It has been four years since the release of Avril Lavigne's third studio album, "The Best Damn Thing", but it is now 2011 and the wait for new material by the artist is over with today's release of her fourth effort, "Goodbye Lullaby". With a heartbreaking divorce and countless fights with her own record label slowing the production of the new album, the finished product shows the growth that Lavigne has gone through in both her music career and personal life. "Goodbye Lullaby" plays as if the lyrics came straight from a diary, the album comes off as a polished and mature fourth effort and the artist should be proud for fighting for it.
The album begins with a short introduction track, "Black Star", which was used for the launch of Lavigne's perfume of the same name. The song is short, sweet, and very Avril. I am just sad that it was not made into a full length track. It was a smart move to release the first single "What The Hell" before the actual album hit store shelves because I feel it is the most "radio-friendly" track on the entire album. The track is pure pop, a genre Lavigne has ventured into over the last few years of her career. The song differs from the rest of the track list, almost to a point where it feels out of place, but it is a fun, catchy, tongue and cheek, girl anthem that works. With just an acoustic guitar to support her, Lavigne sings about the hardships that come along with finding love on "Push". From the moment the lyrics begin, listeners will quickly realize that the song is probably about the marriage and divorce the artist went through over the last couple of years. Lavigne sings with the tough attitude she is known for, but underneath a bit of sadness is noticeable which truly makes the song a real success. "Wish You Were Here" is an emotional track that I, or any other listener, could relate to the most. Lavigne provides powerful vocals while singing about a love that could not happen because she always had a wall up. The song made me shed a few tears because you can actually hear that the artist is hurting, plus it feels like a situation many of us have gone through. I applaud Lavigne for this track, one of the album's best. The album changes its pace a bit with the up-tempo "Smile". The track moves along with a fast beat while the lyrics describe a love beginning to form. The song is cute and I feel that it would have even fit in perfectly with Lavigne's past efforts. The song is ultimately a love song, but done in the style that we have come to expect from the singer. The finished product is sweet, edgy, and even a little vulgar, it all comes together nicely. The album continues with "Stop Standing There", which comes off with a vibe that takes me back in time. The track is something that I have not heard from the artist before. The concept of the song is good, but I do not think it reached its full potential which is sort of a disappointment. The song has a light feel to it, but it is nothing I would consider amazing. A sweet, decent song is how I would describe it. The overall message of "I Love You" is why the song succeeds in more ways than one. The beautifully written track has Lavigne telling the one that she holds close to her heart that the reason why she loves them is for the amazing person that they are. Beauty is only skin deep, that is what the artist is trying to say. The song is very simple and one that could express any feelings that a person could have for another. In a "ballad-like" form, Lavigne sings that it is okay to be afraid on the uplifting "Everybody Hurts". The message behind the song is the highlight, but one cannot overlook the vocal performance given by the artist. When hearing the track, you cannot help but notice the transition and growth Lavigne has gone through from her debut to this current project. The track is filled with emotion and fits perfectly with the vibe of the whole album. When "Not Enough" comes through the speakers, there is something about it that does not fully grab the attention of the listener which is what a song needs to do. Lavigne's vocals are good, but I think it is the material that holds this song back. In my opinion, the track would have fared a bit better if it was supported by a faster beat because it sounds unoriginal when it is produced as a slow type of song. Good effort, just nothing great. Lavigne's angst comes through once "4 Real" begins to play. The vibe of the song changes quite a bit from the verses to the chorus which makes me think that I listened to two different tracks. With that said, I still feel that everything about the song, from the vocal performance to the production, works perfectly. The song is very slow; an aspect that I criticized with other tracks, but here is where it helps the song reach a different level. The guitar driven "Darlin'" is a moment where the artist really gets a chance to show off the talent that she possesses. The song comes off as a stripped down, acoustic performance which allows the lyrics and vocals to shine as bright as they possibly can. The track is a good one, I cannot find anything bad about it, but I do feel it may get overlooked when it comes after the other powerful tracks that appear on the album. The ballads keep rolling out with the inclusion of "Remember When". Lavigne's vocals are soft and slow, but are still able to carry the song and let it stand on its own. Towered the and of the track. Lavigne belts out some strong notes that take the song up a couple of notches to keep it from being just an ordinary, depressing song. I think as one of the final tracks off the album, it does its job of leaving an impression on the listener. The album closes with "Goodbye", a sad song where Lavigne is letting go of the one that she loved the most. All of the artist's personal experiences make this an emotional and beautiful closing to an album that dealt with love and heartbreak. The instrumentals are kept very simple with only a piano which complements Lavigne's vocals the best way it can. The song is some of the artist's best work; she is showing her true feelings for all to see.
Lavigne has created a piece of work that is much more than your average pop album. "Goodbye Lullaby" shows the transition that the artist has gone through in her music career. She has experienced things in her life that she decided to share with her fans, and the finished products pays off very well. With the exception of "What The Hell", each song is a slow and emotional track that will surely leave a lasting impression on any listener. The album carries a vibe and message that was present on her second album, but it sounds more mature and polished this time around. For amazing vocals and beautiful, heartbreaking songs, the album receives an 87%.
Tracks to Hear: "What The Hell", "Wish You Were Here", and "Everybody Hurts"
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