has taylor been listening to empty days and sleepless nights by defeater? or perhaps the downward spiral by nine inch nails? that abrupt stop is a useful device, but must be used carefully.

it's hard to approach something like this. i'm not a fan. i've heard bits and pieces of her work - never a full record. but she's as ubiquitous as diet coke. unavoidable.

as with the previous single, there are some decent ideas, but the production is very safe. maybe some day somebody might look at this as a transition record. i'm sure it will sell well. but what i'm hearing is ideas being lost in the recording process by a production team that is just looking to mass market something. my perception is that taylor shares that perspective.

you can get pretty far with very little substance nowadays, but it eventually catches up. i don't hear much here to justify the hype.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvhuoQCcMY