★★☆☆☆
Avril Lavigne launched her career as a teenager with a pop-punk sound, a skater-girl look and a rebellious attitude ready-made for suburban teenagers whose parents had just told them to tidy up their rooms. The Canadian’s 2007 single, Girlfriend, was a brilliantly bratty update on Toni Basil’s cheerleader chant Mickey and sold more than seven million copies. It all seemed like good, clean fun, something to jump around to before growing up and getting on with your life.
Yet pop stars grow up too (sort of) and Lavigne, 34, is back with an album that works really hard to come across as sincere, emotional and concerned with mature themes. First there is the cover, a black and white shot of the singer, naked