Avril Lavigne - Let Go Review
Posted by Tony Jaymz on 09.10.2002
Pop? Yes Punk? Eh Good Music? Maybe...
Another new day, another new review. Hello and welcome again to the me, myself, and I show, starring me, myself, and… oh wait… I just cancelled at the last minute.
Before we get to the Avril Lavigne's "Let Go" CD review, I'd just like to say one small thing on the Tupac/B.I.G/LA Times news: Makes sense. This is also why gangster rap is thankfully dead. But now on to the main course…
Avril Lavigne: Let Go
Arista, 2002
To say this princess of pop punk came from nowhere would be the understatement of the year. Most people first saw her video in late June, 3 months later she winning the Best New Artist award at the VMA's. Avril Barron…I mean…Avril Lavigne even now has girls becoming doppelgangers of herself, wearing ties and sock on their arms. I actually tried the whole sock on the arm thing. Quite disturbing actually. What really helped Avril though, was when she played live at TRL, the tried and true way of becoming an over night celebrity. But does her music live up to her new found celebrity? As the cd says, Lets Go…ok so it says Let Go, but that not the point.
1.Losing Grip: Britney gone hard baby. Not really a bad thing though, very good lyrics. $5 Says this won't be a single, for the simple fact that it's a sad song, lyrically. Unless you're a hunky male, such as myself J, than sad songs don't go these days. 1 for 1
2.Complicated: If you've yet to hear this song, than you don't listen to the radio, don't watch TV, or live in Australia. The first single, would put it as second, but what do I know. The problem with this song, is that the first five times you hear it, it sound pretty good, nice pop/punk. But after hearing it five more times, or most likely a hundred with the way it has been playing on radio and tv, than it drives you crazy, sounding like an ad for Dawson's Creek. Or whatever teen fad of the week is. I'll stick to Buffy The Vampire Slayer thank you very much. Good song lyrically, and the music fits the lyrics. 2 for 2
3.Sk8ter Boi: One of my favorite songs on the whole album, and again, lyrically better than the Britney's and Christina's of the world. Very fun song, very hyper. Good choice for a single, the executives can just see the young girls rocking to it. Soon, they will have Avril Lavigne branded ties! Anyways, fun, fun song, and I'm starting to enjoy Avril's band. Why don't they get their name on the cd cover? Can't it be Avril and The Gang? The man be putting everyone down! 3 for 3
4.I'm With You: Violins, or maybe cellos, to start. That just makes me grin. This song gives Avril the chance to vie herself a chance to flex her vocal prowess. You would not think a 17 year old Canadian chick could hit these notes, but she does. Listen to this song too many times though and, like complicated, it starts sounding like a chick flick ad. Still, gotta give it 4 for 4, but barely.
5.Mobile: Whoa…went back to guitars and drums in this one. The lyrics took a drop in this one. Avril make it work, adding a little twang to her singing. So is she a pop/country/punk princess now? I didn't really like this one, as it lyrically took a drop and sounded too much like country music. And god knows country music is a death kiss to any and every artist, unless they are from a barn. 4 for 5
6.Unwanted: Got hard baby! Seriously, Avril's owes her back up band. She should give them platinum socks for their arms. The twang is back, but not as bad as in mobile. Harder than the last five songs, as the guitar and drums actually accent the vocals, instead of just being there. Avril sounds pissed. How the hell can her little body hit these notes? Canadians rule. Free healthcare, Our Lady peace, Benoit, etc. all come from Canada. Just saying… This gets an easy point, so we go to 5 for 6
7. Tomorrow: Acoustic guitar starts. But is Avril playing it? The song implies that. This song is kinda bleh. Very, very poppy. I can take a little pop but damn…she is channeling the spirit of the great and all powerful Britney in this one. Ugh, no point for this one. 5 for 7
8. Anything But ordinary: The pop, part 2. Actually it doesn't stay that long. Bets line ever: "Sometimes I even freak myself out". Lyrically good, but damn, the music took a hit in the last two songs. Still, Avril's voice carries this song like Angle and Benoit carrying Undertaker to a 3* classic. That is to say, kicking and screaming. 6 for 8
9. Things I'll Never Say: Whoa… that's some freaky la la la in the beginning. Back to the Complicated aura of music, which makes me happy. Couldn't take much more twang and whatnot. If it is true Avril writes her own music, even if she does get help, than she is talented. Gotta give it 7 for 9
10. My World: Happy, Happy Joy, Joy. That describes this song. Next single, mark my words. I take back my compliments to the backup band: Avril is the talent in this batch of apples. Good enough for what it is, but I swear they better get back to the pop/punk instead of country/pop 8 for 10
11. Nobody's Fool: And we are back. And this time, its gone hip. Since when is Avril a rapper? So now she is the punk/pop/country/rap princess? Now that ahs got to look good on a resume. Once they get past the rap, and get back to Avril singing its good, but they keep going back to the rapping, which doesn't suite her. No point for this, but take a listen to the parts were Avril sings, which is pretty good. 8 for 11
12. Too Much To Ask: I like the guitar in this song, but what the hell happened to the punkness? Avril's singing again carries this thing, but not as bad as the other times. We are gonna go 9 for 12 for this, good song.
13. Naked: Bob Barron said this song kicked ass, so I better like it damnit. And guess what? I do. Good vocals, good lyrics. Plus, any song which has a hot female saying that she is naked around you, its all good. With this song, Avril ends the cd on a good note. 10 for 13
The 411: If your into punk and are also digging the lastest wave of intrumental girls, like Michelle Branch, than this cd is for you. The good stuff is good and the abd stuff is atcually not that bad. Hardcore punk rockers will hate this though. Overall, good debut album.
