Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne Track By Track Album Review

rating: 4

Since smashing her way into the music industry with her global phenomenon 'Sk8r Boi' a whole decade ago, Avril Lavigne has become a household name, selling over 50 million singles and 30 million albums worldwide. Now she's back with her eponymous 5th album, two years after Goodbye Lullaby divided fans. The album has a poppier sheen than 'Goodbye Lullaby', but still contains elements of the punk and rock which made Avril a star. There are only two collaborations - with Avril's husband Chad Kroeger (of Nickelback fame) and heavy metal rocker Marilyn Manson, who each bring characteristics of their own music to the tracks. The album is mostly made up of summer anthems, although there are a number of nostalgic ballads and an experimental track based on and titled 'Hello Kitty'.

1. Rock N Roll

"Let 'em know that we're still rock n roll" Avril opens the album by addressing critics of Goodbye Lullaby and The Best Damn Thing who felt that she had lost herself to pop music. This track features a We Will Rock You beat across the verses, which seems a little generic, but is accompanied by slamming guitar chords which mask this element. The song is very energetic and wild, perfectly capturing the essence of rock and roll. Avril cheekily shouts her verses and pours attitude into the entire song. She angelically sings over a strumming acoustic guitar for the bridge, before the song explodes into a final stadium chorus, which conjures images of Avril on stage in front of her Black Stars. The song sounds like a traditional Avril track, lyrically rebelling against "them" which will appeal to Avril's early fans.