As many of you know by now, alt-folk hero Ryan Adams just released his complete cover album of Taylor Swift’s pop machine "1989." While Adams is no stranger to the art of covers (see his version of “Wonderwall”), his decision to cover the fastest-selling album in over a decade caught media attention almost immediately.
As an avid music listener, one of my weird tendencies is to wait a few days after the release of a highly-anticipated album to give it a listen. However, on Sept. 21, the day on which Adams’ "1989" was released, I simply could not resist the urge to immediately download it. While I am a fan of both artists, you won’t find T-Swift and Ryan Adams coexisting in any of my playlists (“Stars Go Blue” and “Shake It Off” don’t exactly fit the same vibe). That being said, I went into the listening experience with confused expectations. This record is definitely a unique one. Adams’ "1989" was able to strip, reconstruct and transform the infectiously pop-heavy songs in Swift’s platinum album in a way that will make you forget that it was even a pop album to begin with.
First, I’ll say that Adams’ take on "1989" is largely a compliment to Swift’s songwriting skills. In “How You Get The Girl,” “All You Had To Do Was Stay,” and “I Wish You Would,” his soft-rock angle forces the listener to digest every emotionally-rich lyric penned by Swift. While Swift’s remarkable way with words can be easily drowned in the vibrant and sugar-coated choruses of her songs, Adams’ signature style of musicianship highlights and frames each verse in a refreshing and remarkably profound way.
Shimmering guitars, heavily swaying drum lines, and dramatically smooth vocals are constants throughout the album. It is clear that Adams took his time making each song his own, and I could barely conceptualize that Swift’s hit album and Adams’ cover came from the same origin because they are so distinct. Hearing “Welcome to New York” as covered by Adams was one of my favorite moments while listening to the record, because he managed to conserve the song’s original catchiness while breathing a new life into its framework.
While I could applaud this album for many more paragraphs, the record is not without its faults. In more than one song, Adams’ vocalization works against the rhythmical flow desired by listeners, leaving me and other critics agitated and unsatisfied. Adams’ tendency to trample the melody of Swift’s songs for the sake of his own unique style was one of the major criticisms I encountered while listening to the record. This is especially apparent in “Style.” While I considered Swift’s original to be one of the strongest of her album, Adams did little justice to it by suffocating the sparkle of the chorus with noisy guitars and overwhelming reverbs.
To conclude, I’d encourage everyone to give this album a listen and to keep an open mind. It’s fresh, interesting and definitely worth your time to check it out.
