Under Avril’s Skin

At a time when young girl singers are mostly tartlets with siliconed breasts and abbreviated clothing– think Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera – Avril Lavigne can only be described as an original. Not that she is the only one. Norah Jones of the mellow sophistication is another one. So is the soulful Alicia Keys. I thought Michelle Branch was until her music turned banal and she did that sexy spread in a men’s magazine. But Norah, Alicia and to some extent Beyonce Knowles have continued to create music that is totally their own. So has Avril.

Now only 19 and definitely looking and dressing her age, Avril made her big splash in 2002 with the album Let Go. At last there was somebody that teen-aged girls could relate to. She is not only pretty and talented, she also rocks and you know how difficult it is for young girls who like to rock to find an idol after their own hearts. Alanis Morissette had moved on to more grown-up territory so they were grateful Avril came and filled that void. Her first album Let Go produced the big hits, Complicated, Sk8er Boi and I’m with You and eventually sold more than five million copies.

It has been two years since and it is now time for Avril to face the dreaded sophomore monster, the release of her second album. Norah survived that beautifully. So did Alicia. Their second efforts are big hits that might even outsell their debuts. Michelle did not. I do not know if Avril would have cared about what could have happened. There is a bored, rebellious, in-your- face nonchalance in her personality. But, truth to tell, it does not matter anymore whether she had some fears or not. Avril’s second album titled Under My Skin is now the number one selling album in Europe and the USA.

I am not surprised. This clever girl showed what she had in Let Go and then she just went ahead and perfected all that for Under My Skin. Fans who loved her Sk8er Boi will find He Wasn’t on the same beat. Parents who agreed with what she sings about in Complicated will applaud her "say no" stance in Don’t Tell Me. There is a hint of coming maturity in Nobody’s Home. Best of all her fans can sing along with her pop-tinged ballads like Who Knows.

Mercifully, she bucks current trends and offers no hip hop. She simply rocks loud. Doubly mercifully she is on her own. There is nobody billed as "featuring" in any of the cuts. It is Avril all throughout, at times on double track vocals to put emphasis on rousing choruses. A frilly red skirt in the cover photos hints of a young woman emerging out of the tomboy trappings from two years ago. That is bound to happen soon but I hope that she will continue to rock, to rebel against what is usual and never to pose sexy for a men’s magazine.

Rock Compilations

Now if Avril is a bit too much for you and you like your rock music loud but slow and melodic, check out these two compilations by original artists that I recently came across. One is Remember Yesterday, The Very Best of Slow Rock. It does not have Stairway to Heaven, which I believe is the quintessential slow rock tune but it has a lot of unexpected goodies like the original version of Open Arms by Journey; Love Hurts by Nazareth; Drive by The Cars; I Remember You by Skid Row; You’re All I Need by White Lion; and Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.

The other collection is styled Rock Easy, which has a line-up of fairly recent titles by newer bands and which is closer to Avril’s style. That does not mean that it is the better one but if might just be if your kind of rock is laced with bits of Club and New Wave. Best of the lot is an acoustic version of Wherever You Will Go by The Calling and I Need You by Jars of Clay. There are also The Loneliest Person I Know by Splender; Here’s to the Night by Eve 6; Sex & Candy by Marcy Playground; Closing Time by Semisonic; Maybe Tomorrow by the Stereophonics; and Why Don’t You & I by the great Santana featuring Alex Band.