The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

It’s been four years since her last album The Best Damn Thing hit the charts
with the single ‘Girlfriend’. Now that she has her own fragrance and fashion line,
Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne is back with Goodbye Lullaby to
show her personal and vocal growth.

Something
doesn’t seem right at first glance: the album’s cover portrays Lavigne as a
romantic girl sitting at a piano, which is far from the feisty punk image normally
associated with her.

However, lead single ‘What the Hell’ brings back
Lavigne’s trademark playful punk style. Then again, ‘What the Hell’ may be exactly what fans will be thinking when they
discover that the track is the only hint of her old sound. This is a shame because
her voice suits the fresh in-your-face, daring lyrics more than the serious,
deep, meaning-of-life songs that she tries here. There’s a reason why this
formula has worked for Lavigne on her last three albums.

‘Goodbye’ starts off the album with  a familiar piano and guitar melody that seems
like a déjà vu of ‘I’m With You’. As the album continues, you’ll find that most
tracks sound similar to previous Lavigne hits, with either provocative or
submissive lyrics but with the same guitar/piano or guitar/beats arrangements.

That being said, the album starts to show what it is really made of in ‘Alice,’
which was previously released on the Alice in Wonderland film soundtrack.
The ballad appears to have been a challenge to Lavigne’s vocals, where she
succeeds in tackling high notes. Other ballads like ‘Everybody Hurts’ and ‘Not
Enough’ feature exceptional orchestral backtracks and powerful vocals as well.

Since the start of her career, Avril Lavigne has been a teen idol and a guilty
pleasure for older listeners. While this album might not win the award for deepest lyrics, she still has that young and glaring edge in her voice, and in the
simplicity of Goodbye Lullaby, she has something for everyone.