The two CDs today come from acts that have placed themselves firmly on rock’s pedestal. Avril Lavigne, who hails from Canada, has long been a fixture on the rock charts, thanks to songs like Complicated, Sk8er Boy and Girlfriend. And on Goodbye Lullaby, she rocks while also showcasing a more mature side. Anberlin, a darling of the indie rock scene comes in with their fifth studio album, and it’s a strong candidate for being, if not their best, their most consistent.
Avril Lavigne — Goodbye Lullaby (RCA). Fans of Avril are pretty much divided over her career path. There are those longing she return to her punk rock roots, and then there are those who enthuse over the bubblegum-rock of The Best Damn Thing. The carrier single of the new CD, What the Hell is her getting back in touch with her punk rock roots; but before the first set of fans start exulting, it’s worth noting that pretty much the rest of the album is filled with mid-tempo, very personal songs that almost recall Alanis Morrisette. And while that’s not a bad thing, it isn’t a rising of the phoenix they may have hoped for. Having said that, the songs here are a strong bunch of personal statements, with tracks like Black Star. Wish You Were Here and Not Enough my immediate favorites.
Anberlin — Dark Is the Way, Light Is the Place (Republic). The years of touring since 2002 have made the fan base of indie band Anberlin an army of fiercely loyal acolytes. Sometimes referred to as a Christian band — which the band does not subscribe to — the new CD is full of songs that deserve repeated airplay! Impossible is a must-listen, along with Take Me As You Found Me. You Belong Here’s chorus actually had me thinking Sting’s Fields of Gold, and my other favorite, Art of War, defies easy categorization. In fact, that in a nutshell is what makes the band such a stand out. There’s musical maturity, there’s a diverse range of songs that one can’t pigeonhole that easily, and ultimately, there’s just a lot of good music that doesn’t rely purely on stadium-type rock to deliver!