 adjacent. (which is not pop, I realize, but ...it also kind of is?)

Point being, it's just good, solid music.

The. Whole. Album.

There is not a single song on there that I skip. (Not true of most of her other music.) Even Wood, which is arguably the most ridiculous song on there, is a bop that I don't mind listening to. And it makes me snicker, because it's just ridiculous. But fun.

And maybe that's what people don't like? It's not serious, navel-contemplation music. It's not sad, I'm heartbroken, cry with me music. It's fun. It's happy. Even the one slowish song is happy. Even the songs that have less happy lyrics are still happy. Because, I imagine, Taylor herself is happy. She found herself. She seems in a much more solid, content place in her life. And it shows in her music.

Of course there are the people out there (conservatives and Christians mainly, because we all apparently like to be really vocal about stuff that makes us look ridiculous) up in arms about the adult nature of this record. But come on. She's not 16 anymore. She's what, 35? Of course she's not writing about high school heartbreak in high school ways. And I think back to the songs that I listened to in high school, and the lyrics here aren't any worse than any of those. (Honestly, they're probably tamer. I introduce my kids to a song I loved in high school and cringe sometimes because gosh. How did I not have a problem singing that? But also? I still sing it. (Looking at the morons who just found Madonna's "Like a Prayer" and thought it had to do with church. Um. No. Never. Because Madonna should have been your first clue.) 

Then they get on the "She shouldn't be a role model!" soapbox and...I just sigh. Maybe some day I'll write up my thoughts on helping your kids choose role models. (Did I do that already? I should poke through and see.) Because, unless the only role model you allow is Jesus, there is no perfect person. And, long story short, I think it's more important to help kids analyze public figures to see what aligns with their world view and what doesn't. And how you can learn from what they did to achieve in those areas while understanding that there IS a worldview difference.

And I guess now I don't have to write that up after all.

Back to The Life of a Showgirl. If you like solid, almost retro pop, you should give it a listen. It's a solid album that will get you singing and dancing.