Anything But Ordinary (Let Go - Avril Lavigne)

Member Name: delawney

Product:	Let Go - Avril Lavigne
Date:	23/11/02 (1251 review reads)
Rating:

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THE QUICK REVIEW (For those in a hurry)

"Let Go" is the debut album from the latest of the young girlie singers from across the Atlantic to be breaking into the charts here in the UK. But you'll find none of your Britney/Christina Aguilera bubblegum pop here, no sir-ee. This is good old fashioned rock with a modern edge that I believe the "yoof" refer to as "skate music". I wouldn't know. Apparently I'm getting old.

17 year old Canadian Avril's album follows hot on the heels of the catchy hit single "Complicated". If you buy it on the strength of that hit, believe me you will not be disappointed. This album is a cracker. Ask mr delawney - he can't stop playing either.

It's a little bit rock, a little bit pop, catchy, upbeat and full of teen angst. Hey, I may not be a teenager anymore, but I can still relate to the whole angst thing you know. Still, despite the whole teen-angst-ness of the lyrics, there is still an insightfulness to them that you would expect from someone a little bit older.

Standout tracks include "Let Go", "Unwanted", "Naked" and of course "Complicated. But really they're all good. This is a great sing-along album, lacking any real duff track. Buy it!


THE FULL OP

Wow! An onslaught of new products finally added to dooyoo and suddenly I'm spoilt for choice! So where should I begin... how about the album that's been going round and round in my CD player for, like, ever? OK then.

Like most people, my introduction to Avril Lavigne probably comes from the hit single "Complicated", having caught the video on one of the music channels, shortly followed by a recommendation from a fellow dooyoo-er (apols for beating you to it on the op!). I've recently enjoyed this invasion of young girlie singer types from across the Atlantic - Michelle Branch, Vaness
a
Carlton and the like. The more the merrier, I say, and having heard the single I knew this was an album to get.

So, a few clicks at CD Wow and £8.99 later, I was delighted with the arrival of the latest CD for my collection. So what was in store?

A blurry photo on the cover and the trademark baggy skater clothes greeted me. A glance at the lyric sheet and the handwritten words reveals that spelling is not Avril's strong point. Not to worry. That's not important. What matters is what it sounds like. So what does it sound like?


*** LET GO ***

"Why should I care
Cause you weren't there
When I was scared
I was so alone"

Track one starts gently enough. A gentle guitar strumming and an almost electronic-sounding drum beat. But then the chorus kicks in, and this track rocks! Definitely one to turn the volume up on (but not too late at night, of course, think of the neighbours). I was in a really crappy mood the first time I heard this album, and this track fitted my mood perfectly. It's really angry and strong - very cathartic to sing along too. One of my favourites on the album.


*** COMPLICATED ***

"Life's like this you fall and you crawl and
you break and you take what you get and
you turn it into honesty promise me I'm never
gonna find you fake it"

If you've not heard this song, you obviously don't listen to Radio One or watch Top of the Pops. Good for you. They're pants anyway. But you will have missed out on a cracking single.

This one's a bit poppier than the opening track, and a tad more on the upbeat side. It takes me back to being a teenager (probably not a plus point I feel!) and watching all the people being something they're not, desperately trying to fit in. The lyrics are in my opinion quite insightful, all about being yourself, being strong and getting
on wit
h life. Having vented my frustration on "Let Go", an uplifting, positive number like this was just what I needed.


*** SK8ER BOI ***

OK, I admit it, I hate "text speak". I must be sad but even when I text I write words properly. Still, this is a good song, so we'll let Avril off just this once. Don't be doing it again though will you girlie?

This is a lighthearted number telling the story of a skater boy (surprised?) dumped by a girl who didn't think he was good enough for her. But now he's a famous rock star, and she regrets it, but it's tough titty cause now he's with Avril. Ho hum.

An upbeat, bouncy number. Not musical or lyrical genius, but all good fun and a pleasant listen. No complaints here!


*** I'M WITH YOU ***

Track four and we slip into ballad mode. This is no bad thing. "I'm With You" is a lovely, atmospheric little number. There's an excellent combination of "light and shade" in this number, or "loud bits" and "quiet bits" if you prefer. A nice moody number for candles and wine. (Then again, wine will do anytime!). This track is a real showcase for Avril's crystal clear vocals. Fantastic.


*** MOBILE ***

"Everything's changing when I turn around
all out of my control I'm a mobile"

Upping the tempo once more we cruise into "Mobile". This song has a real funky edge to it - it might just be me but it makes me want to bounce from side to side. Once more we get that kind of teen angst theme - the kind of "OMG life's so stressful" but somehow Avril never sounds like she's whinging, rather more like she's just making a statement.

Another upbeat, gently rocky song. Thumbs up!


