Let Go by Avril Lavigne

I bought Avril Lavigne's debut album, Let Go mainly because of the first hit--Complicated. Avril had this new yet different sounding voice and some catchy hooks, so after debating for a while… I decided to buy Let Go. Does Let Go live up to my expectations? In a way it does. I kind of expected all the songs to sound like Complicated/Sk8ter Boi, and while some of them do, a lot of them don't. There's really a nice variety of musical styles on the album, which is a plus in my book. Featured on Let Go, you will discover rock, pop, ballads/slow songs, and some country-ish pop sounding songs. Though Avril isn't a true punk and can't sing that well when performing live [or at least from what I've seen], Let Go is a good debut album.

Avril Lavigne was born in Napanee, Ontario in 1985. She had always loved singing – joining the church choir and winning country music competitions. A few years later she discovered the guitar and decided she wanted to make it big. It wasn't until she turned 16 that she went to the Big Apple and signed to Arista Records. After she signed to Arista, she moved to the West Coast where she worked with producer/songwriter Cliff Magness in order to write songs for her debut album, Let Go.

Oh yeah, who are those other instrument players that help Avril? Even Tauenield plays the guitars, Matthew Brann plays the drums, and Mark Spicoluk plays the bass guitar. Just thought they should get some credit...

Let Go is thirteen tracks long, is 48:43 long, is signed to Arista Records, has no parental advisory sticker, has no hidden tracks, was released on June 4, 2002, and can be purchased for $13.49+ tax on Amazon.com.

01. Losing Grip (*****)
02. Complicated (*****)
03. Sk8ter Boi (****)
04. I'm With You (****?)
05. Mobile (****)
06. Unwanted (*****)
07. Tomorrow (***?)
08. Anything But Ordinary (****)
09. Things I'll Never Say (****)
10. My World (***)
11. Nobody's Fool (**)
12. Too Much to Ask (****)
13. Naked (***)

Let Go opens up with one of the best, most aggressive song on the album - Losing Grip. What's not to like about this song? Avril sings softly through the verses, but when that chorus finally comes around, it's like a kick in the face. Heavy electric guitars shoot out of nowhere and Avril's voice transitions from being soft to aggressive. The lyrics on this song are pretty good, compared to other songs like Sk8ter Boi. Avril talks about how she's sick and tired of putting of with her boyfriend's bullsh-it and how the grip between the two is coming apart. [Why should I care/ Cuz' you weren't there when I was scared/ I was so alone] Losing Grip is definitely one of the best tracks on the CD and would appeal to people who like depressing, or dark-sounding songs. And the next song is the song that started it all… Though overplayed, Complicated [Ms. Lavigne's first single] is another one of the best tracks on Let Go. This mid-tempo track has a steady acoustic/electric guitar beat [though it's more pop than true rock], and has a catchy chorus that will get stuck in your head for days… maybe even weeks. Avril's voice is smooth which is one of the elements that makes this song good. Complicated talks about how her boyfriend is pretending to be someone he isn't and is making everything so complicated.

Though the lyrics suck and the spelling is pretty retarded, S8kter Boi has a catchy beat and chorus which are really the only reasons you might go back to listen to this song again and again. The song is about a punk meeting a ballet dancer and how they end up falling in love. [He was a boy/ She was a girl/ Can I make it anymore obvious/ He was a punk/ She did ballet/ What more can I say?] Those lyrics sure are pretty impressive, don't ya think? ;-) Sk8ter Boi is pure pop [just add some guitars] and is up-tempo… What more can I say? I'm With You is one of the slower tracks on Let Go. Like Losing Group, the verses on I'm With You are slow but when the chorus comes into action, the song speeds up a bit. The violin [I think] is featured on this song mainly at the beginning and creates a different feel to the track in general. Ms. Lavigne's vocals are very smooth and sweet, and the lyrics are alright, though nothing to get excited over. [Take me by the hand/ Take me somewhere new/ I don't know who your are/ But I'm with you]

