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The Album
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This Avril Lavigne’s second album, her first was “Complicated”. The second album is a change from her first, its more punky and less kinda pop.

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Bit About Each Song
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“Under My Skin” is instantly likeable even if you enjoyed her first album and considering her second album is rather different from the first. Her second released single from “Under My Skin” is called “My Happy Ending”. This song is about a girl being dumped by her boyfriend and her world has started to collapse around her. The song starts off by her asking what she did, was it something she had said, was it something she had caused. “You were all the things I thought I knew and I thought we could be….you were everything that I thought I wanted, we were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it….” I think that both of her albums are related to break-ups and just the end of relationships in general. It’s not really depressing music as it sill is up beat and lively songs, but if you take time to listen to the actual lyrics, you can clearly see the underlying points being made.

The first release from “Under My Skin” was “Don’t Tell me”, this song starts off with guitars and piano playing in the background, at first its kind of soft and soothing. Just like “My Happy Ending” this song too is about not being able to trust a guy. “Don’t try and tell me what to do, don’t try and tell me what to say, you’re better off that way…” Although it starts off as a kinda slow song, it soon perks up by the time we reach the second or third verse. When it was released as a single, I really really liked this song, but now I think it may have been played too much, so I’m not really a huge fan anymore, although it is a good track.

“Take Me Away” is the first song on the album and so was the first song I listened to when getting the album. This song is a kinda dancy song, just makes you wanna dance about. Its heavily influenced by guitars and is the main instrument used throughout the song. Lyrics from the song are: “All the pain, I thought I knew, all the thoughts lead back to you, back to what was never said, back in forth inside my head. I can’t handle this confusion I’m unable, come and take me away” So staying with the theme of the album, this song is primarily about wanting to leave a confusing relationship, and just trying to escape the paint of it all.

I’ve realised by this point that I must sound kind of depressed but hey, it’s the album. If you haven’t heard some of these songs you’re probably wondering what I’m spluttering o about.

Second song on the album is called “together”, this one isn’t quite so bad in terms of relationships ending/dying. “When I’m alone I feel so much better, and when im around you, I don’t feel together, together doesn’t feel right at all, tougher we have built a wall, holding hands we’ll fall”. It’s still about having a broken heart but its more upbeat and unless you actually take time to listen to the lyrics you wouldn’t really see it as a break up song.

Next up is song number three, that’s called “He Wasn’t”, this song is about having a boyfriend but its not really what you’re looking for, and how he doesn’t make you feel special. It’s a punk kinda song, so its kinda bouncy and gives you that dancy kinda feeling!!

Song number four is ““Don’t Tell Me” her first release from “Under My Skin”.

Number five “How Does It Feel”. This song is slow, again it’s another song with the main instrument as a guitar, there is I think also a violin played in this track. This is maybe one of the slowest songs of the album, again it still hold the idea of a break up and is a generally sad and slow song.

“My Happy Ending” is track number six.

“Nobody’s Home” is number seven, and on first looking at the track name it isn’t one I immediately recognise. For me, this is one of the tracks that I haven’t really listened to, the first six on the album are my favourites. On listening to this song, I realised that I have heard it before, so although it’s not a track I would immediately recognise, it is a good track. “She wants to go home, but nobody’s home, it’s where she lies, broken inside. No place to go….to dry her eyes, broken inside”. So this song is the first from the album that makes you start to think that this album isn’t of a personal experience but maybe one of a friend, as this song is of someone else’s hurt and sorrow of being lost inside. Although it is not focused on any kind of relationship or break-up, you still feel that this could be the primary focus of the song.

Track number eight is “Forgotten”, this is another good song. This song starts off slow but soon bursts into sound and is one of the tracks louder, jumpy songs. The theme of this song is about someone forgetting what she wanted from life, and just feels as though she wants to escape and get away from it all. “I know I want to run away, I know I want run away, run away. If only I could run away, if only I could run away, run away. I told you what I wanted, what I wanted. But I was forgotten, I wont be forgotten….NEVER AGAIN!” This is another song primarily focused on a punk genre, so Lavinge has broken away from the pop genre the first album displayed.

Number nine is “Who knows”. This song starts off really quiet and about 10seconds into it a guitar bursts into sound and it becomes a really loud intro. The theme of this song is about getting to know someone better, as you never know whats going to happen in life, so really you should live every day like it’s your last. Personally I thought this was more of a pop song that anything else, it’s a good song and many of the lyrics at the end of a line rhyme, which is not a bad thing as they still make sense and help make the song better. Although I enjoy this song, it is another one that slips through the net and is not easily memorable. But on listening to it, you soon realise “ah yea, that’s what that one is…”

“Fall to pieces” is track number ten and this is one I haven’t listened to much at all. I just generally dislike this track, but not for any good reason, it just didn’t jump out to me when I was listening to the album in the first few weeks. This song is about well falling to pieces, not wanting to talk about it and just generally being in love but it hurting really badly. I think given more time, this song could be likeable but for me it’s one that I haven’t really listened to much at all. It’s not a slow song, but it’s not particularly “get up and dance” either. “I don’t want to fall to pieces, I just want to sit and stare at you. I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t want a conversation, I just wanna cry infront of you, and I don’t wanna talk about it cos I’m in love with you” I think that generally sums up the whole of the song.

“Freak out” is song number eleven and is my least favourite of the album. It’s not particularly “heavy” but I think the aim was to be kind of “heavy” so I just feel that it’s not been pulled off all that well.

The last song on the album (before the two bonus tracks) is “Slipped away” this is another of the slow songs from the album and as the name suggests its about letting someone slip away from you. This song is one of the pop songs from the album, it’s not one of the best songs, but is definitely worth a listen especially if you take the time to listen to the lyrics.

The first bonus track is called “I always get what I want” and basically that’s what the track is about. First impressions of this track is that is a punk track, kinda heavier that “Sk8r boi” from her first album.

Lastly is an acoustic version of “Nobody’s Home”, this is number fourteen on the album. On first listeing to this track you will notice immediately that it is quite different from “Nobody’s Home” track number seven. Out of the two versions, I prefer this one, I feel that the acoustic guitar just adds to the song and makes it a whole heap better, although there isn’t too much wrong with the other version.

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Favourite Tracks
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Favourite tracks from the album include “Take Me Away”, “Together”, “Don’t Tell me”, and “My Happy Ending”. All others from the album are listen-able but those selected are my faves. One track which I’m not too keen on is “Freak Out”, not too sure why I don’t like this, it’s a live, loud and jumpy track, but I think its trying to be more like metal, but still pulling off the pop genre.

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Track Listing
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1. Take me away
2. Together
3. Don’t tell me
4. He wasn’t
5. How does it feel
6. My happy ending
7. Nobody’s home
8. Forgotten
9. Who knows
10. Fall to pieces
11. Freak out
12. Slipped away
13. I always get what I want (Bonus)
14. Nobody’s Home (Live acoustic bonus)

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My Opinion
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Well I’ve pretty much given my opinion the full way through this review, so this part is just gonna be short and sweet….

The album in general is a good album, although it may sound kind of depressing its not really like that when you’re listening to to. Just don’t analysie it like I did lol.

Maybe if you are looking into music deeply then this wouldn’t really be for you if you’re kinda upset or having trouble with love just now….

I’m sure that if you enjoyed Avril Lavinge’s first album then this one is defiantly for you.

Sorry the review seems soooo morbid, I’ll try get her to sing less depressing songs next time round!

Enjoy, PlaceboFan x