Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Well, this song hasn't even been out that long and it's already making huge waves.  It's topping charts and everyone's saying how it's going to be a big hit.  Taylor Swift is definitely already a big name, and her return is sure to attract attention.

The song is slightly different for Taylor.  While she normally does smooth country pop full of sad emotions, this one is much more pop.  It's got a strong pounding beat, as Taylor chants about how she's done with her boyfriend.  Thrown into the mix is a spoken part, again emphasizing that she's not getting back together.  The song is catchy and easy to bob along to.

Lyrically, Taylor's done being sad and instead takes a more triumphant sound.  She's taking control of the relationship this time and won't let the boy back.  It doesn't offer anything new, but the lyrics are still clear and meaningful.

So, the song is good, but personally I don't think it deserves quite all the hype that it's getting.  While pure pop may be something new for Taylor, it's old news for the rest of us.  "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" sounds just like a good chunk of the songs you'll hear on the radio right now.  For some of us, we liked hearing Taylor's gentler sound in the midst of all the dance songs. Both lyrically and musically the song offers nothing new to this genre.  So why is it soaring up the charts?  Why is it going to be the most overplayed song in a month or so?

I like the song well enough right now, but if I have to listen to it everyday then I may quickly change my mind.     So, overall I'll say congratulations to Taylor Swift for trying something new for her and something that has guaranteed her a hit, but personally I wouldn't mind if she just went back to country.

Divine Brown - Gone

I've been meaning to post this all week, and but I finally got around to it today.  Anyways, this is the kind of song I'd usually not like, I'm not exactly the biggest R 'n' B fan.  Yet there's something about the way it's done that just has me hooked.

Divine Brown has the perfect voice to maintain the soulful feel, and yet make it fit into the catchy Pop trend.  The song has a call and response echo of "Gone, gone," that just keeps growing as you go through the song. It's easy to just bob along with it as he voice gets stronger and more powerful.  The song combines verses with the same style, as well as as spoken verse at the bridge.  All of it works together well in creating a nice song.

The lyrics are straightforward and to the point. "I'm gone, and I won't be coming back."  Divine Brown sings them with dignity and power.  This isn't a sad goodbye song, or an angry breakup song.  It's simply, I can't stay any longer.  It's easy to feel the power in her voice as she repeats this message.

While I find that it works well combining R 'n' B with Pop, the question is, will radio accept it.  I wouldn't be surprised to see it just disappear because no one's interested.  It wouldn't be the first time it's happened.  But I'll keep my fingers crossed that Divine Brown can pull off another urban style hit.