Avril Lavigne has left her catchy childish pop-punk sound with hits like “Sk8er Boi,” “Complicated” and “Girlfriend” behind with her newly found maturity with her album, “Head Above Water.”
As of Feb. 15, Lavigne has comeback with a stronger and more confident sound. Her break from music was sudden and allowed her to focus on her health. She has rejoined the music industry with 12 new songs focusing on love and her emotional journey.
Lavigne was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2014 and said in an interview that she was determined to come back to the industry with more words, emotions and stories to share with the world.
“Head Above Water” was the first release for the album and explains Lavigne’s struggle with her disease: how she thought she would die, how she didn’t want to and how God provided her with a longer singing career. With strong lyrics and sound, Lavigne’s voice booms over the piano in a religious ballad on her struggle with Lyme disease.
“Dumb Blonde” is an upbeat song on the album featuring Nicki Minaj. The chorus rings strong and sounds like Cher Lloyd.
“If you know me you know how long I’ve been a fan of hers. You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t hittin EVERY note on ‘I’m with you’ in the shower,” Minaj wrote in an Instagram post.
“It Was In Me” reminisces on the vulnerable journey of how she’s been everywhere, searching for something, but has yet to find it until she realizes it was inside her all this time. With heart wrenching lyrics, “let me feel young when I’m older, let me feel proud when it’s over,” listeners can resonate with the beginning and end of something in their life.
By taking her records in her high , raspy voice, she continues to show her goofy colors with rhyming words like “pajama” with “banana” in “Goddess.”
“Bigger Wow” is bound to be a bop with its catchy “nah nah nahs” throughout the song. The song reminisces of exhilarating activities that have drawbacks or fears, but Lavigne pushes those fears out of her mind, hoping to enjoy the ride. Similar to these activities, Lavigne compares them to dangers or fears within love lives.
“Love Me Insane” hums a mellow piano and guitar in the background, where Lavigne’s voice glides over the strings in the background. As the violin joins the chorus, Lavigne confesses how love is dangerous, unpreventable, uncontrollable and causes clouded judgement when in love.
Other songs on the album include: “Birdie,” “I Fell In Love With The Devil,” “Tell Me It’s Over,” “Souvenir,” “Crush” and “Warrior.”
