Listeners bound to enjoy Swift's '1989,' even if they won't admit it

Despite her highly problematic public persona -- ranging from virginal ingenue to femme fatale, from lighthearted (albeit disingenuous) goofball to deadly serious without a whiff of self-awareness -- Taylor Swift makes good music. Even from her earliest days in the musical world, Swift has been lauded for her songwriting skills. And though her music has traditionally been relegated to the world of prepubescent teen girls (and their twenty-something counterparts who refuse to grow up), her songwriting prowess and skill is hard for any music lover to deny. Bursting onto the country scene in 2006 with a self-titled debut and ultimately gaining widespread notoriety for her sophomore attempt “Fearless” in 2008, Swift set herself apart from her bubblegum contemporaries by writing the bulk of her songs all on her own. Although trite now, singles like “Our Song” (off of “Taylor Swift") and “Love Story” (“Fearless”) are each flawlessly written pop songs with attractive arcs, relatable storylines and especially compelling melodies and bridges.

With fame and fortune came tremendous expectations for the artist -- record labels, brands and even fans began expecting hit after hit. In countless cases (see: Katy Perry, Ke$ha, etc.), these pressures have forced original artists into pop oblivion, as the powers that be rob them of their last remnant of originality or skill. Shockingly, the one artist who seems immune to this trap is the same artist who perpetrates the pop machine so effortlessly through her social media lifestyle and faux-quirky personality. Indeed, Taylor Swift’s music, amid a sea of expectation and pressure, has only gotten better and better. Her fourth studio album, “Red” (2012), was a remarkable triumph, defining the landscape of popular music in the modern age. Singles and B-sides alike, “Red” was easy and sweet, challenging and addictive.

This brings us to Swift’s latest release, “1989.” Released Monday, this album sees Swift running with the same baton that she has been carrying for her entire career. Harkening back to the golden age of pop -- and not only in name -- “1989” is riddled with shiny synth and pounding percussion. Lyricism has never been Swift's strong suit, and there are no pleasant surprises on this front in “1989.” If there’s one thing that Swift has never quite mastered, it is subtlety in storytelling.

However, Swift’s apparent lack of poetics is negligible in the face of the flawless pop songs that litter the thirteen track album. Though the Swift of earlier years is still recognizable, “1989” sounds like a big step. Jettisoning her last ties to her country roots, she has grown into a pop goddess. This was showcased most blatantly in her collaboration with seminal producers of modern pop, most notably pop god Max Martin. Known for hit after hit in the early 2000s -- including “I Want It That Way” (1999) and “... Baby One More Time” (1999) --Martin has not only proven himself as a talented pop songwriter but also as a clever and keen producer. Swift’s partnership with Martin is an indirect hint to fans that Taylor Swift's country bumpkin phase is gone for good, replaced by her pop-star personality, Taylor. What’s more, this collaboration shows Swift’s shrewd musical sense; the artist is unafraid to adapt with changing times, borrow from interesting contemporaries and continue learning from the best.

Notable tracks on this album include the home run of a single, “Shake It Off.” With blasting horns, intense percussion and a carefree message, “Shake It Off” is pop perfection. With other tracks like “Welcome to New York” and “Out of the Words,”Swift showcases musical diversity and melodic restraint. Simple and lovely, these tracks are impossible not to appreciate. Though lyrically unadventurous and completely calculated in terms of image and aesthetic, “1989” is, musically, really quite good. Hazard a listen, whether you’re a fan or a hater. You will find yourself pleasantly surprised no matter where you fall on the Swift spectrum.