Avril Lavigne - Let Go
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Free Music Notes for Let Go
Free Music Review: Sk8tergrrl Avril Lavigne delivers Rock-solid debut
Hit: 5 Stars
Let Go, the highly anticipated debut from Canada's Avril Lavigne (a.k.a. "The Next Big Thing") fares well in living up to its pre-release hype. Unless you've been living in a cave for the past two months, you're probably familiar with the first hit single, "Complicated". But if that's the extent of your exposure to Lavigne thus far... Kiddo, you ain't heard nothing yet. You might think Lavigne, a seventeen-year-old singer/songwriter from small-town Ontario would be awestruck at having her debut album chart at number 8 in the Billboard top ten. Doubly so, at seeing it rocket upwards after two weeks on the street, its ascent fueled by rave reviews and a frenzied word-of-mouth groundswell of popular acclaim. You might think the young beauty would be overwhelmed by the attention. But you would be wrong. Unlike certain of her contemporaries, who are seemingly more concerned with selling their pop-image and selling Pepsi than with producing a first-rate CD, Lavigne's persona is planted firmly in reality, a fact which shines through in her music.
On the whole, Let Go is a diverse and rockin' compilation of 13 tracks (plus a bonus track). The lyrics are honest and compelling and the music is accessible and infectious. While most of the tracks rest comfortably in the mainstream categorizations of "top 40 pop" and "modern contemporary", Lavigne's extraordinary voice powers the album in exploring the boundaries of these broad classifications.
From the punk-rockish "Sk8er Boi" (Skater Boy in skate-speak) through to the soulful and poetic "Things I'll Never Say", Lavigne's vocal range never fails to amaze in capturing the spirit of the music and engaging the listener. It was a wise decision on Arista's part not to overproduce the album as Lavigne's voice is clearly the CD's biggest strength. Rest assured that you will never see her resorting to lip-syncing on Saturday Night Live.
Thematically, Let Go exudes a 'Be True to Yourself" attitude. Not necessarily in an aggressive or combative context, as how the persona of fellow Arista artist Pink is often portrayed, but in an explorative sense, with Lavigne relaying her life experiences and aspirations in song. Sometimes the attitude is manifested in jubilant rebellion, at others, in melancholic reflection. Always, however, it is brought to the listener with the honest perspective of a normal teenaged girl. I am not saying that guys won't be HUGE fans of Lavigne's red-hot sexiness, cruising around with the heavy base of Sk8er Boi slamming on their car stereos, but young women will undoubtedly have a natural affinity for Lavigne, seeing her as a contemporary rather than as some sort of manufactured "American Idol".
Lavigne wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, giving the listener some insight into her world. Tracks like "My World" and "Mobile" reflect on her life as small-town girl and hopeful music star respectively. Unlike Britney Spears or certain other reigning pop divas who get their hit songs delivered to them in the mail, Avril Lavigne delivers them straight from the heart. It is very refreshing and further endears the naturally charismatic Lavigne to her growing base of fans.
Paradoxically, it is both easy and difficult to compare Lavigne to other artists. Having such a strong voice and convincingly belting out hits in various genres - from alternative rock to poetic folk - the comparisons come fast and furious: Jewel, Sarah McLachlan and LeAnn Rimes at one extreme and Courtney Love, Shirley Manson and Alanis Morissette at the other. Lavigne once even graced the stage at age 14, performing new country alongside superstar Shania Twain!
As more and more singles and music videos are released for this album, I am certain Let Go and Lavigne will continue to grow in popularity. I can understand people not wanting to buy an album on the strength of one hit song - I have been burned by that many times. Happily, Let Go does not rest on such a shaky foundation. Play it in your car, spin it at a party, listen to it in your apartment or play it in the background on your computer. It is a great CD that you can enjoy in nearly any situation. Arista has been doing a great job in aggressively promoting the album - many acoustic performances of the songs can be found streamed on the internet. So if you are still in doubt as to whether Let Go is for you, search out some of these gems and they'll likely put any reservations to rest.
