Look What You Made Me Do: The Reputation Era begins!

On By The EditorIn Albums, Reputation

The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now, Taylor Nation. Leave your message after the sound of the hiss.

2017-Aug-25d

Look What You Made Me Do just dropped. It’s reverberating in my headphones right now as I type this in its seventh straight play. It’s dripping with venom. First it felt like a punch but now it really feels like a stab. There’s anger and revenge here. It reminds me of an early Avril Lavigne with shades of Evanescence and Rihanna. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t in love with the chorus, but the song gets a lot more interesting as it moves forward.

Now I guess I will inevitably have to address the fact that Taylor engineered this (with Jack Antonoff for sure) for the club. She wanted people to dance to this. It’s like even oblivious people will dance to her words. There’s something a little dark about a ton of fans singing along to I’m sorry the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Cuz she’s dead!

2017-Aug-25Don’t think for a second that this is Taylor’s current state of mind. This is her bringing up a lot of anger into the song. She’s taking the role she knows that people expect her to play, but she’ll laugh about it all the way to the bank. Yes, the song seems to give you a peek inside a fractured personality that requires some counseling and therapy. Don’t feel sorry for Taylor, this is not who she is. As you’ll see if you ever go to one of her concerts, she’s created a different persona for each of her songs. The song is the scenario.

Although when I think of Taylor having a list of names in red, planning her vengeance in Game-of-Thrones-Arya-Stark style, this song gains opera-like levels of dark introspection. But then I’m playing into the trap. Actually, if this song was an animal it wouldn’t be a snake – it feels more like a spider. A venomous one for sure.

2017-Aug-25cI don’t like the whole title repeat of Look What You Made Me Do but then again I thought the same of Out Of The Woods and the song still became a favorite of mine. However, you can tell this is a Taylor Swift song because the bridge is always the best part, the climatic finale to the song, the part where the lead actress kills everyone. Yeah, I’m casting Taylor Swift in the lead for the next Stephen King’s Carrie remake.

Enjoy for what it is, vengeance made into song for you to dance and sing once the remix comes out. But don’t think she’s suffered a mental breakdown. It’s a new persona, it’s the same songwriting and marketing genius reinventing herself. She got hers, but you all will get yours. I think the title has been carefully selected. And if you want to know what it is exactly you made her do, you made her craft out another song to sail to the top to the charts.

Enjoy the lyric video. Dark, darkitty, dark. Joseph Kahn, you KNEW. You knew this WHOLE TIME. You sneaky video director person you.

Watch on YouTube

The song is out on iTunes. Music video coming soon.

PS: She has snake rings on her online store. Snake. Rings. They’re already sold out.

Coming up in the Calendar! There’s a calendar again? Yes!

August

  • August 27: The music video for “Look What You Made Me Do” is released at the MTV Video Music Awards 2017.

November

  • November 10: Reputation, the new album by Taylor Swift is released!

TS6 Revealed: Reputation drops November 10. First single out tomorrow!

On By The EditorIn Albums, Reputation, Taylor Swift

Get yourself off the floor, Taylor Nation. What are you doing there?

reputation

The stakes are unfairly high for a new Taylor Swift album. So, business as usual then? There was a time that Taylor Swift, back then an aspiring country singer, was supposed to put albums among controversy generated by other people. Now it’s gotten to the point that a lot of people genuinely think that Taylor’s entire career was veered by a single recorded phone call and that she was caught in a lie. And I know that only one line out of two were there, but that’s never mentioned. Popular opinion just decided to go with the snake motif.

Now the Blonde With The Sparkly Guitar is aiming for reinvention, embracing the snake moniker. Keep in mind that incident was child’s play compared to the other incident. And yes, I’m talking about the civil court trial where the person, who is now judged guilty of sexual assault, wanted money because of his own life decisions. Some people will not focus on that one and I find it very telling and problematic when detractors highlight one and feign ignorance on the one that is an actual crime.

