Red (Taylor’s Version) Is a Fan Service for Longtime Swifties That Can Smartly Reel in New Fans Too

Republic, 2021

There isn’t another Taylor Swift record that’s as universally adored by her fans than her fourth record Red. Though divisive among critics for its vast sonic range, Red is a Taylor Swift favourite among fans. The sad tone, and familiar themes of growing up and heartbreak have made Red a fall classic for Swifties these past nine years. It’s no surprise then that the announcement earlier this year of the re-recording of Red was met with intense fervor. Swift’s first re-recorded album, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), was already met with love and adoration, but Fearless is no Red. No, Red is completely different gravy.

In addition to re-recordings of the 20 tracks off the deluxe version of Red, Taylor’s Version also includes 2012 charity single “Ronan”, two tracks Swift wrote for others (“Better Man” and “Babe”), and six From The Vault tracks. The From The Vault tracks are songs Swift wrote for Red that didn’t make the original record. When you hear some of them though, you’re left scratching your head wondering how they were cut. The record is capped off with a whopping 10 minute version of the Swiftie holy grail “All Too Well”—this version being the original sacred version Swift poured out to her band during a rehearsal.

The idea of the re-recordings are relatively innovative, but the re-recordings themselves are, for the most part, merely subtly different from the originals. “Holy Ground” for example, is more or less the same aside from some punchier drums. In fact, punchier and harder hitting drums are minor tweaks present on every track that has drums. The third track “Treacherous” only gained some added vocal elements along with the updated drums. Some tracks are so close to the original that you hardly notice a difference, except the feeling that they’re shinier. Those tracks are the ultimate definition of “re-recording” and as far away from the definition of “re-imaging” as possible.

Across the board, the vocals are much more refined as Taylor Swift’s singing ability has developed a great deal since she recorded Red nine years ago. Swift’s vocals are emotive, but not over the top. They’re controlled, but not restrained. They’re passionate, but still assertive. From top to bottom, Swift’s vocals are improved on Taylor’s Version, and they’re placed at the forefront of each track as evidenced by their spotlight in the mixes.

The closer on the non-deluxe version of Red, “Begin Again”, got subtle, but very noticeable changes for Taylor’s Version. The backing vocals are now all harmonies, and oh are they sweet. Something so nuanced completely elevates the track to another level and accentuates Taylor Swift’s growth as a vocalist. “Begin Again” is one of the few tracks on Taylor’s Version that I can firmly say I prefer over the original.

Accompanying the new emphasis on the vocals is a sweeping shift in production style from country pop to contemporary pop. The country instrumentation of banjos, fiddles, and “Star Spangled Banner” electric guitars on many songs are toned down to accommodate more synths and a suite of more easy going guitars. The title track “Red” retains the energy of the original, but this time around, the banjos after the first verse are hidden behind driving guitars that give the track a country radio update. Overall, the track is cleaner and much less raw—a trend that begins early on the record.

“All Too Well” (the normal length version) got one of the bigger makeovers on Taylor’s Version. All the piano parts are now supplemented by electric guitar and the production is much more bass led instead of electric guitar led. “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” has much more drive from the underlying bassline to give the song an even bigger alt-rock vibe. The track feels bigger now and more powerful.

While the new production works on most tracks, the sonic scrubbing of the originals doesn’t always create a better product even if the product is smoother. On some tracks, the quality that made them unique was scrubbed away. Beyond losing the period in the title (outrageous!), “I Knew You Were Trouble” also loses the dubstep abrasiveness in the chorus synths that made the song so iconic. Now, those synths have been blunted and are much less raw. The track starts out identical to the original and then *cue The Price is Right losing horn* the new lackluster chorus sucks the life out of the song.

An even worse case is the original lead single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. My god is this version a stinker! The production on Taylor’s Version is so synthetic it’s stiff. The vocals are obviously better, but the production is sterile and lacks all the energy the original had. The synth drums are lame, boring, and unfortunately front and centre in the song. The pop anthems on Red clearly didn’t need a redo on the production, and new vocals would have sufficed. Like, the chorus lacks so much energy you wonder if we really are never ever getting back together… like, ever?

The From The Vault tracks are hit and miss, but Swifties will still appreciate their presence on the record. “Ronan” is a re-recording of her 2012 charity single with a deeply heartfelt message. “Better Man” and “Babe” are semi-re-recordings since Swift wrote both songs for country music bands Little Big Town and Sugarland, respectively.