Finally, in regards to the CD itself, I am glad to see that the outstanding music is matched by the caliber of the physical product. The CD liner has full lyrics, lots of pictures showcasing Lavigne, as well as the music video of the first single, "Complicated". There are also 2 videos profiling Lavigne included as multi-media extras. Add that to a slate of great songs and Let Go makes a great addition to your CD collection or a great gift to a friend or family member. Buy it now with confidence and then eagerly await Avril's tour coming to a city near you!!...
Free Music Review: Okay, she's fake.......so what?
Hit: 5 Stars
Put aside all the false labels that Avril Lavigne carries, her music is damn good. Her guitar-driven pop is incredibly catchy yet long lasting. Lyrically, she could do with a bit of improvement, but hey, she's 18. Give her a break. A look at any of Lavigne's four singles (geez, if that's not milking an album for all it's worth I don't know what is), and it seems that Let Go is an album full of angsty pop-rock tunes. Well, dig a little deeper. The first half of the album stays to this theory, with fast little numbers like the riff-driven Losing Grip and Unwanted, catchy songs like Complicated and Mobile, and the controversial Sk8ter Boi. However, the second half, starting with the mellow Tomorrow, is full of slower, mid-tempo tracks. Whichever way you look at it, either one is a refreshing break from Britney Spears and Mandy Moore. So what if she's not yet Alanis Morissette or Tori Amos? She still has more substance than most female artists out there. Anyway, here we go into a song-by-song review.LOSING GRIP
Lavigne's fourth single, which is undoubtedly the heaviest track on the album, with the young Canadian belting the chorus at the top of her lungs while the band's power chords chug along behind her. In my opinion, the best song on this CD; it gives you a taste of the potential that Lavigne has not yet fully unleashed.
COMPLICATED
Avril may be contradicting herself a little bit on this song, but that's a different story. The song itself is very catchy, and the reason I bought Let Go. Not much to say about this one.
SK8TER BOI
This song will haunt Avril Lavigne for the rest of her career. Yes, yes, you've heard the critics before: immature lyrics, boring idea, blah blah blah. And I totally agree. The worst song Avril has produced by far. Releasing this song as a single (her second) was a double-edged sword; it brought in a whole group of new fans, most of them raving teenage girls. But at the same time Lavigne lost her respect somewhat as a serious artist.
I'M WITH YOU
A very nice ballad, and a good choice as Avril's third single. She sounds so much like Alanis on this track. You can hear the power of Lavigne's voice here. While the lyrics may seem a little....confusing, at times, the message is powerful.
MOBILE
Catchy, might have you humming throughout the day. A great song to play while driving. By the way, put the CD into your computer and check out the video titled A Day In The Life, which is mostly interviews and stuff; but you get a small taste at an acoustic version of this track and it sounds 100 times better. If only Avril hadnt dragged down the song with those constant guitars.
UNWANTED
This song is very similar to Losing Grip a strong, loud chorus and relatively heavy guitars. A great song, another one that shows off Lavignes talent.
TOMORROW
A very slow, mellow song, very nice to listen to. Not a standout track here, but still a good one. Basic lyrics, but with a strong message.
ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY
This mid-tempo, Michelle Branch-like pop song is fairly catchy and its a song that a lot of teenagers can relate to. The song grows on you.
THINGS I'LL NEVER SAY
Ummm, this song sounds a little bit to Mandy Moore esque sometimes, but it is surprisingly good. Incredibly catchy, and lyrically, it shows Lavignes vunerable, girly side.
MY WORLD
Production here sounds a little raw. The worst song on here apart from Sk8ter Boi. The words dont seem to fit right, making it a lyrical mess. The words are so awkward. I always skip this one.
NOBODY'S FOOL
Ah, the famous rap bit. Its clear that Lavigne would not do well on the hip-hop charts. To be honest, it sounds way too cheesy and once again, the lyrics make you want to choke yourself to death. However, the chorus shows promise.
