Despite dating a high school senior this summer, Taylor Swift is a 22 years old, and her fourth album "Red" is her first adult album. Her first juvenile (but fun) single "We are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is not representative of the majority of the 16-song album, which consist not of simple love songs but mature songs about falling in and out of love. However, the first single was co-written and produced by Swedish sugar-pop master Max Martin, and his magic fingers are all over the consistently gratifying record, where Swift declares her independence from country music and instead pivots toward undeniably melodic dance songs such as "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "22," where Swift apes Ke$ha’s deliciously snotty vocal style. Other songs square stright into top-40, pop-rock territory, which ensures that Swift —with the best singing she’s ever displayed — will be keeping you company on your car radio through 2013 and into 2014. And there are worse things that could happen to you, really.
Grade: B+
