negron_mreview

Nicole Negron December 9, 2007 Journalism Ms. Minick

Avril Lavigne’s new album //[|The Best Damn Thing]// was released in stores nationwide on April 17, 2007. After three years of laying low and out of the spotlight, Avril returned with a slightly new sound, a new husband, and a new look. Her previous album //[|Under My Skin]// was a collaboration of premature teen pop, but this [|MTV Video Music Award winner] changed her ways this time around. Introducing sounds like that of “Contagious” and “The Best Damn Thing,” this CD is sure to please Avril’s old fans but invite some new ones as well. RCA Records definitely has their handful with this pop princess, but with the amount of records Lavigne sold, RCA was not complaining. While the album consists mostly of uppity pop songs and up-tempo music, it also has its share of romantic songs. With [|lyrics] like, “You’re so good to me, baby, baby,” Avril proves that she has a sensitive side behind that tough skater-chick façade. Semi-ballad “When You’re Gone,” with its tear-wrenching music video, is enough to convince even Lavigne’s toughest critic of her true musical potential. These songs, along with “Innocence,” provide versatility to the album and break the sugar coated stereotype of pop artists. Lavigne’s first single released, “Girlfriend,” was an excellent choice for her to make as an artist. Reminiscent of Toni Basil’s “[|Mickey],” (1982) this song was an immediate hit, topping the [|USA Singles Top 40 Chart] on May 5, 2007. Undeniably catchy, this song, with its inclusion of lyrics such as, “she’s like, so whatever, you can do, so much better,” Lavigne catches the ears and hearts of teenagers all over the world with this album. Recording the chorus of “Girlfriend” in 8 different languages didn’t hurt her sales either; Lavigne topped the charts in New Zealand, Ireland, and Austria, to name a few. This single, later remixed to a hip-hop beat featuring rapper Lil’ Mama, remained at the top of radio station countdowns for weeks on end. Not only does Avril’s new album contain love songs and pop songs, it also contains a few inspirational ones as well. Lavigne’s second single “Keep Holding On” entails a soothing melody and calming lyrics to brighten anyone’s mood. “Whatever’s meant to be will work out perfectly” is just one of the many phrases that provide heartbroken or depressed listeners with a sense of hope. Like a true artist should, Lavigne manages to include fun, love, and hope in one album. With its heartwarming, sarcastic, and catchy songs, this album is recommendable for people of all ages; while it is predominantly targeted at teenagers, it is likeable to everyone. Although her first two albums were hits, this album just may be “the best damn thing.”


 * Rating: (3/4)

[|Hear Snippets of Avril's Latest Hits]**