TOO MUCH TO ASK
Another mid-tempo beauty, with the gentle acoustic guitar matching Avrils sad yet frustrated voice perfectly. The youre so lame bit is a little cringe-worthy, but Avril makes up for it when we reach the chorus. Solid song.
NAKED
An excellent closing track. It sounds a little bit similar to some of the other songs on Let Go, but you can overlook that. Lavigne shows her vunerable side on this one. Another one of those good, but not great songs.
Overall, Let Go makes for a great listen if youre into pop with influences from other genres, especially rock. Despite sounding completely useless live, her voice on the album is amazingly strong for such a young girl and if she puts all the potential to good use, she could become on the greatest pop artists of all time.
Should you go out and buy it? Listen to all four of her singles (well, you can avoid Sk8ter Boi), then download one or two songs from the latter half of the album. If you like any of it, go buy the album.
Great music to listen to while: Driving.
Free Music Review: Phenomenon at the time- it still sort of is
Hit: 5 Stars
The novelty has worn off since it's been over 5 years since it was unleashed upon the world.
Really, this is one of the best albums I've ever heard. People who will mock me for saying this are silly little people who love to condescend others, and that's okay. Deal with people the way they deal with you, is my take on it.
Avril is very lucky that she had the kind of writers she did at the time, who read her personality and who she was and turned it into 13 INCREDIBLE tracks that brought teens and adults alike together.
What can I say? The tunes AND the lyrics are absolutely incredible. Ever since this damn album I have been dying for others to make something even close to this. I was heavily obsessed, as a 17 year old at the time. I think that if it was released today, I would still be obsessed. Forget about the Avril image in the media today, or any negativity you may have against her. The tracks are fresh, even for today, original and just plain addictive.
'Anything but Ordinary' and 'Complicated' are on my list of top 10 favourite songs ever, 'Dreams to Dream' being my first... And they are just absolutely brilliant songs. I do love it when songs reach for high notes and aren't afraid to expand through the regions of melodies. More often these days it's like people are afraid to move for than two notes up or down from whichever note they started. It's just such a shame.
An example of the broad range of notes hit in this film, let's look at Anything but Ordinary for a moment. The 'nough' in 'Is it e-nough' is almost an entire octave higher than where the 'is it e' part starts off on. It's terrific!
And I love in 'Complicated' the first thing you hear is 'Chill out, what you yellin' for, lay back, it's all been done before. And if you could only let it be, you would see...' Well there's an brilliant and original tune right there. By that time I'm thinking "God, who needs the chorus? This is addictive enough". And the thing that makes it is the varying notes strung together in such a short space.
And lyrics-wise, I also believe that one of the big attractions to this album in regards to the teenage spectrum would have to be how easy it was for them to relate to what was being sung. In the song 'Things I'll Never Say', for instance, there's the line "I'm tugging at me hair, I'm pulling in my clothes, I'm trying to keep my cool, I know it shows. I'm staring at my feet, my cheeks are turning red, I'm searching for the words inside my head. I'm feeling nervous, trying to be so perfect, cause I know you're worth it." Aside from the gorgeous tune accompanying it, how beautiful honest are these lyrics? I know that at the time when I was 17, I lapped this particular song up because I related soooo much. And I know that most other teens did. This was back before the whole "Alternative/Emo Superbeings Are Our Superior" regiment took over the souls of every teen in creation.
Anyway, like I said, and even my friend, there is not one single track on this album that is not good.
My favourites in order:
1. Anything but Ordinary: 5/5 (All about the rushes in life, I guess. And of course the fear of being ordinary.)
2. Complicated: 5/5 (About a relationship that gets complicated on one side only.)
3. Naked: 5/5 (About letting somebody in to see the real you.)
4. Things I'll Never Say: 5/5 (About wishing you could say things, but they either come out wrong or you're too afraid to say them in the first place.)
