#REVIEW: AVRIL LAVIGNE – “AVRIL LAVIGNE”

Although the wait has been an unusually long one, Avril Lavigne‘s eponymously-titled fifth Studio Disc gets a release and although the feverish buzz surrounding the Napanee-born Singer/Songwriter certainly isn’t what it was ten years ago, she gives us a spirited reminder here why she’s here to stay and like it or not, she’ll continue delivering the Hits.  It’s hard to believe she isn’t even 30 yet and already has sold more than 30 million Albums and 50 million Singles worldwide in her celebrated Career.

I’ll admit it, I didn’t get 2011’s Goodbye Lullaby at all. Despite its infectiously catching first Single What the Hell, what would follow were a Series of Misfires as Singles.  What we have this time around is a fresh, young-sounding and cohesive listening experience and dare I say it, Avril Lavigne is one of the year’s best Pop Discs.

Second Single Rock N Roll sets the tone for the 13-Track Collection – rebellious and radio-friendly-  going under the Top 40 radar, even despite a fabulous, fun Music Video which managed to bring The Wonder Years’ Danica McKellar out of hiding.  Here’s to Never Growing Up, which owns back a Taylor Swift-esque Sound which she helped define, surfaced in the Spring and inundated our airwaves with more success, charting in the Top 20 in both Canada and the U.S.  17 and Bitchin’ Summer are both potential subsequent Singles, irrefutably catchy, although perhaps a little ill-timed, making one think perhaps this Album originally would’ve better been suited to a Summer release.

Hypnotic and moody Current Single Let Me Go (ft. Hubby Chad Kroeger) is a slice of depth and maturity, already having garnered success north of the Border, almost cracking the Top Ten.  The Pair collaborate on a vast majority of the Tracks here and the results are more than satisfactory.  Instead of others imposing a vision, this v. much still is an Avril Lavigne Album start to finish.  Marilyn Manson Collabo Bad Girl is a pleasant surprise – a real Thrasher of a Track – the odd pairing actually works!   Lavigne gives a nod to her ever-loyal Japanese Fans with Hip-Hop-esque Hello Kitty, perhaps grating to some, but fun for others.  You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet and Sippin’ on Sunshine are signature Lavigne, reminiscent of her Let Go era, helping us remember why it is we fell in love with her to begin with.

Hello Heartache has Lavigne trying new things vocally with a Hook that sounds a little like Avicii/Aloe Blacc Collabo  Wake Me Up. Hush Hush closes things out on a quiet note, a truer indication of where Lavigne is at as a Songwriter in contrast to the Disc’s focus on fun.

Sony Music Canada releases Avril Lavigne, now in stores.  Download it here.