This is the third time Taylor has introduced a new album with a killer track, in 2008 she did it with "Love Story" and 2010 with "Speak Now". At first listen "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" isn't in that league but by the third spin it has completely kicked in and its off handedness, a straight up rocker amusingly breaking up with a pain in the ass guy, is a relief after the overblown dramatics all over Speak Now. I'm not saying we aren't gonna be made to suffer through the Jake Gyllenhaal relationship once the newbie Red drops, I'm saying this ain't it.
There is a lightness of touch to the rocker, "He calls me up saying 'I still love you'" Taylor says funning the guys needy response, before adding "I'm just, I'm like this is exhausting…" It is really hysterical. Taylor speaks this bit but her vocal all the way through it is just awesome. It finds a middleground between pissed, tired, and vaguely amused.
Her backing band really rocks it, it's all four on the floor rock and roll backbeat and guitars (not a piano in sight that I can hear), her back up band given every pop group in the world a run for their money. And the "Never/ever" rhyme is so simple it shouldn't work but it works great. It is just so straight but the lyric isn't quite where you think it should be.
It is refreshing to hear Taylor not all that smitten with the guy. At 22 years old, she is well past the point where she is going to pine away from love for some pain in the ass bloke. And if that isn't bad enough, the dunce boyfriend really blows it right here: "And you would hide away and find your peace of mind, With some indie record that's much cooler than mine." No, no, no. Now that is exactly how not to keep the Swift's heart.
Apparently, it is written for the frontman of Parachute Will Anderson. Personally, I think this is much more mature than the big feeling songs. You get away with a lot when you can sleight of hand it.
I got this off Pop 2 It: "Max Martin and Shellback are credited with writing "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" with Swift — Martin, of course, being the prolific Swedish producer behind songs like Britney Spears' "…Baby One More Time" and Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone." Martin also worked with Avril Lavigne on four songs for her record "Goodbye Lullaby."
They then went on to kinda imply that is why it was catchy and less introspective. I have no doubt the duo gave it a pop veneer,, the snappy, catchy hookaramas, but really? This is pure Taylor. If it was that simple, why does Avril keep bombing?
PS: here is the pop 2 it review, which I disagreed with quite a bit but still liked: http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2012/08/taylor-swift-we-are-never-ever-getting-back-together-lyrics-who-is-it-about.html
And at under three and a half minutes, Taylor took my advice and is writing shorter songs. At least here. Red drops October 22nd and I can not wait.
Grade: A