Album Reviews: Gary and Taylor

So I think I want to start reviewing the music I purchase (but only whole albums, not the singles I impulse purchase), I'll try to include where I bought them, how much I paid, links so that you can purchase one if you so choose, my favorite lines from each song, and of course what I thought of the album as a whole. I'll also include link's the the artist's homepage if you want more info on the individual/group reviewed.

 Gary Allan: Set You Free

Point of Purchase: iTunes
Price: $9.99
You can find Gary's album on Spotify if you want to preview it prior to purchasing. However if you're a GA fan it isn't necessary. I think most of my favorite albums have found me just at the right time. This is definitely one of the best "break up" albums ever. It has a good beat, great lyrics, and songs that I can listen to over and over again. This is one of the rarities where EVERY SINGLE SONG is fantastic, now I do love some more than others, but there isn't a bad one in the mix. I was impatient for a new Gary album and it was so worth the wait.

1. Tough Goodbye "I know I won’t find anyone better, I can’t keep runnin’ forever"
2. Every Storm Runs Out of Rain "Go find a new rose, don't be afraid of the thorns, 'Cause we all have thorns"
3. Bones "Well I've been out here diggin' a hole,
   I'm gonna push you in nice and slow, Well maybe you're thinkin' I'm your fool, Well maybe I'm diggin' this hole for you!"
4. It Ain't The Whiskey "I done all I could to drown this hurt inside, but I can't wash you off of my mind.."
5. Sand in My Soul "I hate to say I'm glad you broke my heart, And I hate to say it isn't tearing me apart, But I love the way this tiki bar is somehow never closed"
6. You Without Me "Don’t think you ever looked more beautiful, And you’ve never been more gone"
7. One More Time "Just wanna make sure, That I did it all right, I just wanna make sure, I loved and cared and gave with all my might"
8. Hungover Heart "don't get hung up on forever, 'cause there ain't no such, don't get strung out on on a woman because coming down is the hardest part"
9. No Worries "If life brings rain, we'll grow roses, It don't matter what life throws us"
10. Drop "Drop, raindrop fallin' from the sky like magic, Can you feel it in the air, Drop, you oughta drop on by 'cause it's warm inside, And there's a storm out there"
11. Pieces "We've all been lied to,  We've all been liars, Nothing's perfect in this world,  Everybody's been burned by the fire"
12. Good As New "Since I've met you, I'm good as new"
     

 

Taylor Swift: Red

Point of Purchase: Starbucks (yes, I was impulsed)
Price: $12.95
This is an album I've been looking at since it came out months ago. I really enjoy Taylor's music as much as I make fun of it. Most of the time it's just country poppy and a guilty pleasure. Again I feel like this one found it's way into my possession at the perfect time. It's also a bit of a break up album, but has songs you can laugh with, dance to, and just sing at the top of your lungs. A friend of mine asked me what I felt the genre of this album was, and I couldn't do it. The best I could come up with was "It's just Taylor" and I think that describes it perfectly. The song Red speaks to my heart in ways that not many songs do, I could listen to it over and over and it wouldn't get old...just ask my co-worker, I'm pretty sure he was ready to slap the Taylor right out of me by the end of the day on Friday (the day I bought it).

1. State of Grace "love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right"
2. Red "remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes, tell myself it's time to let go, but moving on from him is impossible when I still see it all in my head in burning red"
3. Treacherous "I can't decide if it's a choice, getting swept away, I hear the sound of my own voice, asking you to stay"
4. I Knew You Were Trouble "no apologies, he'll never see you cry, pretends he doesn't know that he's the reason why, you're drowning, you're drowning..."
5. All To Well "maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much, but maybe this thing was a masterpiece, till you tore it all up, running scared, I was there"
6. 22 "you don't know about me, but I'll be you want to"
7. I Almost Do "I confess baby, in my dreams, you're touching my face, and asking me if I want to try again with you, and I almost do"
8. We Are Never Ever (Getting Back Together) "like ever"
9. Stay Stay Stay "before you I'd only dated self indulgent takers, who took all their problems out on me"
10. The Last Time, featuring Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol "right before your eyes, I'm breaking, no past, no reasons why, just you and me"
11. Holy Ground "I don't want to dance, if I'm not dancing with you"
12. Sad Beautiful Tragic "time is taking it's sweet time erasing you"
13. The Lucky One "they tell you that you're lucky but you're so confused 'cause you don't feel pretty, you just feel used"
14. Everything Has Changed featuring Ed Sheeran "all I know is we said hello and your eyes look like coming home"
15. Starlight "we dream impossible dreams"
16. Begin Again "all love ever does is break and burn and end"