*** UNWANTED ***

And then we slip into another one of my faves. Probably because i
t's lou
d, rock and angry, and I like loud, rocky, angry songs. Don't read too much into that, I'm not Alanis Morrissette in disguise ;)

Avril employs the classic trick of mixing loud bits and quite bits to make those loud bits all the more effective. Avril sounds well and truly p**sed off, I guess because she feels unwanted, given the title of the song.

Trust me, this one's a corker.


*** TOMORROW ***

"I don't know how I'll feel
tomorrow, tomorrow
I don't know what to say
Tomorrow, tomorrow is a different day"

I can vouch for the fact that this is an extremely catchy little number - I've been humming it for days. Maybe because I'm working my bum off at the moment and it's nice to think about "tomorrow" in the kind of distant "Annie" sense.

It opens with a gentle acoustic guitar strumming, and Avril in softer tone than the previous song. This is definitely a more lilting track, and definitely not on the aggressive side like it's predecessor. Trust me, you'll be singing along with the "hey-yeah"'s before you know it.


*** ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY ***

"I'd rather be anything but ordinary please"

Another bouncy, slightly poppy track, again hinting at that whole teen angst thing I keep going on about - all teenagers want to be different don't they? (At least they do when they're not just trying to fit in!). Although probably not a standout track on the album, it's still a very pleasant listen and I think this one's still growing on me.


*** THINGS I'LL NEVER SAY ***

"Guess I'm wishing
my life away
with these things I'll never say"

The first time I listened to this album mr delawney came into the room and commented how it sounded a bit like the Cranberries. That is not true of the al
bum as a whole,
but I can see what he was getting at with this track. It's the "la da da"'s, that do it. Very Cranberries-esque, but the rest of the track is definitely Avril.

Upbeat once more, but definitely a love song. All about trying to talk to the person you fancy and everything coming out wrong, thus the things she'll never say are the things she wants to say rather than the rubbish that comes out of her mouth:

"What's wrong with my tongue
These words keep slipping away
I stutter, I stumble, like I've got nothing to say"

This is a real catchy song that left me humming for ages. In a nice way. Not like when I couldn't get "Club Tropicana" out of my head.


*** MY WORLD ***

"I never spend less than an hour washing my hair in the shower
It always takes five hours to make it straight"

I know the feeling sweetheart ;)

Now don't get me wrong, this is not a bad track, but it's not the most memorable on the album. Still, it's quite upbeat and poppy, and not an unpleasant listen.


*** NOBODY'S FOOL ***

"If you're trying to turn to me into someone else it's easy to see
I'm not down with that. I'm nobody's fool"

Oooh, we have an experiment at a sort-of rap opening this song and throughout the verses. Sounds awful I know, but she pulls it off, and this is a nice little number. As seems to be a theme with Avril's songs, once more she's talking about being herself, and being determined to stay that way. No bad thing in my opinion. Another great track.


*** TOO MUCH TO ASK ***

We've all been there haven't we - let down by someone we've had a date with/been going out with and they haven't called. (delawney breathes a sigh of relief that she's been through that part of her life). That's
the theme here, and
Avril manages to combine a little of bitterness and melancholy to create a real bittersweet track. It's kind of ballady, but it still has more of a rocky rather than a poppy edge. A nice track.


*** NAKED ***

"I've never felt like this before
I'm naked around you
Does it show
You see right through me
And I can't hide
I'm naked around you
And it feels so right"

And so we reach the climax of the album with the final track "Naked". We move from the bittersweetness of the previous track to a really nice love song. It's not a ballad - it's more upbeat and it has a real positive feel to it. This track probably isn't one that will grab you instantly, but it's really beautiful and a definite grower.



So, ther you have it. The overall verdict? This is a real cracker of an album. That said, if I had written this op when I first gor the CD it would probably have only got four stars, as it is a bit of a grower. Now I've had time to listen to it more and feel a part of it, I've really become rather attached to it, and I find myself having to give it five.

If you like the new-wave of American and Canadian girlies such as Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton, this will probably appeal. You'll probably also like this if you like Alanis Morrissette, although I would argue that Avril is perhaps a little more sane.

At just 17, it's obvious that Avril is going to offer us a lot more in the future, she is obviously filled with talent. She has a gorgeous voice, and her songs whilst dealing with the sort of things you'd expect a teenager to deal with are filled with a wisdom beyond her years. She can be sassy, witty, downright angry and truly beautiful. What more of a combination can you ask for than that?


For more information check out the website at www.avril-lavigne.com


"Let Go"
; 2002
Arista 74321949312
Produced by loads of different people including The Matrix, Clif Magness, Curt Frasca and Peter Zizzo

Purchased for £8.99 from CD Wow!

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