Let Go did a lot of things for Avril Lavigne. It sold 14 million copies, make her and her hometown of Napanee, Ontario a household name, start (or restart depending on how you view it) a fashion trend, make her songs and persona a frequent subject of debate and give- arguably- a face and a personality among a crowd of singer/songwriters who emerged in 2002. She became a star, something the music industry today sorely lacks.

Let Go also opened a can of worms for the Ontarian "wild child", with the big burning question that haunts just about every strong debut artist- can she do it again? The signs were not promising- the first single, "Don’t Tell Me", was a catchy but contrived mess, sounding as if Lavigne was trying to sound mature when she wasn’t. Then there was the Saturday Night Live performance where she came out in a polka-dotted tank top and looked very "girly" (for the lack of a better word), the complete antithesis of her tomboy image. Then you saw the album cover and inside the album booklet- with Lavigne adorning a big "X" on her sleeve and looking pretty gothic, an image that some could say was "confused" given the previous image seen on SNL.

However, all those doubts get erased once Under My Skin starts. The album shows a more mature Lavigne, someone who seems in command of her material (and now, her voice), and presents the same old wild child who’s merely become wiser. She still wants to make fun songs- like the hook-filled "He Wasn’t" and "Freak Out"- but she’s becoming a little more methodical, not resorting to simple reactionary lyrics but also seeing the silver lining in things (she wrote the bulk of the lyrics on the album, with several songs where the lyrics are completely hers). For example, in "He Wasn’t", instead of simply whining that her boyfriend doesn’t call and she needs him to feel special, she resolves by the end of the song that she is special and deserves someone better. Then she muses- over some cool guitarwork by Evanescence’s Ben Moody- about feeling helpless with a troubled girl in "Nobody’s Home", which presents Lavigne’s best performance (with lots of conviction and reflection) on the album. Then there’s also her touching ode to her deceased grandfather in "Slipped Away". The music- handled mostly by her bandmates- is also a bit more refined. For example, instead of just barging ahead like "Sk8er Boi" did, "Freak Out" feels structured and balanced. In fact, every song here shows growth and a bit more polish, all without losing Lavigne’s wild child spirit. She’s just merely getting more comfortable with herself, and she’s benefitting in spades.

Yes, Lavigne’s musings are nothing new and have been done better before. However, if you’re looking for some pretty good and anthemic pop music with at least a level of competency and edge, Under My Skin is a great place to look. Lavigne may have had her doubters after Let Go did so well, but Under My Skin proves that she’s no one-album wonder and that she’s here to stay. Mark May 25, 2004 on your calendars: it’s the day a new career was born.

-DG