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Taylor Swift
Red
BIG MACHINE LABEL GROUP/ MERCURY, Pounds 12.99 ***
How does a teen-pop megastar go about reinventing herself? This is the conundrum that American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift must have faced writing this, her fourth album. From her roots in the thrall of Shania Twain, Swift's first three albums of country bubblegum-pop - with 22million sold - established the charming teenager as a household name, with six Grammys under her belt. At 22, however, "America's sweetheart" is outgrowing her core fan base - the armies of young girls of the like who flocked to her UK arena tour last year.
Duly, Red is a transitional album, hinting at a more mature sound, but also a disjointed one. Too often, Swift's...