Taylor Swift is turning heads for more than one reason after the release of her new album “Red.”

“Red” is Swift’s fourth album to date, and will not silence critics who say she has become “too pop.” What Swift showed with “Red” is that she showed that she is unafraid to step out of her country roots, regardless of the naysayers. In the album, she experiments with an unfamiliar type of sound. Her songwriting remains top-notch, while she continues to mix anguish and hilarity into one.

The first song of this album, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” is playful and catchy as a confident headliner to the album. One of her most beautiful songs on the album is “State Of Grace,” an eloquently written song that has clear rock influences and mixes in a sensitivity often associated with Swift. Swift drew inspiration from the band U2 while writing the song. “Red” is a classic Taylor Swift country song. She opens the song lamenting the crash and burn of a fast-moving relationship.

Swift is still on top of her game, and anyone who says otherwise should take a good listen to the entire album. Two songs on this album stand out on first listen. “Begin Again” is a soft, unpretentious, acoustic ballad that is everything a Swift fan could want in a song. It journals the introduction of a new boy in Taylor’s love life, one that has started eight months after a breakup that left Swift saying “all love ever does is break and burn and end.” Swift’s new pop and rock sound is on display especially in the song “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The song has an almost dubstep sound to it. This song is catchy and you will find yourself listening to it over and over again. It has an electro-pop sound and is one of the most unique songs in “Red.” Not every song on this album is about love. “Ronan” is a track about a four-year-old boy who died of cancer. It’s a tear-jerking and incredible song that is a true testament to Swift’s growth as a songwriter. “Red” is a new, energetic and unique sound for the country star.