It’s easy to make fun of Avril—the tie ’n’ wifebeater, the sk8er boi, the punk rawk ’tude. So why’d she have to go and make things so complicated by showcasing legit musical chops?
Preconceptions mar her, but Avril deserves credit. On The Best Damn Thing, she parades screamy, shrieky expletive-laden tracks that could be pop releases from Bratmobile. Don’t get me wrong—she’s not a bastion of innovation, but the girl has her share of songwriting skills. If she stripped her choruses of top-40 placation, went undercover and exerted a Kill Rock Stars effort, she could be taken seriously.
Don’t bother exorcising Avril’s infectious single “Girlfriend” from your mind; she continues her anthemic assault with “I Can Do Better” and “Runaway” and a belt that’s comparable to Kelly Clarkson on “Since U Been Gone.” On the bitterly gleeful and genre-blending title track, Avril tries her tongue at hip-talk à la “Hollaback Girl” and a chorus that reeks of old-school Blink-182. The album’s highlight, “Everything Back But You,” mirrors a legit neo-punk song: fast, ruthless, percussive and loud.
From a 12-song album, there are three lowlights, and they’re all ballads. Although they’re fair enough pop efforts, nobody’s throwing on an Avril CD to get in touch with their emotions.