Firstly, thanks for taking the time to do that, Ezy - many wouldn’t. I’d suggest listening a few times, and letting yourself go with the flow, but of course, music is very much a matter of personal taste. As I type this, I’m listening to Andreas Scholl singing John Dowland (two faves of mine that would leave most people cold).
From the responses to my Taylor defence, I guess we’re all in an older demographic. Although you refer to 12yos as her audience, among my workmates I can see her appeal goes well into the 30s. Yes, mainly women - but that’s who she writes for. That 50-60 something male AFL fans don’t like her? Bet she’s crying all the way to the bank.
And the lyrics Red quoted - I actually like them. Heard in context of the rest of each song, and the Taylor fans’ universe, they’re spot-on. She often writes as a teenage girl (she was famous at 16, and prolific, so many of her famous songs are in that voice), and part of the appeal is that it’s so genuine! How delightfully childish is - You tell people I’m mad, I’ll tell them you’re gay? And your quote from “Mean” made me smile. Imagine you’re 18 and a boy’s done you wrong, listen to that and you’ll feel glee. And Cory with his jungle eyes and radio smile? I know exactly what that means. She articulates a feeling that chimes with her audience. (Ezy, don’t you feel the evil of “Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend”?)
And I see your “Cory’s eyes are like a jungle” and raise you “Nah Nah Nah, Hey Jude”, “You’re my Wonderwall”, “I jumped across for you, cos you were all Yellow”. Crap writing by talentless bands, surely