Keys to Everything

Let Go was Avril Lavigne’s debut album. It was released June 4, 2002 and was certified platinum multiple times in various countries.

1. Losing Grip

2. Complicated

3. Sk8ter Boi

4. I’m With You

5. Mobile

6. Unwanted

7. Tomorrow

8. Anything But Ordinary

9. Things I’ll Never Say

10. My World

Losing Grip as an opening track doesn’t really set the tone of the album. It was the fourth and last single from the album and it’s a lot heavier than the rest of the album, veering away from the more ‘poppy’ singles previously released. That aside, I think that Losing Grip is a great song and Avril Lavigne’s distinctive vocals really make this track powerful. For some people it can be a little intimidating, but it’s a track that has definite replay value. 

Track Rating; B+/A-

Complicated was Lavigne’s first single and is very representative of the rest of the album. After hearing this song so much when it was first released, it annoys me a little bit. As a song, it has a very clear direction and is simple but not to the point of being tedious. The best bit about this song (and most would agree) is the chorus, pretty much everyone on the planet knows it! As a song it’s not one of my all-time favourites but it is my favourite out of all the singles.

Track Rating; B

Sk8ter Boi  reached anthemic status after the amount of airplay it had. This song is very disparate from the rest of the album, like Losing Grip but for different reasons, it plays on the pop-punk style very strongly but with an overall pleasing effect. Sk8ter Boi is a very repetetive song and I don’t recommend listening to it several times in a row, lest you should hate it.

Track Rating; B+

I’m With You could be considered a rock ballad, with it’s strong chorus and dramatic vocals, but overall it doesn’t feel heavy enough to be a rock ballad, nor soft enough to be a ballad. Lyrically, I’m With You is a very powerful, story driven song, evoking feelings of loneliness (how poetic :P). Musically, it lacks energy in a couple of places that doesn’t really detract from the song in general. The best track on the album so far.

Track Rating; A

Mobile was released in Australia and New Zealand instead of Losing Grip. Mobile is a largely boring song for me. The chorus enters strongly but then the vocals slow and remain monotone. There’s not really much else to say really, a disappointing track overall.

Track Rating; C

Unwanted is a powerful track that works in the same way as Losing Grip. Lavigne’s vocals really shine in this song; plenty of emotion and lingering notes. I really like this song, though some people I’ve met categorically don’t, and find it to be one of the most memorable songs on the album. In my opinion, not quite as good as I’m With You, but still a great track.

Track Rating; A-

Tomorrowremains consistant throughout and is very laid back. It’s the kind of song you can listen to a not think about. Being the slowest song on the album, Tomorrow runs the risk of being boring. Personally, I think that it manages to avoid the idea that slow = boring and keeps to the same stream as the rest of the album.

Track Rating; B+/A-

Anything But Ordinaryis one of my favourite tracks by Avril Lavigne. Message-wise it doesn’t really match up with the music but somehow manages to come together in the end. The chorus is strong and memorable (I’ve seen plenty of people with it as their personal message on MSN) and the verses are weird enough to work. A really great track.

Track Rating; A-

Things I’ll Never Say has to be my favourite song on Let Go. The pace of the lyrics is constant and the beat is infectious. I love the lyrics of the chorus and how they fit with the story and tone of the song.

Track Rating; A+

My World is a little forgettable in places, but the guitar throughout is really nice and the chorus is really groovy. It’s placement in the album is good as it flows really well with the previous two tracks. It falls a little below the mark compared to Things I’ll Never Say but is overall a good song.

Track Rating; A-

In conclusion, for a debut album Let Go is really good. Like anything it has moments of genius along with moments of disappointment which actually adds to the overall effect. I like Let Go, it has real replay value.

Overall Rating; B