Now that Taylor Swift's 'Red' album has had a chance to sink in, the 16 songs (plus three more new ones at Target) are left to prove their worth -- without the benefit of advanced hype. Commercially speaking, the project is already a huge success with rumors of over four million songs from the album downloaded in the first 72 hours since its release. But what are fans, friends, foes and critics saying about 'Red'?

We've compiled a list of quotes from those who've spent time with the album. While a few have been disappointed with the singer's fourth studio effort, most praise Swift's sharp songwriting on many -- but not all -- of her new songs. Below, you too can weigh in on 'Red.'

Critics:

Early reviews of 'Red' have been mostly positive, with three or four stars out of five being the most popular score. Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and praised Swift's sense of danger throughout, but added, "Swift sounds too eager to TMZ-ify her own life." Rolling Stone gave 'Red' 3-and-a-half stars, saying, "When she's really on, her songs are like tattoos." Taste of Country scored the album four stars, praising her sharp songwriting and improved vocals, but criticizing songs like '22' and 'The Last Time.'

The Christian Science Monitor wasn't as complimentary, calling Swift's album "a disappointing effort" before explaining that "many of the songs lack the colorfulness and vitality the album title suggests, leading to an overall letdown." The Toronto Star also criticized the music, saying, "Wild success appears only to have inspired the perpetually lovelorn Nashville pop sweetheart and her handlers to consolidate her hold on that success by playing it as safe as they ever have and further erasing the few quirks of character that separate Swift from her female peers on the charts."

Fans and Foes:

Of course, there are some people who wouldn't give Swift credit if her new album cured cancer. For the most part, that group hasn't listened to 'Red,' but there are a few exceptions. Quinn Davis writes in the Taste of Country comments section that he gave it a fair chance, "but this is what I expected, processed pop garbage from the pop machine." He scored it one star out of five.

Many people agree that the songs on 'Red' take time to grow on you, and the album only improves after multiple listens. And there are those who went gonzo after the very first note of 'State of Grace.' "Taylor Swifts new album if pure perfection," Sophie Thornton writes on Twitter.

See more tweets about 'Red':

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