Avril LavigneThe Best Damn Thing
In the three years that have followed her 2004 album, the A-List angsty Under My Skin, pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne married Sum 41's Deryck Whibley and was settling down a bit. Of course, none of this is evident on her new album, The Best Damn Thing, which sounds more like a post-bachelorette party rather than a step towards maturity.
Is Avril's "devolving" a bad thing or is it the best damn thing? Well, it all depends on who you ask.
My take on Avril's brand of sneering, boy-bashing, Clear Channel-approved songcraft is that I don't want it to be "mature." You don't buy an Avril album for life-changing lyrics; you buy it to "get over" your significant other, or to pogo around your living room in your undies while vacuuming. Sure, her cheerleader-inspired Toni Basil anthems grow a bit tired by the disc's end ("Girlfriend" is a pure slice of sass while "The Best Damn Thing" is a reheated retread), but she more than makes up for it with consistency.
"When You're Gone" is the required teary-eyed ballad, and it covers the same ground as any of her past teen examinations (think "How Does It Feel"). Just the same, it doesn't lower the overall quality of the album--and it effectively slows down the pace and perfectly sets up the energetic rave-up of the following song, "Everything Back But You." The only real misstep on The Best Damn Thing is "I Don't Have To Try," which sounds just like the title suggests. The song itself is catchy in that trademark Avril way, but it feels like a lazy one-off in the studio, babbling whatever comes to her mind while the tape is rolling.
Hate as you may, The Best Damn Thing is packed with enough pop-punk napalm for the entire summer of '07.
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image a bit and grow up. she can't always be in ties and dickies.
Well if she is trying to grow up then her outfit in the Music
video for Girlfriend is not doing it. I personally think she sold
out on this album and ruined her rough edge. She's become another
lame icon for my little sister to worship with pop-y lyrics, and
non-existent clothing. I used to idolize her for her down-to-earth
rough around the edges feel to her, but now... I'm not sure that i
can. I still respect her simply because she has let out some
AMAzing music... much like I don't critisize FOB for "From under
the cork tree" I jsut wish she'd go back to normal..
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