But on to happier notes, TS6 has now a name! REPUTATION. And a release date! November 10. And a new single coming out… tomorrow…

Stop dying already. Get up.

Coming up in the Calendar! Calendar? There’s a calendar again? Yes, there is! Woot!

August:

  • August 24: New single by Taylor Swift is released!

November

  • November 10: Reputation, the new album by Taylor Swift is released!

Nevertheless, she persisted. An Editorial.

On By The EditorIn Commentary, Editorial, Taylor Swift

Just breathe, Taylor Nation.

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The jury is in. Taylor Swift was awarded her counter-claim for assault and battery. She will receive her symbolic $1 dollar. Mueller’s claim against Andrea Swift and Frank Bell was denied. The jury deliberated for 4 hours to reach that verdict. A victory, bittersweet as sexual assault victories are, means a lot more than just that dollar.

Taylor’s very aware of the ramifications, as she says in her statement:

I want to thank Judge William J. Martinez and the jury for their careful consideration, my attorneys Doug Baldridge, Danielle Foley, Jay Schaudies and Katie Wright for fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault, and especially anyone who offered their support throughout this four-year ordeal and two-year long trial process.

I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.

Taylor Swift

As it has been pointed out by several people in comment sections around this topic, you don’t have to like Taylor Swift or her music. Nobody deserves to be sexually assaulted. Yes, there are other people that symbolize the struggle that victims of sexual assault encounter when trying to bring their perpetrators to justice.

I’m not trying to rally the troops here. There was no conviction in this case. Mueller has to pay a dollar. He has, however, been judged by a jury as guilty of assault and battery – that will follow him for life. And yet, to get to this point where a privileged, protected and powerful young woman was almost forced to pay $3M to her own attacker – I don’t have to say alleged anymore – she had to go to civil court and withstand cross examination with the world watching.

Small victory, that seems it should’ve been over sooner. Now imagine someone without the means, without the media attention, and with less resources fighting an even more upscale battle. The odds don’t seem fair, do they?

Sexual assault, battery, rape and any forms of violence are wrong. It’s not about boys being boys, it’s not women asking for it, it’s not because of a short skirt, you never, never assume. You have zero rights to touch a woman without consent. Doesn’t matter who you are, doesn’t matter who she is. She does not deserve it and no man is entitled to sexual favors ever regardless of whatever you’ve seen in a TV ad or in a music video. No means no. But if this is too hard of a concept to grasp, I give you a different one: Unless she says yes, the answer is always no.

Respect.

Words are kinda my thing: Taylor Swift’s best comebacks on the stand.

On By The EditorIn Taylor Swift1 Comment
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(Source: Taylor Swift via Instagram)

Yes, we’re doing this, Taylor Nation.

If there’s something that should be remembered from this trial, is that Taylor has not wavered on her position, her statements or her determination. If there’s something that the media always gets wrong about Taylor Swift, is that they imagine a meek, mild and shy girl barely able to speak up. The Sparkly Dressed can go on the defensive, sharp as a tack, when cornered.

I’m aware that the following comebacks or statements have already been compiled by such sites as Vulture and Glamour. I just need my own compilation here so there’s a place to find them if you’re ever looking for them again.

These are a compilation of Taylor Swift’s comebacks and statements during her cross-examination as she took the stand on August 10, 2017:

