Goodbye Lullaby by Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne’s punk rocker attitude and style continue to cater to the aspirations and frustrations of teens through her new album, Goodbye Lullaby. The heavenly feel and sweet descriptions in a few of her songs give meaning to the lullaby aspect of the title and make the album somewhat different from her usual rebellious, tomboy lyrics. Avril seeks to emphasize to the public a more grown-up side of herself that it does not normally get to see. However, people seem to have opposing opinions regarding whether this higher level of maturity is accomplished or not. The jump in maturity could just be an attempt to recover from the defiance set forth in her previous album The Best Damn Thing. Whatever the reason, the theme is just hard to take seriously coming from the self-proclaimed mother-f******-princess whose usual bratty scorn is what sells albums.

The good thing about this album is there are plenty of songs that will fit whatever mood you are in; whether you are in love or not. Her hit single “What the Hell” is an upbeat anthem of self-determination proclaiming that “All my life I’ve been good / but now, I’m thinking ‘What the Hell.’” “Smile” gives us a taste of Avril’s newfound love of Brody Jenner despite the enormous amount of cursing within the lyrics, as well as the song “I Love You” which encapsulates the lullaby/cutesy mentality of the album and album title. On the other hand, “Goodbye” not only concludes the album but also her relationship to ex-husband Deryck Whibley.

Her lyrics declaring herself a “crazy b*tch” and discussing black-out nights when she was out of control complement the sprinkles of softer, gushier statements about love that appear in many more of her songs than they have in the past. Goodbye Lullaby gives us a peek at Avril’s well-known edgy character as well as a taste of a calmer, more mature popstar.