Mobile starts out pretty poppy, almost semi-country sounding [lots of acoustics]. The verses on this song are really nothing to get excited over. Avril's vocals aren't at their best, but the chorus is really what saves this song from being a piece of crap. In fact, I really like the catchy chorus on Mobile. [Everything's changing/ When I turn around/ All out of control/ I'm a mobile] Avril's voice has a good range in the chorus… perhaps that's why the vocals in the verses aren't too good. Maybe she's saving up? I don't know. Four stars for Mobile. Unwanted is a lot like Losing Grip. For one, they both have the potential to be future singles. And second of all, they both are the most aggressive songs on the album. Unwanted is pretty dark, is up-tempo, has a great, catchy chorus, and involves a lot of the electric guitar. The song is about being shut out by the world around you… hints the title, Unwanted. [You don't know me/ Don't ignore me/ If you had your way/ You'd just shut me out] Tomorrow is a beautiful, ballad-sounding song. Avril's vocals are immaculate on this track and they seem to blend perfectly with the slow, smooth acoustics. Lyrically, it's nothing ground-breaking or mind-blowing, but are any pop singer's lyrics ground-breaking these days? [I don't know how I feel/ Tomorrow, Tomorrow/ I don't know what to say/ Tomorrow, tomorrow is a different day] Anything But Ordinary is a good song. I really Avril's vocal range in the chorus… It's kind of hard to describe… It's different, but I like it. This song is mid-tempo, is 4:12 long, and is a song about accepting who you are.

Thing's I'll Never Say is pure pop, but is a good song, nevertheless. The message is very simple – it talks about a falling in love and all the nerves that go with it. [Be with you every night/ Am I squeezing you too tight/ If I could say what I want to see/ I want you to go down on one knee] The lyrics on My World are pretty good, but the music doesn't move me [too bland]. Avril talks about who she is how and how she got to where she is today. The music just doesn't have a real climax or anything with some real oomph, and overall creates a forgettable track. Avril attempts to rap on Nobody's Fool, and it's about as bad as when LFO [who???] tried to rap on Summer Girls. At least Avril doesn't rap throughout the whole song. And despite the bad rapping, the message of the song is pretty good. Avril talks about how she's not gonna let anyone change her into someone she's not… Yeah right. When those paychecks start waving in front of her face, I'm sure she'll give in. Nobody's Fool is mid-tempo and is 3:57 long. Too Much To Ask is a beautiful slow track that sounds like something familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. [agghhh…frustrating!] Avril's vocals and the chorus are the best things about the song. Avril talks about how all she wants is love, but her boyfriend is just too cool and tough for something like love. Too Much To Ask is slow-paced and is 3:46 long. No, Naked is not about being nude. Rather, it talks about being naked on the inside and experiencing new feelings. Naked is not a stand-out track, but is an ok way to end Let Go. If I had my way, I'd probably end the album on a higher note, but oh well… It's not too bad. Naked is slow to mid-tempo, is 3:27, and is overall nothing spectacular when compared to other tracks featured on Let Go.

Best Tracks: Losing Grip, Complicated, I'm With You, Unwanted

Worst Track(s): Nobody's Fool

Future Singles: Losing Grip, Unwanted

Avril's voice seems to have its own unique flavor. Maybe it's her Canadian accent, but the words that flow out of her mouth just sound different than most artists out these days [and yes… that's a good thing. I think we're all getting sick of the Britney wannabes/sound-a-likes] Avril sounds most like Alanis Morisette if I had to compare her to another artist [same little accent goin' on]. The ending on the words she sings have a certain little yelp which makes Avril…well… Avril. Avril's voice really seems to be at its best on the slower, ballad sounding songs: I'm With You, Tomorrow, and Too Much To Ask. Ms. Lavigne's vocals sound their worst on Nobody's Fool.

Love, break-ups, and accepting yourself for who you are seem to be the main focuses on Let Go. All the lyrics are very straightforward, but some of them are too simple [Sk8er Boi]. Avril helped write every song on the album, but I also heard she also had a lot help too. How many words do you have to write for it to say that you helped write a song? ;-) Lyrics on Let Go are really nothing out of the ordinary. The lyrics get three stars.

I really like the variety of music featured on Let Go. Sure, most of it's pop, but there actually are a few rock flares here and there. Losing Grip and Unwanted will be appreciated by rock fans, Complicated and Sk8er Boi will appeal to pop teens, and I'm With You and the other slow ballads will be loved by parents [and everyone else]. So if you think that Let Go is all sissy, teeny-bopper pop, think again. Who knows? You might find something you like on the album…

No Parental Advisory sticker on Let Go, but is there any sex? Nope. Bad language? A-ss is on My World… But that's it. Drugs? None. Let Go is a very mild CD and could be owned by people ages 8-10 and up. The music is good, Avril's voice is pretty damn good, and lyrics are alright. It would obviously appeal to girls before guys for obvious reasons, but it's really not too girly. I liked it and I'm a guy [last time I checked]. Adults would also like Let Go. So go to your local record store and give it a try.

Thanks for reading…