The Forge sent out a questionnaire to find the freshmen class’s favorite album. Several students filled out the form, and the album that came out on top was “1989” by Taylor Swift.
After listening to the majority of the album, we ranked the songs from worst to best. Here’s our thoughts:
“Welcome to New York”: Swift’s vocals in WTNY are extremely strained compared to the other songs on the album. The flow between the verses and chorus feels awkward, and the overall song does not sound catchy.
“Wonderland”: Her inflection in the opening verses is all over the place. The initial buildup of the song is worth waiting for; however, the song becomes boring due to repetition.
“I Know Places”: The intro is out of place vocally. The backing track is intense, but the inflection diminishes the overall feeling the backing track is trying to create. The chorus sounds like it is outside of Swift’s range, which makes the song difficult to listen to.
“You Are in Love”: Overall, this song is really good. It is perfect for teenagers, but compared to the rest of the album, it feels out of place. It is more of a ballad while the rest of the album is created to be upbeat and more electronic.
“Clean”: There is a slight overuse of synth in this song. This song is a ballad as well, with a deeper meaning than many of her other songs. The use of figurative language creates a unique listening experience and brings the song to life. It provides a deeper look into Swift’s lyrical capabilities.
“I Wish You Would”: The word choice in this song is phenomenal. The overall tune is very well done and pleasing to listen to. Her lyrics are delivered at a fast pace without creating an overcrowded verse, which is extremely difficult to achieve.
“Out of the Woods”: The song starts off with strained vocals that slowly increase in clarity. Her use of repetition creates a chorus that is well-known and catchy.
“Style”: This song has the strongest intro and incorporates heavier bass. This song has the best background vocals and harmonies on the track. The song is intense yet still manages to stay upbeat.
“How You Get the Girl”: This is the easiest song to dance to. The chorus is amazing, but the verses feel weak in comparison. The way she adds the word “oh” to many of the words in this song is incredibly catchy and creates a fun atmosphere.
“Say Don’t Go”: The song creates a nice build-up to the chorus. The verses are empowering; if you listen closely, you can still hear the atmospheric synth underneath the vocals.
“New Romantics”: This is the best song on the album. The lyric choice and tune are amazing. It perfectly captures the feeling of teenage stupidity and love not being what you want it to be. It’s perfect for summer.
Thank you to everyone who gave us album recommendations! Stay tuned for next month when we get the sophomores’ input on their favorite albums!
