11. Hello Heartache
Hello Heartache has a country feel to it, with an acoustic instrumental for its verses. A harmony of Avrils add a ghostly element to the track and are slightly off-putting. Avril's vocals struggle in places, breaking in places as she attempts to switch between pitches quickly. Thematically, Avril is dealing with a breakup and so the song would maybe have worked on Goodbye Lullaby rather than Avril Lavigne. Her lyrics are fantastically simple here, as she laments "goodbye my friend, hello heartache". These are lost in such an excessive instrumental and would maybe have worked better as a slower ballad. Although the instrumental is epic over the chorus, it doesn't really work with the lyrics. We see the vulnerable Avril that has appeared on so many tracks on her previous four album, as she admits that "it hurts". Such a simple statement is delivered with such grief and anguish in her voice that the listener immediately pities Avril. 12. Falling Fast
Avril returns to a more mature sound here, though manages to retain her innocence and vulnerability which has worked on so many of her ballads. The verses use a simple acoustic guitar riff, which seems mournful before it is taken over by sorrowful strings, a militant beat and an expectant piano melody. Lyrically, Avril admits that she is falling in love with somebody, which juxtaposes with the melancholic instrumental. If Katy Perry's 'Unconditionally' is expected to be the wedding song of 2014 then it faces strong competition from this beautiful number, which is simple, delicate and basic, addressing love directly without large, grabbing statements. Avril proves that she is able to carry a song with just her voice as well as showing that bigger is not always better.
13. Hush Hush
Avril closes the album with a final ballad, a little bigger than Falling Fast. What begins as a piano melody blends into muffled thuds before erupting into a chilling chorus of sorrowful vocals and regimental drumbeats. Crashing beats break the nostalgic tone, yet feel grand accompanied by Avril's pleading yet dominating voice. Like something from a movie soundtrack, Avril is full of regret and takes power across a strong instrumental, commanding her partner to "go on, live your life". There is evident sadness to her vocals which, again, really hit the listener. An epic ballad closes the album, showing Avril at what she does best when she is sat at a piano. Avril Lavigne is rather diverse in song choice and features a clear change. The first few tracks are much more anthemic and obviously created for Avril's younger fans. Bad Girl and Hello Kitty are experimental, not really fitting in with a main theme on the album, standing out from the other tracks because of this. The album closes with predominantly darker, sadder songs. However, this inconsistency is handled so well it doesn't make a difference. Avril continues to amaze, showing a diverse vocal range as well as proving she is not a one trick pony. She plays to her strengths while, although is also not afraid to try new genres and styles. The album feels big and offers such a range to please everybody that it is sure to be a huge hit.