Introducing Avril Lavigne (Let Go - Avril Lavigne)

Member Name: bigh11

Product:	Let Go - Avril Lavigne
Date:	19/05/09 (31 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great first album, rock/pop, very catchy songs

Disadvantages: Some songs aren't great

Avril Ramona Lavigne (now Whibley) was born September 27th 1984 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The family moved to Napanee, Ontario when Avril was 5 and Avril mentions the town in My World.

This was Avril's debut album, released in 2002 reaching number one in Australia, Canada and the UK and number two in the US. Avril does write a lot of her own work but she collaborated with The Matrix team on this album. Avril also plays the guitar, piano and the drums (although not sure how good she is on the drums, when I saw her in concert last year it looked like she had just started)

The first single was the amazing Complicated. I remember this song being released and I thought she was brilliant straight away. She had such an attitude, she was cocky and edgy but in a very endearing way. Complicated reached number one in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, number two in the US and number three in the UK. It was one of the most successful songs of 2002 and Avril mania began.

Her second single was Sk8er Boi and despite it becoming an instant hit, it only reached number eight in the UK charts and number 10 in the US, I don't suppose you can turn your nose up at that really but when songs by Bob The Builder and the Crazy Frog get to number one, it does make you wonder! I still put this song on now when I want to have a man few minutes dancing, it never fails to cheer me up.

Her third single was I'm With You, a change from her first two singles. I'm With You is a lovely slow song and it showed a different side to her. A lot of people maybe had her down as a grumpy teenager but this song showed a softer side of her. It reached number seven in the UK and number four in the US. I love the video to this song, it's so edgy and I love how it all seems to be in slow motion.

Avril went on to release Losing Grip and Mobile (in Australia only) Losing Grip is probably the "rockiest" song off her first album, this could be the reason it did very poorly in the charts, only getting to number 64 in the US and 22 in the UK. Avril has said this was her favourite song off this album.

I think my favourite song off this album is either Tomorrow or Naked. Although I love the upbeat My World. My least favourite songs on this album are Mobile and Unwanted.

I went to see Avril at the Manchester Apollo in March 2003. It was the best concert I have ever been to, it's not a huge arena so it was quite "intimate" although I couldn't see a thing because I was right at the back! She is amazing live, one of the best I've ever heard. I couldn't speak the next day because I'd worn my voice out! After the concert my brother and I waited outside for about 3 hours to meet her, we got her and the bands autograph and my brother made Jesse the drummer laugh, he was quite pleased with that. I've still got my signed t-shirt tucked away somewhere.

Track List:

1. Losing Grip
2. Complicated
3. Sk8er Boi
4. I'm With You
5. Mobile
6. Unwanted
7. Tomorrow
8. Anything But Ordinary
9. Things I'll Never Say
10. My World
11. Nobody's Fool
12. Too Much Too Ask
13. Naked

*** I got some of the factual information from Wikipedia. ***

Summary: A great album overall, probably her best.