Taylor Swift releases her third pre-release single from upcoming album Red…
“I Knew You Were Trouble” begins with a funky guitar melody and Swift telling a “Once Upon A Time” story about a guy who she knew was bad news, but went for him anyway.
A refreshing change in prospective comes with the line “shame on me,” with Swift actually taking the blame for a relationship. But don’t get too excited, she’s still not the bad guy, just should have known better than to date such a scumbag!
The track is Taylor’s first to incorporate dubstep, and in terms of catchiness the song is a green light. The lines are easy to memorize and melodies instant earworms.
Unfortunately the verses are much stronger than the chorus, which just appears like it’s trying too hard to be trendy.
However, what is most concerning is how Swift’s album is shaping up on the whole. So far there’s been an Avril Lavigne pop thumper, a ballad, country standard, and now a fiery dubstep number.
What’s missing is cohesion. Experimenting with new sounds is one thing, but trying to cast a blanket over the entire listening audience of America is another.
The songs feel as though they are an attempt to gain a larger audience and thus more downloads, but it seems to be coming at the price of artistic integrity. Fans of the previous Taylor Swift albums may be in for a rude awakening when they purchase her CD on October 22nd and feel as though they’ve bought the latest Now That’s What I Call Music.
Grade: C+
