As Avril Lavigne is my favourite female vocalist (my favourite male vocalist is Adam Levine of Maroon 5. I know, how similar are their names, [US teeny bopper] it's like - freaky!!), I eagerly downloaded her third album as soon as it was released on Napster, having loved her first two.While promoting the album, Avril Lavigne suggested that the album had a more fun, brattier sound than her previous two albums (she even claimed she wrote the track "Girlfriend" while drunk).
Having listened to the album a few times since it's release, I'd definitely say this album is very different to the previous two. While they were filled with teen angst and melancholy, this album
is a lot more rockier.
Though the album lacks much depth in terms of lyrics (apart from Everything Back But You), this is probably intended and instead the album draws you in with it's very catchy and contagious choruses. You too will catch yourself singing on the bus telling the guy in front of you you want to be his girlfriend (not a true story, honest!).
On a side note, Avril's new husband Deryck Whibley's influence can be felt through some of the album with some very Sum 41 sounding production on a few of the tracks (see "I don't have to try "as an example) as he is quoted as being a producer of the album along with Dr. Luke (Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Lady Sovereign and Daughtry), Rob Cavallo (Green Day, The Goo Goo Dolls, My Chemical Romance, Jewel), Butch Walker and even Avril Lavigne herself producing some tracks. Travis Barker (of Blink-182 fame) also recorded the drums for the album.
All of this means that the music on the album is a decent standard; generally very pop-rocky and aggressive and the Sum 41-esque tunes bring memories of a time when Sum 41 were set to be the next big thing. Sigh...
On the whole the album is very good and fans of Avril Lavigne and pop-rock in general will not be disappointed.
- 3 Napsters out of 5!