  • Taylor had previously said she was distressed after the incident, but didn’t want the upset the other fans who had been waiting hours for the Meet & Greet. Mueller’s attorney, Gabe McFarland, suggests Taylor could’ve taken a break after the incident if she was distressed. Taylor’s reply was: “And your client could’ve taken a normal photo with me.”
  • McFarland also tried to assign guilt to Taylor’s bodyguard, Greg Dent. Taylor responded with: “I’m critical of your client sticking his hand under my skirt and grabbing my ass.”
  • McFarland pointed out Swift was closer to Shannon Melcher’s Mueller then girlfriend. At that point Taylor reminded the lawyer she’s not confused about who’s hand latched onto her: “Yes, she did not have her hand on my ass.”
  • McFarland also stated there’s nothing explicitly obvious happening in the picture. Taylor said, “Gabe, this is a photo of him with his hand up my skirt — with his hand on my ass. You can ask me a million questions – I’m never going to say anything different. I never have said anything different.”
  • McFarland also asked why Taylor’s skirt doesn’t show any signs of being displaced in the front. Taylor’s comeback: “Because my ass is located in the back of my body.”
  • Regarding a statement by Mueller saying he made contact with what appeared to be a rib or the rib cage. Taylor’s reaction: “He did not touch my rib, he did not touch my hand, he grabbed my bare ass.”
  • The defense asked if she was open to the possibility it wasn’t Mueller who supposedly grabbed her. Taylor’s reply: “He had a handful of my ass. I know it was him.”
  • After McFarland asked why nobody else saw Mueller grabbing “a handful of ass” as Taylor herself had stated. Taylor’s reply: “The only person who would have a direct eye line is someone laying underneath my skirt, and we didn’t have anyone positioned there.”
  • McFarland asked Taylor if she thinks Mueller got what he deserved. Taylor said: “I don’t feel anything about Mr. Mueller. I don’t know him.”
  • McFarland asked Taylor if she had any feelings about Mueller losing his job because of the incident. Taylor’s reply: “I’m not going to let you or your client make me feel in any way that this is my fault. Here we are years later, and I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are the product of his decisions, not mine.”

Now, some have said that these comebacks are a bit insolent to say in court. It’s being said another person on the stand would have come across as impertinent and disrespectful to the court. Arguably, only someone like Taylor Swift would get away with saying these, right? Not quite.

I’m going to argue a different counter point. Taylor Swift is a perceived pop star princess, millionaire, influential personality and popular celebrity who every brand would through its most lucrative deal to have her name and her face as the spokeswoman of their product. Taylor Swift could not have behaved any less than imposing while on the stand. She had to display emotion and defiance on the stand because she’s perceived as being Taylor Swift. Otherwise it would seem she’s playing the victim, regretting it or making it up. She wasn’t. She was showing restraint but at the same time, with a glint of fire in her eyes.

Taylor was already a victim of this man once. She was on the stand because she had no intention of being a victim again.

The judge has already thrown Mueller’s case against Taylor out of court. The jury will decide on the cases of Mueller against Andrea Swift and Frank Bell, radio manager, who Mueller also accuses of getting him fired. Taylor’s counter-suit for the symbolic amount of $1 will also be decided by jury. The court reconvenes on Monday, August 14.

(Sources: @Clayton_Sandell, Vulture, Glamour)

Review Corner: Liz Huett – STFU and Hold Me

On By The EditorIn Elizabeth Huett, Review Corner, Video

lizhuett_2017-Aug-07Sour candy and whiskey, Huett fans.

Liz Huett has finally revealed her new single “STFU and Hold Me” and a new stage in her career begins. She’s been teasing us with new music for what feels like an age, but she has not been slacking on the job. Her effort pays off in a ballad that is both gentle and sassy. This ballad is less saccharine and more sour candy and whiskey.

That’s kind of Liz’s image in a nutshell. She’s going for the main spotlight now, but she’s not leaving herself behind. The song works as both a more direct approach to a relationship and as a simple advice to anybody who’s debating whether she’s headliner material.

The candid language is just a more realistic way of cutting through the all the red tape. Relationships are messy and sometimes words get in the way. It also makes me think this is a way in which Liz is defining where and when that song should be sing. I don’t think morning shows will get why there’s a swear word thrown in there, but a real couple in a real grown-up relationship will understand a lot better. Not everything comes with an instruction manual.

The song works in melody and harmony for a solo singer with key backup points, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it unplugged. It is not overproduced, and there are no bells or whistles getting in the way of Liz’ clear voice. I think she has a solid first single of what I hope is an upcoming album. Even as a standalone, it’s worth a top spot on your playlist.

Watch on YouTube

You can catch “STFU and Hold Me” on its several platforms here.