http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOdfTJ6cCq4 - Avril 1994 (10 yrs old - 1st performance ever) Some XMAS pageant or something

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXwRtvBIqT4 - more pre-fame avril (yuck, country!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju_JfXZBcTM - Avril in studio (15 yrs old - note the dreads lol)

That's the song that first made me think there was more to her than I thought. It's like 80s era Fleetwood Mac made by a teenager.


Well considering 60x90 inches is probably bigger than she is, you've pretty much got a lifesize picture there.

Glad to see her Axl Rose look didn't last too long.

Ok, so I finally cracked and 'legally acquired' the album (I'm too broke...).

First listen: there's a very strong possibility that this is album of the year. And Laura Cantrell has just done a Kitty Wells cover album with a spoken verse on I gave my wedding dress away.

Something is going to very seriously need to come with free blowjobs to beat those two.

I have to agree. There really isn't a bad song on it. I do secretly wish she'd have put a few more flat out pop numbers in there, though. With the obvious exceptions of What the Hell and Smile, it's quite a subdued album, more in the key of something like 'Nobody's Home' - which to be fair is also a big favourite of mine. But then that may partially acount for why she's more interesting than a majority of her peers. She seems perfectly comfortable in a number of styles while a group like Paramore only really work in a single one - pretty much defined by Hallelujah and Misery Business. The further they move from that template the worse they get, while Avril can switch from epic ballads (I'm With You') to straight up power pop ('He Wan't') with no apparent drop in results.

:) THANK YOU

I almost didn't want to like it - what with it being much more 'mature' than Best Damn Thing, which I almost like more because no-one else seems to. There were certainly more of the pop-punk numbers there, though nothing as 'fuck me that's a bit good' as what the hell. But yeah - funny, it's the first album without her odd thing for scratching/ hip-hop lite things. Time will tell if I'm still as enthusiastic about this as I still am for Under My Skin.

Also: I think the surprisingly short opener is a much-neglected weapon in the popstar's arsenal.

I'm on listen number 8, I think.

I definitely prefer her more serious tracks.

How long will this topic go on?

Avril is eternal.

NEW video for 'Wish You Were Here'


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT1-sitWRtY

Damn, damn, damn... what I'd do to have Avril here.

Been listening to her entire output lately, this might seem like a funny thing to say about fucking Avril Lavigne but I think she's a talented woman.

Would've said more but I gotta go now so let me save that for later..

she is talented.

Talented? Sure. Colloquially speaking, anyone who can play or sing or write or draw is at least a little bit talented — skilled is a more accurate word, even if none of the skill is innate (anyone who takes enough drawing classes and has fingers will eventually be able to draw) or expert-skill (scientifically inexplicable speed and proficiency in mastering a activity, technically and in a manner that suggests a keen understanding of what makes the activity meaningful).

So YAH. Like, pretty much everone who professionally does anything relating to art or sports or chess or computer programming, etc. has some "talent" if you're using the colloquial definition. Science places a distinction between "talent" and "skill," with "talent" being reserved for hypothetical discussions of innate ability and expert skill. Lots of study is done to determine if innate skill even exists, or can be measured, and it's fucking fascinating stuff, really.

But dudes... really? Avril Lavigne?

I take WAY too much shit about thinking Kanye's talented to swallow this without a fight. She's "talented" in the most basic way. Sub-Taylor Swift level talent. Perhaps even sub-Britney level talent. What characteristics does her music exhibit that makes it stand out? That makes it unique?

I will never dis people for the music they like (unless they do it to me first, then I'll get super immature aboit it, as you all know), but my opinion is that this particular artist has contributed nothing of substance to the world of music. That's just my opinion. Maybe I missed something awesome that she did. But ... what exactly moves someone (lookin' at you louder) to resurrect a 2011 thread to say Avril Levign is legit?