When we were first introduced to Avril Lavigne in 2002, she was complaining about how complicated boys can be. Now, the 26-year-old has decided to forgo the timid and well-composed Avril for the raging and unapologetic antagonist in her new song "What The Hell." From her fourth studio album Goodbye Lullaby, the track is as catchy new addition to the pop catalog of Lavigne's, which is much more of a continuation sonically to her 2007 The Best Damn Thing.
The song opens with resounding synths that immediately clarify this is engineered for chart domination, while the first line essentially passes the mantle of being complicated from the boy of her debut single to Avril, herself. She abandons monogamy and any sense of decorum for the rewarding sensation of being a polyamorous nymph, carefree about how she will be perceived by her assumed-to-be-now-former boyfriend. She sounds like a raging brat, someone that elicits little (if any) sympathy if what she sacrifices for her newfound sexual freedom wants nothing to do with her if she decides to return. But, it's that sass that makes the song such a fun Avril track.
If we could just juxtapose "What The Hell" with "Girlfriend" for a minute, perhaps what Avril's trying to do is play the part of the girlfriend she despises in the former hit of hers. "WTH" is much more about her "play" time and a I-don't-give-a-hoot attitude at the expense of her boyfriend (as [un]deserving as it may be), whereas "Girlfriend" was a more monogamy-yearning Avril auditioning for the love interest who is wrongly being maltreated by his significant other. They are both great songs, dealing with two very different ordeals yet operating in essentially the same musical context.
The verses and those bratty lyrics are supported by light guitar strings, soft drums, and electronic notes, before exploding into the chanting "All my life I've been good, but now," and melismatic "I-I-I-I-Is" and "O-o-o-o-ohs" of the chorus. It's a very hard track to refrain from joining in, especially during the chorus; and like where "Girlfriend" left off, she aims for an anthemic tune as opposed to any soft pop/rock track, which is a very smart business and music decision.
The song is a winner, even though Avril has chosen to follow the route-most-traveled with this song. It would be nice to hear a more musically provocative song by the 26 year-old but if that hunger could not be satiated this time around, I am certainly fine with this song tiding me over until that comes.
What The Hell | Avril Lavigne: (7/10) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
No comments:
Post a Comment