Hellooo! I'm not sure exactly when it was but a few years ago, I managed to get my hands on the vinyl format of Taylor Swift's Reputation album! I loved the album and when I came across the vinyl picture disc version for around £10 to £15 in HMV, I couldn't resist it!
Both of the two records included in this album are housed in glossy, printed inner sleeves, within a gatefold sleeve. The album branding is black and white, with a theme of newspaper print. The Reputation album cover features an image of Taylor Swift, with her name printed hundreds of times across the right-hand side of the image in multiple fonts, replicating a newspaper print. The image shows Taylor wearing a jumper, which contrasts with her chain necklace and chains holding parts of the jumper together. The inner sleeves are also printed in the style of newspaper print and feature the song lyrics and album credits.
Reputation was the first picture disc I bought for my vinyl collection and I love the design of it! Side A features the image featured on the album cover and Side B is printed with an image of Taylor, which is also printed in the centrefold of the outer sleeve. Side C is printed with another image that is featured in the centrefold of the outer sleeve and Side D is printed with another portrait image of Taylor. I like that Sides A and C have a white background, with Sides B and D contrasting with black backgrounds, fully utilising the monochromatic colour scheme. I also like that the Reputation logo is featured in the images on all sides of the records.
The album contains fifteen tracks, including singles such as Look What You Made Me Do, ...Ready For It? and Delicate. I love the album as a whole and I like that Taylor Swift chose to take the album in a different direction to her previous release, 1989. Electronic synths and percussion are featured across the songs on the album and I love the use of electronic processing effects used on the vocals on the album in songs such as King Of My Heart. Reputation demonstrated how Taylor can adapt her music to fit the genre she chooses, whilst retaining her intricate lyric writing. My favourite tracks from the album are Delicate, Getaway Car and ...Ready For It?
I love the monochrome branding throughout the album and how the whole product feels cohesive. The branding of Reputation also reflects the side of Taylor Swift that is shown through the songs themselves. The glossy outer and inner sleeves and the fact that it is a picture disc make the Reputation album feel exclusive, even though it is a general release version. I'm very happy to have this vinyl in my collection as I love picture discs and I love this album! I'm also very excited to hear Taylor's Version of the Red album, which will be released in November 2021!
Thanks for reading and stay safe!
Sophie
