Move over, Britney. Back it up, J. Lo. Behold, the new queen of rock has arrived, though her appearance may suggest otherwise. At first glance, Avril Lavigne may seem more fitting to be sitting on the curb of a 7-Eleven drinking a Mountain Dew Slurpee with her skater buddies rather than perched on the platinum throne of rock. Instead of silk and lace, her majesty can often be seen clad in baggy cargo pants accessorized with mismatching wrist bands and a mostly unfastened tie hanging loosely from her neck. Although she wears no crown, this little queen prefers to let her dirty-blonde hair hang non-vibrantly around her unpainted, naturally polished face of epidermal porcelain.
Traditionally, a queen should be ladylike and carry a golden scepter, but Lavigne is a self-proclaimed tomboy who traded in her hockey stick for a guitar. She’s miles from traditional, and she’s just what music needs.
For two key reasons, Lavigne’s debut album Let Go is the most significant album to come out in years.
First of all, it confirms what many music critics (myself included) have anticipated. With the success of Nickelback, Default and Sum 41, it seemed evident that the Canadians were primed for a south-of-the-border invasion. With her album going platinum and her hit single “Complicated” getting more air time than Michael Jordan in a slam dunk contest, Lavigne (a native of Napanee, Ontario) has made it official … 2002 is the year of the Canucks.
Secondly, the 17-year-old proves that even supposedly naive and impressionable teens are capable of being original. It is no secret that savvy producers have been known to take talented teens and turn them into marionettes, designed to sing like this guy or look like that girl, all to make a quick buck off candy-coated yet utterly insincere radio-friendly pop dribble.
Lavigne, on the other hand, is a marketer’s worst nightmare. She refuses to let anybody turn her into something she is not.
“I’m just coming out, and I’m going to clearly be myself,” Lavigne said in a statement released by Arista Records. “I write what I feel; I never worry what others think. I’m gonna dress what’s me, I’m gonna act what’s me and I’m gonna sing what’s me.”
Lavigne penned all 13 tracks on Let Go, and from the opening cut, “Losing Grip,” her sincerity is astonishing and unmistakable. New fans who were enchanted by the light-hearted “be yourself” tone of “Complicated” may be surprised to hear Lavigne rage against her ex-boyfriend with a jagged vocal edge that would make Eminem blush with speechlessness.
Midway through the CD is “Unwanted,” another song that fearlessly confronts the issues of rejection and betrayal. But unlike Papa Roach and Limp Bizkit, not all of Lavigne’s songs are depressing and some even come with a message.
The album’s most upbeat track is “Sk8er Boi,” a playful Blink 182-tinged ditty that reminds us all that looks can be deceiving.
While her songwriting ability may be superior to other artists twice her age, some tracks like “Things I’ll Never Say” and “My World” remind the listener that young Avril still has room for lyrical maturity with immature yet charming lyrics like “made my money by cutting grass, got fired by a fried chicken a-.”
But just when you think she’s sunk to the doldrums of mechanical teenie boppers, Lavigne closes the album with “Naked,” a coffeehouse ballad performed in the key of Sarah McClachlin (yet another Canadian).
The CD also comes in an enhanced format that, when placed in a CD-ROM, allows access to her bio, lyrics, the ‘Complicated” music video and a wicked awesome bonus track.
With her nonconformist allure, sassy lyrics and jagged melodies, Lavigne proves that even in an industry tainted by money-hungry producers and an overall cynical “it’s all been done” attitude, a talented young artist can be herself and still be successful. Lavigne invites everyone to Let Go of society’s expectations and just have fun. Her majesty compels you!