So, okay: I’ve never loved Taylor Swift. I’ve never disliked her, either. She’s always just been peripherally there, churning out catchy country-pop tunes that I neither loved nor hated and getting interrupted by Kanye West.
But now, I suddenly care.
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” which will never ever not be annoying to write out in full, is Swift’s lead single from her upcoming record, Red, due out later this year. And yes, it’s a solid tune.
Why? Many reasons. Most importantly, it’s co-produced by Max Martin and Shellback, which is probably why it doesn’t sound all that different than some of the cuts found on Avril Lavigne‘s latest studio album, Goodbye Lullaby.
And so, in the great tradition of all things Max Martin-y, the song confidently strides along on a power-pop guitar stomp while T. Swift dishes out the dicey details of a dude she’s, like, so totally over.
Wait, what? Taylor Swift wrote a break-up song?
I keed, I keed. The singer’s getting some major brownie points for this one, especially in the minor details: The “Ooo-woo-oooo-oo-oo!” during the bridge, the spoken word middle eight (“Like…ever”), and the line “You’d hide away and find some peace of mind with some indie record that’s much cooler than mine,” which is basically the best thing I’ve ever heard come from Taylor Swift’s lips.
And on top of everything else, that unbelievably sing-songy, super-chanty chorus has all the makings of a defiance anthem in waiting.
Whether it’s because this is the least country-tinged track Taylor’s churned out, or because it’s a Max Martin production, or perhaps even because I’m slowly becoming a straight-up fan: I’m totes on board, Swiftypants.
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was released on August 14. (iTunes)