[Glice]

I think, for me, the weird thing with Avril is that she's got a much, much better voice than nearly every other vocalist I can think of - with people like Namchylek, Galas and orthodox opera sorts excluded. She also (unlike late-Carey or early-Aguilera) produces (arguably) great (pop) songs. What grates with me is that she's treated as if a pop artists shouldn't do what she does. What, exactly, is wrong with co-opting (pop) punk techniques for a popular audience? Do we criticise Blondie after the fact for being popular (or stealing reggae ideas)? VU/ Stooges/ Ramones for being on adverts? B182 for not singing about fucking dogs any more?

Don't like her music - that's fine; what I find odd is criticising a pop artist for being a pop artist and doing pop artist things. Gaga doesn't seem to rile SYG the way Lavigne does - is this because people aren't talking about her as much, or because she goes no-where near the SYG sensibility? Ok, she's stitched into the vulgar end of the 'pop system', but I don't think any post-pubescents believe she's 'authentic' in the way 'we' believe Black Flag [who, personally, I've never liked] to be.

None of this has anything to do with the music, by the by. I'm getting to love the vintage synths on it. SSOOOOOOOOO excited for the new album.