5. I'm With You: 4/5 (Wanting to find somebody to love, but not sure where to start.)
6. S8er Boi: 4/5 (About a skater boy who becomes famous and ditches the snobby girl who secretly liked him!! Top fun this.)
7. Tomorrow: 4/5 (About not believing somebody when they say they love you.)
8. My World: 4/5 (This is all about Avril's life)
9. Too Much: 4/5 (Wondering if somebody could just BE there for you; is it really too much to be asking for?)
10. Nobody's Fool: 4/5 (An interesting track, all about not turning into somebody else to suit another)
11. Mobile: 4/5 (About things changing too much)
12. Unwanted: 4/5 (About being shut out of someone's life when around other people)
13. Losing Grip: 4/5 (Deciding to end a relationship after the significant other causes you to snap with frustration)
I hope this helps.
Free Music Review: Never Let Go of Avril
Hit: 5 Stars
Avril Lavigne. It's a name you better get familiar with. After taking off from her home town of Napanee, Ontario and eventually capturing the attention of record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid, this new face in the crowd might have what it takes. With a video already making its way on MTV and a hook that is lodging itself into the brains of radio listeners, her first single "Complicated" is undeniable, flawless pop/rock. The first time I heard this song I immediately found myself unable to forget it. I was shocked when I saw the driving force behind this song was a mere slip of a seventeen year old. Her voice definitely isn't typical. Combining admirable range with rough edges, Lavigne manages to carve out a distinctive niche from the other girls saturating the media currently. I have to say I am impressed with the newer batch of teen queens who at least can pick up an instrument, write their own songs and have something different to say. I think Lavigne shows her different direction in the savvy words to "Complicated" A nice wailing guitar sound combined with her youthful voice make a great combination. Giving a surprisingly insightful view into the guy who always has to pretend to be cool and unaffected, I can think back and relate to this song very easily. Managing to be charming yet effectively adult the songs just comes out about perfect. I personally love the line "take off all your preppy clothes". Because it reminds me of this guy in high school who was never really a prep but did his damn best to keep up the image.
The album opens with the rocking ballad "Losing Grip" and as she wails to her audience you immediately feel her words. She actually sounds faintly like Delores O' Rierdan from the Cranberries on this interesting composition. Definitely capturing the essence of anguish with this song, the song also has a great hook and makes for a great opener to the album. I am not sure it would make a great radio release but sometimes the best songs wouldn't.
"Sk8r Boi" is very punk oriented with the typical three-chord sound. Normally, I am not overly into this type of sound (although I did manage to get into a few songs by Green Day) but since her talent has already been established I view it more as a nice little novelty. A lot of girls are going to love this song and I can see my sister-n-law loving this song already. Definitely not as mature as the other tracks, but she's sure having fun. Basically it's about this girl who dumps a skater boy because her friends don't like him. Then he becomes a star and Lavigne is now dating him. The girl is sad because now all her friends think he's cool.
At this point in the album I am happy that every song has been so different. It's great to hear an album with such variety. "I'm With You" is really the first ballad on the album and I love the sound of it. I am not sure why but it actually recalls some of the early Bangles I loved so much when I was a teenager. I believe it's the melody and the way she carries it. Anyway, I like this song as well. The chorus of this song is really haunting and the words are simple but effective.
Another song I can see a lot of teenagers relating to is "Mobile". Talking about the world changing around her and being mobile within it, most teenagers will probably understand the feeling of a world that revolves around them and a world they revolve in. The music and melody to this song is a little more typical but it still works nicely.
"Anything But Ordinary" is another winner on the album with its laid back feel and honestly simple lyrics. There is a hint of Paula Cole in the way she soars on the vocal line in the chorus. Once again it's a song a lot of girls could relate to in a positive way and I am really impressed. "Things I'll Never Say" is a nice little song and she talks about all the things she thinks about that she'll never say to her boyfriend. The song is catchy and the lyrics are so easy to relate to. I relate to it more looking back but many girls will be right in the moment. (I already said them and got my man!)
