Another year, another album filled with the ballads of boyfriends past. Better than Fearless but worse than Speak Now, Red is filled with slower, sadder ballads that have almost exactly the same tempo and message, though the lyrics are as meaningful and eloquent as always.

In comparison to Swift’s previous songs, the lyrics in Red are more downhearted with ballads like “The Lucky One,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic,” and “All Too Well.” There is some break in the slow pace of the album with more pop-oriented tracks like “I Knew You Were Trouble”  (rumored to be about One Directions’ Harry Styles), “22,” the overplayed “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and the cutesy “Stay Stay Stay.”

Red shows how much Taylor Swift has grown as an artist, moving from a juvenile pop-country mash-up to a distinct,  unique sound. The only thing left now is to find out which of Ms. Swift’s string of boyfriends she is trashing in this album.

Written by Sarah Fornshell’15