We empathized with her as she sang about the boys she wished she’d had.  Now, we listen to Taylor Swift “Speak Now”  about the boys she had and lost. And we still love it.

Though her songs are a tad extreme, Swift’s album is kind of like Us Weekly plus rhythm: full of gossip and secrets.The album explores Swift’s past relationships as she sings about what went wrong.  The lyrics clearly enumerate who she’s singing about, and that’s exactly how she wants it.

In “Dear John,” Swift slowly sings “Dear John/I see it all now that you’re gone/Don’t you think I was too young to be messed with?”  Undeniably referring to John Mayer, Swift explains how everyone told her not to stay with him but she didn’t listen, and she regrets it.

“Back to December,” one of the most moving songs on the album, goes back to her breakup with a boy whom she describes having “tan skin [and a] sweet smile,”most likely Taylor Lautner.  This song is not vengeful, but an apology in which she sings “So this is me swallowing my pride/Standing in front of you saying I’m sorry for that night/and I go back to December all the time.”

In contrast to her previous two albums, which featured largely homogeneous sounds, Swift works her musical range on “Speak Now,” pushing herself further than her usual country-pop sound.  Her harder, edgier tone on “Better than Revenge” is a nice change from her sweet, innocent voice. The new punk sound on this album works for her younger style.

Swift’s album is a hit that appeals to her target listeners.  Everyone (but most specifically boy-crazed teenage girls) wants to hear about celebrity secrets and unleashed feelings, and that’s exactly what Swift presents in “Speak Now.”  Boys, take warning: Swift always gets the last word, even if you don’t call her back.