The Bottom Line
Yes, it's full of energy, pure punkish bubblegum attitude, and at first a lot of fun. However, it does not take long for the feeling to sink in that Avril Lavigne can, as she sings in the song, "do so much better." The whole feeling is of a 14-year-old Avril turning a cheerleading chant into a bubblegum pop song.
Listen to "Girlfriend" at MySpace
Pros
- Peppy
- Easy singalong
- Attitude
Cons
- A bit childish
- Cheerleader chant feel
Description
- Bubblegum pop beat with a punkish edge
- Bratty vocals
- Cheerleader-style chanting and rhymes
Guide Review - Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
Avril Lavigne's new single "Girlfriend" has been compared to Toni Basil's classic "Mickey," but if you listen to the pair side by side Avril comes up pale and not nearly as tight with the arrangement. Lyrically, "Girlfriend" is a simple screed against a girl who is "so stupid" and so "whatever." If you need a song for school playground conflicts, this would be it.
Part of what made Avril Lavigne so arresting when she first appeared on the pop music scene as a teenager, is that her hit "Complicated" was just that. The emotions discussed were complex and presented in a mature way. Even "Sk8er Boi," with its somewhat trite plotline, seemed to be sung by a voice beyond Lavigne's young years.
Now, she seems to have reverted to childhood. Perhaps it's the fact that Avril Lavigne is no longer working with the Matrix, her past production team, on the song, and has instead hooked up with the mass-produced pop of Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald. Unfortunately, if that is the case, then the image of Avril Lavigne in control of her own musical destiny seems a sham. Hopefully, this is simply her own misstep.