Avril Lavigne is definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with. She recalls flecks and pieces of writers ranging from Jann Arden to Lisa Loeb. Vocally she is like a cross between Delores O'Rierdan and Alanis Morrissette. I hope this girl has a long career and if you go out and buy this album, she'll get a good start. ...
Go ahead. Are you still here?
Free Music Review: her strongest album
Hit: 5 Stars
1. Losing Grip -starts out with a mellow guitar, and a rocking chorus. This song is about loosing your cool over someone you once had feelings for and then in the long run realizing "why should I care, you weren't there when i was scared" as she puts it.
2. Complicated -Avril Lavignes very first radio hit. A very refreshing change of pace in the mainstream when it first came out, compared to all of the robotic sounding pop. The song is about her recommending not to pretend to be someone you're not. Great chorus.
3. Sk8er Boi -This is one of her punk-pop songs. A spunky beat and good lyrics that tell a story. The story is about a boy who had feelings for a girl who rejected him because he was unpopular, but who grows up to be a superstar making her regret her decision not to date him. Very neat idea for a song.
4. I'm With You -This was also one of her radio hits. It's a slow song accompinied by a beautiful violin in the background. Lyrics about not knowing who your true love yet is, but your heart goes out to them anyway. About time someone wrote a song about what we are all feeling these days.
5. Mobile -Mobile really grows on you, and when it does, it demands to be a song you put on repeat. Not one Avril is very well known for, but in my opinion, makes a real gem on the CD. Rapid acoustic guitar, with lyrics about change and new beginnings. Excellent.
6. Unwanted -Out of all the songs on this CD, Unwanted is probably the song that didnt stick out to me the most. It's another moody song about feeling ignored and abandoned, unwanted, henc the title. Avril really shows off the strength and emotion in her voice on this track though.
7. Tomorrow -A sweet little acoustic ballad, with lyrics that could pretty much be interpretated as several different things. The song sort of suggests putting off believing someone until tomorrow, and not being ready for change. Avril's voice is very light on this one and just shines. Fun and simple song to sing along to.
8. Anything But Ordinary -As the CD continues, Avril's impressive lyrics remain consistent. Again, this is another song with a promising chorus. A song you can relate to: Is it enough to love? Is it enough to breathe? Somebody rip my heart out and leave me here to bleed. Avril sings about deep emotions we have all experienced one time or another in our confusing lives.
9. Things I'll Never Say -This song is very cheery and upbeat, but the lyrics are somewhat of a suprise. (although im not saying the song doesn't fit the beat because it still does) It's about having feelings for someone and wanting to be spontaneous enough to say a bunch of things to them but not working up the guts to do it. Beautiful song.
10. My World - I like songs like this. A song that just tells it like it is. A little bio of Avril's life growing up. Cutting grass for cash, and braiding her hair on bored days, Avril tells the story of what it was like growing up in her small town. It's also and upbeat and pop sounding song with a catchy chorus.
11. Nobody's Fool -A head nodder. Very entertaining to sing along to. You might say Avril takes her chance at doing a little rap in this song, because it flows together in a mellow beginning as the melody flows together very well. The title says it all, it's about not being anyones fool, and not letting people run all over you. Unique lyrics to it also.
12. Too Much To Ask -This is a slow song, about Avril wanting to cheer someone up but they will not let her. Something we may have all gone through with friends at one time or another.
13. Naked -This is happy song for a change on the CD. Not too fast, not too slow, but kind of a mellow song. Its a pretty little tune about feeling free around someone and how good it feels for her.
Overall, people give Avril a lot of crap due to the whole "she said she was punk rock and she isnt!" thing. All of that aside though and judging her soley on her music credibility, this was a very good CD coming from her at such a young age. Also, depsite her age, it was just a great CD. It's very fun to sing along to, and one I still manage to find in my CD player years later, no matter what anyone else says.