The other new tracks are okay—Chris Stapleton and Ed Sheeran provide solid vocal features—, but the pick of the bunch are “Nothing New” with Phoebe “can’t do no wrong right now” Bridgers and “Forever Winter”.

“Nothing New” is unbelievably good—like so good. A collaboration between two of indie music’s biggest stars of 2020 undoubtedly has fans’ mouths watering and their eyes crying. It was very keen of Taylor Swift to bring Phoebe Bridgers on this song because Bridgers must definitely have felt the same feelings as Swift did when she penned it. Bridgers’ debut album Stranger in the Alps did well in indie circles, but her 2020 masterpiece, Punisher, shot her into stardom. Going from budding talent to mainstage sensation and all the confusing feelings around it must be a shared experience for the two artists. Their vocals pair well and the style suits the both of them.

“Forever Winter” has me lost as to why it was left off Red. In every aspect, it fits Red perfectly. The style lines up, the theme makes sense, and the song is a straight up pop banger. It’s catchy and has a chorus that’s easy to sing along to, but it’s also filled with emotion and heartache. Honestly, it’s better than a chunk of the original tracks.

The grand finale that closes Red (Taylor’s Version) is the sacred 10 Minute Version of “All Too Well”. This version includes forgotten verses, but also features yet another change in production. The 10 Minute Version sheds the alt-rock style of the 5 minute version for a fully pop style. The electric guitar and bass that drive the 5 minute version are replaced by light synths. While “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” is a modern approach to the style of Red, the 10 Minute Version puts “All Too Well” in the modern style of Taylor Swift. Sonically, the 10 Minute Version is more similar to stuff off of Reputation and Lover.

The near double track length of the 10 Minute Version works in favour of the heavily narrative structure of “All Too Well”. The more you listen to this version, the less it feels like a 10 minute song. You’re not bored as the song goes on because of the progression in the narrative, the changes in vocal deliveries, and the sectioning of the song. The song ebbs and flows. The final verse exit ends the track gracefully for a mental applause and curtains.

Lyrically, we get a more in-depth look at Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal’s past romance. To supplement the track, a visual representation of the song in the form of a short film Swift wrote, directed, and appeared in was released the same night as the album drop. The only way I can describe the short film is absolutely toxic. It will surely conjure up some feelings you thought you had left behind. Look, it’s super weird to dive so deep into someone else’s failed relationship from a decade ago. But also, why do we watch romance dramas? Why do people love Marriage Story?

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)”—absolute mouthful by the way—will do more for serious Taylor Swift fans than it will do for the average listener. It’s not the best song you’ll ever hear, but it’s nice. You can even experience a more gut wrenching version with the “Sad Girl Autumn Version”. I mean don’t, but do. Even if you don’t care for the story, Swift and co. do enough interesting things in the production to make it an enjoyable listen for everyone. Well… maybe not everyone… 

All things considered, it’s hard to look at Red (Taylor’s Version) as more than a fan service and astute business move. A handful of tracks are added to the tailend of the tracklist, but stylistically, Taylor’s Version is just a fresh coat of paint on the epochal record. Aside from a few notable misses, the modern pop production that allows Taylor Swift’s vocals to shine is a welcome change. Swift and her production team updated Red to fit her pre-folklore pop direction without a complete jarring overhaul. The subtle changes are noticeable, but minor enough to respect the original work. While the record will be back in heavy rotation for Swifties, they’ll naturally gravitate to “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”—the dessert you rush through the main course for.

Re-recording Red continues Taylor Swift’s “F U” run at her former label Big Machine. It’s also a very astute way to bring a 9-year old album back into relevance. The timing is no coincidence either. After the success of 2020’s folklore and evermore, Taylor Swift has gained fans that aren’t familiar with her back catalogue, or who didn’t give it a proper chance in the past. Swift tested the waters with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) then dropped the heavy hitter with Red (Taylor’s Version).

It’ll be interesting to see where Taylor Swift goes from here. Red is the fan favourite record in her discography and her most iconic record. It also bridges the eras of country Taylor Swift and pop Taylor Swift. Re-recording 2006’s Taylor Swift or 2010’s Speak Now will be steps down from the Red mountain top, and re-recording anything after Red seems mundane. Whatever Taylor Swift does from here, you can be sure it’ll be smart, a little innovative, and ultra appealing to Swifties.

Favourite tracks: State of Grace, Red, Treacherous, All Too Well, Everything Has Changed, Begin Again, Nothing New, Forever Winter, All Too Well (10 Minute Version)