Taylor Swift's Leadin' the Thug Life And That's No Compliment

For Taylor Swift's new single "Shake It Off" the studio team elected to dump so much sheen on it that if there was a power failure in her hometown it would provide ample light. "Shake It Off" the pop candy doesn't leave me fighting to control the immature rage battling to get out. "Shake It Off" the blatant robbing from various other pop divas who emit the exact level of bad girl sass does. Miley Cyrus is too busy making people from her Hannah Montana halycon days wonder how far off her rocker she plans to go. Avril Lavigne has enough on her plate being Mrs. Nickelback guy. Nicki Minaj is off in her own version of the Orion Nebula galaxy to remotely care what her adopted planet is up to. As for Katy Perry...the glare from her multi platinum bling is distraction is spades. "Shake It Off" is Taylor sloughing off the haters who repeatedly focus on how her back catalog revolves around not much other than the wrong choice boyfriends of dalliances past. Let 'em hate. Regardless of character assassination Taylor's going to strut her stuff all the way to the bank, thank you so very little. Right upfront she contends her detractors insinuate she's got nothing in her brain. So tell me...why does this airy brand of Top 40 frothiness sound like there wasn't much Mensa musing to go around. Granted the novelty effects rolled up into a big ball are a tasty nugget to wrap your cortex around. Kick drum is zippy as zippy could get on its most fly to the rafters day. Horn section reflects the sophisticated young woman character portrayal Taylor very much desires. Is she upping the in your face fangs exponentially on the long ago rude interruption of Kanye West at the MTV VMAs? Only the lady herself could solve that puzzle. No question the hooks come hot and heavy in ninja warrior progression. But who does Taylor think she is ultimately? She's like that little girl who tries on these hats in her mom's wardrobe closet trying to find one hat she likes best. Each hat looks morally wrong on top. The video is pleasingly colorful. Taylor makes Ritalin kids look like they're stranded in first gear. Equally disturbing is how she "borrowed the happy feet concept Pharrell Williams made mucho dinero off of in "Happy". Got these assorted party people gyrating like they were told they're getting a good chunk of Taylor's take home royalties. As much as I don't like playing the heavy when delivering a verdict on music of any kind, all that the high stepping, window dress pop peppiness, and self-motivated honor defending does is reveal how there's not much worth giving a fig about under the hood. Taylor, we know you're an easy target given how wronged woman focused your previous efforts have been. We reckon "Shake It Off" is your way to try to work a backbone implant into that busy schedule of yours. I imagine as motivational speaking set to a ear satisfying heat it's commendable. It's presently Billboard's #1 single. That last statement is proof that popular and quality artistry are not the same thing. Taylor, you're a sweet young thing who from what I've seen and heard is about one of the nicest performers you'd want to share air space with. Doesn't give you a free ride, though. When the time comes to assume the mike position you've got to give me a reason to hope you make enough money for the record company to warrant another album. "Shake It Off" is a dandruff level flake which falls away not long after the inevitable goodbye.