Lavigne Dropped Her Best Damn Album

Avril Lavigne
The Best Damn Thing
April 2007
RCA Records

After making a splash in the music scene with 2002's Let Go, Avril Lavigne presented herself as a fresh young face, scoring three consecutive top-ten hits and millions of albums sales with her sk8er girl persona and Matrix-assisted productions.

With its 2004 follow-up, Under My Skin, she proved she didn't need the songwriting/production trio to achieve massive commercial success. The content was darker and more formulaic, but still bore Lavigne's signature catchiness.

2006 saw her marriage to Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley and talk of a new album. Fans must've wondered what direction she would take, and whether marriage would affect her music.

Well, whether it was a result of her marriage or not, Lavigne bursts with energy on The Best Damn Thing. The super-catchy hit first single "Girlfriend," on which she claims to be "the motherfucking princess," serves as a great way to kick off a disc full of powerpop. The material is much punkier and playful than her previous works, showcasing Lavigne at her most carefree and loudest. And it sounds like she's at her most creative too, as in the fantastic title track, in which she says, "I hate it when a guy doesn't understand / why a certain time of month I don't wanna hold his hand" during the verses. The energy never halts either--not even during the three ballads.

In the end, it's clear that the newlywed triumphs on what is her funnest and most vibrant disc.

Track Pick: "Girlfriend"
Rating: A