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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
AllMusic

She's constructed something so precise that its success seems preordained, but underneath it all, Taylor is still twitchy, which makes Red not just catchy but compelling.

90
Pitchfork
Swift, like anyone, is a hostage to her own experience, but she’s also capable of being a witness to it, able to see a relationship—even as it shrinks further and further away in her vision—for what it was rather than what it couldn’t be.
86
Billboard
"Red" is her most interesting full-length to date, but it probably won't be when all is said and done in her career.
83
Entertainment Weekly

Red should be required listening at the EDM Camp for Girls, if such a thing existed. (In Swift’s polka-dot world, it totally would.)

83
A.V. Club

Musically, it’s bigger and bolder than anything she’s ever done in the pop world.

80
The Observer
Swift's big international pop move for country-shy markets comprises a mere sprinkling of perky Max Martin productions, with the emphasis elsewhere being firmly on the songcraft.
80
The Guardian

It's clear that Red is another chapter in one of the finest fantasies pop music has ever constructed.

80
Sputnikmusic
Swift is a full-fledged pop artist now and can no longer be claimed by the dark world of country music, no matter what CMT would have you believe.
80
SPIN
Whatever it is, this music is full of adult pleasures, even if the most explicit image Swift offers is of an ex-boyfriend sniffing her scarf because it smells like her.
80
American Songwriter

Red isn’t just a dramatic color—it’s one that carries ceremonial significance. Red the album makes official that Swift is the leading pop romantic of her generation.

70
Rolling Stone
It’s no surprise she manages to make her fourth album both her Joni Mitchell-influenced maturity binge and her Max Martin-abetted pop move – and have it seem not just inevitable but natural.
70
musicOMH

It shows an artist who continues to gain in confidence and ability and excitingly suggests that Taylor Swift’s best work is yet to come.

70
Drowned in Sound

For all its manufactured essence, Red remains firmly grounded at the crossroads between innocence and experience.

70
Consequence of Sound

The great hook, the reason Swift’s new sounds and energies rarely if ever fall flat, is that the album’s biggest pop release may as also be its saddest song. 

60
PopMatters

At 16 songs long, Red could use more editing and streamlining with a less-is-more mindset as a guiding principle, particularly since the quieter numbers—which also happen to be some of the album’s strongest moments—get lost in the sound and fury of Swift’s grand gestures.

60
The Irish Times
If there’s a whiff of cynicism about Swift’s change in style, in her favour is her knack of penning nifty, insightful pen-portraits about emotions, romance and falling in (and out of) love.
60
The Telegraph
Too many of the songs on this bloated 16-track album revisit the gently strummed verses and characterless choruses of her previous work.
60
Slant Magazine

If Red is ultimately too uneven to be a truly great pop album, its highlights are career-best work for Swift.

60
The Sydney Morning Herald
The fourth album from country-pop superstar Taylor Swift is somewhat messy and curiously indulgent, but it also signifies the extension of her ambitions.
oh
90

pitchfork had the best opinion

jnblue
97

Naquele que se tornou o meu álbum favorito da Taylor, e muito provavelmente o meu álbum favorito de todos os tempos, "Red", o seu quarto álbum de estúdio, lançado em 2012, foi, com toda certeza, uma grande virada na sua carreira, algo que a lançaria de fato a uma nova direção, marcando uma nova faceta da cantora e compositora Taylor Swift na indústria da música.
Muita se fala disso, afinal, aqui, a cantora ... read more

KaitoNkmra
75

Fuck it, another Taylor Swift review before Speak Now (TV) tomorrow.

Red sees Taylor begin to familiarise herself with a much more mainstream and commercial approach to pop while incorporating the country elements and personal songwriting that made Speak Now successful. Unfortunately, this record is a bit of a step down for that very reason.

The first few tracks feel like a continuation of her previous album, with a similar style consisting of great drum work, catchy melodies, and an acoustic ... read more

DantorGD
93

yes taylor!!! Now name the REST of the rainbow!
Red is Taylor Swifts fourth studio album, serving as basically a transitional period from country and rock to pop. From the start of this album, the colourful instrumentation and Taylor Swift's beautiful vocal performances hit you right away. This whole album is just so brilliantly crafted, from the more pop tunes like I Knew You Were Trouble and 22, to the rock centered All To Well and State Of Grace, this album brings a wide range of sounds, all ... read more

40Rats
89

Listening to Taylor Swift's discography part 4
Hmm, a much more pop oriented record than the last 3, it has some low points, but some really good high points..

NR

MID

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Added on: September 28, 2012