3xLPs on Gold Vinyl

Taylor Swift left her longtime home of Big Machine in 2018, setting up shop at Republic Records. Usually, such changes in label are only of interest to trainspotters, but once Swift departed Big Machine, the label was acquired by a group owned by Scooter Braun, a nemesis of Taylor's. The singer attempted to regain rights to her original recordings to no avail, leaving her with one option: she could re-record her records, thereby undercutting the value of her catalog in terms of syncs, placements, and licensing. Swift carried through on the promise in April 2021, releasing Fearless (Taylor's Version), a brand-new version of her 2008 breakthrough. Swift recorded all 19 songs from the 2009 Platinum Edition of Fearless, adding a new version of "Today Was a Fairytale" from the Valentine's Day soundtrack, then six additional songs ("From The Vault") -- songs that were written around the time of Fearless but not released. These tracks are of greatest interest, as they certainly have a younger, dewy-eyed perspective but were recorded with Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, the producers of Swift's mature work. The blend of youth and experience is appealing, and it can also be heard in the newer renditions of the Fearless material. Swift largely re-creates the arrangements and feel of the original 2008 album, yet her voice and phrasing has aged, giving the music a hint of bittersweet gravity. That said, it's only a hint; Fearless (Taylor's Version) serves the purpose of offering new versions that could be substituted for the originals for licensing purposes. It's to Swift's credit that the album is an absorbing (if long) listen anyway.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version)    4:01
Fifteen (Taylor’s Version)    4:54
Love Story (Taylor’s Version)    3:55
Hey Stephen (Taylor’s Version)    4:14
White Horse (Taylor’s Version)    3:54
You Belong With Me (Taylor’s Version)    3:51
Breathe (Taylor’s Version)    4:23
Tell Me Why (Taylor’s Version)    3:20
You’re Not Sorry (Taylor’s Version)    4:21
The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version)    4:03
Forever & Always (Taylor’s Version)    3:45
The Best Day (Taylor’s Version)    4:05
Change (Taylor’s Version)    4:39
Jump Then Fall (Taylor's Version)    3:57
Untouchable (Taylor's Version)    5:12
Forever & Always (Piano Version) (Taylor's Version)    4:27
Come In With The Rain (Taylor's Version)    3:57
Superstar (Taylor's Version)    4:23
The Other Side Of The Door (Taylor's Version)    3:58
Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor's Version)    4:01
You All Over Me (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    3:40
Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    4:37
We Were Happy (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    4:04
That's When (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    3:09
Don't You (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    3:28
Bye Bye Baby (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)    4:02