Taylor Swift can talk the talk like a pro, but she can’t walk the walk. Her recent album, 1989, is intended to be a statement to music listeners that the music industry isn’t dead. She says she wants to emulate the risky decisions of pop artists from the late ‘80s, like Madonna, and create something unique and fresh for pop radio.

The Taylor Swift PR machine has been working overtime in the last few months, and to the megastar’s credit, the album was advertised, packaged, and released flawlessly. I’ve heard more about 1989 than of any recent albums by most of my favorite bands.

Swift has used her fanbase to market virally through social media sites like tumblr, where she has a personal account, and in interviews. She’s generated positive media buzz by sending gifts to fans and appearing on talk shows and late night shows everywhere. The aim of her campaign was to get people to buy the album at full price, in its entirety, which many people don’t do in the age of digital media. This kind of hype is what used to drive the music industry, making artists millionaires.

Without a doubt, 1989 has sold like crazy – 1.287.000 copies in the first week alone, the highest first week gross of an album since The Eminem Show in 2002. After hearing so much about it and listening to the NPR interview with Taylor Swift, I even wanted to buy an album. I wanted to hear what Taylor Swift’s idea of a “breath of fresh air” in the 2014 music industry really is. I was intrigued. After listening, I’m glad I didn’t drop 12.99 on the album.

Like Swift herself, the packaging of the album is impressive. The sleeve depicts a faded polaroid photo of Swift with T.S. 1989 written in the margin with magic marker. The CD case is stuffed with so many extras that upon opening it, several things almost fall out. One can find a sheaf of faux “polaroid photos” inside a little manilla envelope. Each photo is labeled with “handwritten” song lyrics. Other bonuses include a digital download voucher, a lyric booklet, a sweepstakes advertisement, and of course, the CD.

In a way, Swift accomplished her aim of revitalizing the music industry by proving that she still can sell over a million albums in a week, even in the digital age. However, despite her sleek marketing and packaging, her music lacks the same veneer.

I was excited when I popped the CD out of the case, but as soon as the first song, “Welcome to New York“, started playing on the computer, I noticed something…

It wasn’t fresh at all. The music in “Welcome to New York” sounded like stock audio from an Ed Sheeran song with lyrics by Meghan Trainor. That’s not to say those artists aren’t skilled, or that “Welcome to New York” isn’t catchy, but it was a let down.

I was expecting something different.

I shook it off. Then, “Blank Space” came on. The music is so overproduced that there’s a constant low wailing in the background of the song, generated by all the effects. The words are contrived and cheesy.

“Rose garden filled with thorns

Keep you second guessing like

‘Oh my God, who is she?’

I get drunk on jealousy

But you’ll come back each time you leave

‘Cause, darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream”

“Rose garden filled with thorns?” More like lyrics filled with clichés. Every song followed the same model: overproduced, poppy music and forgettable lyrics. The only song that breaks this trend is  “Shake it Off.” I’m not surprised that this began as her top single, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and staying there for two weeks before “Blank Space” dethroned it.

“Shake it Off” is an uptempo song with lyrics that poke fun at Swift’s haters. Its style reminds me of the song “Happy,” which incorporates elements of groove and soul. The message is positive. Whenever someone’s getting under your skin, just laugh at them. I only wish all of the songs could be so listenable.

Some of the songs on 1989 are worse than just mediocre. Like “Bad Blood.”

“Band-aids don’t fix bullet holes

You say sorry just for show

If you live like that, you live with ghosts”

What does that mean? Normally, I don’t pay much attention to lyrics, but this made me cringe. Even worse is “How You Get the Girl,” where Swift gives the listeners her sage advice on what men need to say in order to get the girl:

“I want you for worse or for better

I would wait for ever and ever

Broke your heart, I’ll put it back together

I would wait for ever and ever “

… Because relationships are that easy.
After finishing the album, I felt betrayed. I couldn’t help but feel like I was led on and cheated. Evidently, there is no going back or forward from 1989.

I guess I’m only so disappointed because for a second, I believed Taylor Swift’s promises. She has a beautiful voice, but it’s exhausting to listen to it being double or even triple tracked and then auto-tuned.

Taylor Swift has evolved from country to pure pop with 1989, but it doesn’t live up to her bold talk. How about a truly risky decision, like that of Madonna and Kate Bush, and go unplugged?