Avril Lavigne Goodbye Lullaby

Avril Lavigne began recording Goodbye Lullaby in her home studio in November 2008 with "Black Star" merely a few weeks following the finish of The Best Damn Tour. The ditty was ultimately expanded into an album ready song, which Rolling Stone later defined as "an ethereal lullaby that turns epic with tinkling Coldplay-like pianos and soaring strings."

The process of making the album began with a minimal number of musicians, apparently beginning with Lavigne recording vocals only to acoustic guitar, more tracks were later added. Lavigne reflected on the project: "It's stripped down. I love performing that way, so I really felt like it was time to make a record like that. To just make it all about the vocal and the performance, and the vibe, and the emotion."

The entire track list for the record was leaked on the 21st of December though some of the song names had been known earlier. It was also announced that two songs on the release, "4 Real" and "Goodbye", were both authored and put together entirely by Lavigne herself. The other records were either conducted by Lavigne or written with longtime song-writers Evan Taubenfeld, Butch Walker and Max Martin.

The release is speculated to be a flashback to Lavigne's older musical stylings and should be chiefly recorded on acoustic guitar. With the exception of the cd's first track, Lavigne says the songs on the release are completely different from her earlier recordings, "I'm older now, so I think that comes across in my music, it's not as pop-rock and it's a little more mellow and it's deep".

Avril Lavigne defined the first track taken off Goodbye Lullaby, "What the Hell", as "a broad message about personal freedom", describing it as her "most pop track on the record", the least individual song from the record and the song most reminiscent of her previous albums. Another track, "Stop Standing There", is explained as having an "early- '50s girl-group feel" and "Smile" is about Lavigne's thankfulness for exceptional people in her life. "Push" is about bonds and "Wish You Were Here" establishes Lavigne's vulnerable aspect. Lavigne characterized the tune "Everybody Hurts" as "different" but not different to stray away from who I am and what I am." "Goodbye", one of the two songs Lavigne wrote and produced on her own, is about moving on in life. Lavigne said that "Goodbye" is the most intimate song on the release and was the motivation for the album's name.

If you love Avril make sure you buy the album now

"What the Hell" is the first single released from Avril's 2011 album entitled Goodbye Lullaby. The track was released to radio on January 11th 2011.

The song kicks off with a nice and funky keyboard riff before Avril comes in with the line "You say I'm messing with your head" while a group of cheerleaders back her up with "yeah, yeahs." The track starts to get catchy with the pre-chorus and then explodes into the chorus that has more hooks than a coat rack. The two part chorus features equally catchy vocal melodies, but then head back into the cheerleaderish verse with even more "yeah, yeahs" Avril sure loves her cheerleader backups, reminiscent of her "Girlfriend" release from a few years back.

"All I want is to mess around" the message of the song is clear. Avril doesn't give a damn, about anything apparently. She doesn't care "if you mess around, if you love me, if you hate me." Life is a big bowl of "what the hell" for Avril. It's an envious point of view. Which of us hasn't wanted to throw up our hands in disgust and say screw it, or "what the hell?" I know I have, and this track lets me do it with ease.

About 2:30 minutes into the song comes the bridge which features a lot of "woahs" and Avril letting everyone know she's "messing with your head." Whatever that means. The song then predictably moves back into the chorus for another two trips around the hook.

Overall, it's a great track. The pre-teens will latch on to the rebellion in the song and maybe kids up to college aged will get a kick out of the beat and the sugary goodness of the melodies.
Enjoy this track and look out for the full album in March of 2011 called Goodbye Lullaby. Based on this first single the album should be a barn burner.