In comparing Taylor Swift’s Fearless to Carole King’s Tapestry, the great blogger manages one of the single smartest pieces of rock criticism. How I didn’t notice it is beyong (maybe that’s why he has 250,000 followers!).
This is what Bob had to say (Subo is Susan Boyle): “Taylor is that rare bird who’s broken through the twenty first century clutter without killing somebody, going into rehab or making an ass of him/herself on reality TV. And, having broken through, the album sells as a cultural item, without needing to be sustained by radio and other high-priced media coverage. But, unlike “Tapestry” or “Jagged Little Pill”, this is Taylor Swift’s second hit album. Her first, the eponymous “Taylor Swift”, has been on the chart for 167 weeks and has sold 4,622,024 copies and is still number 38, moving 15,858 units this week. Taylor’s here to stay. As long as she continues with the same formula. Telling her story to hooky songs. What a concept. SuBo and Taylor have this in common. We’re bonded to their lives, the real them. SuBo won’t have legs, because there’s nothing behind the facade, but Taylor Swift is just coming into her own, as an adult, she’s got plenty more to say. And her audience wants to hear it. Expect another bump after the Grammys. Assuming the much older members of NARAS give Taylor her due, as the artist of the year, the beacon of hope for this industry. Because believe me, with Taylor Swift, it’s all about the music.”
Amen to that. If you don’t see Swift you don’t see behind the hype to the greatness of songwriting. Carole King? I said Patsy Cline but I’ll take Carole King.