Having grown up listening to the likes of New Found Glory, Blink 182 and No Doubt, I must say I am pretty familiar with the pop-punk genre.

 I was interested to see what effect pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne could have on me now, so put the disc into my computer and cranked up the volume.

The first thing I thought when listening to the record was the real mix of songs that featured on it. Perhaps the most well-known song from the album, What the Hell is reminiscent of Girlfriend from Lavigne’s last album The Best Damn Thing. The track is playful and not to be taken too seriously, much like the title suggests.

Then came impressive ballads including Wish You Were Here, with its catchy chorus and slow basey verses. It’s one of those songs that can apply to anyone, and you feel the emotions the song stirs up.

Another of my favourites from the album is Push, a melodic and catchy track. It’s radio-friendly and encompasses classic Avril Lavigne with her orders of “shut up” but with deeper meaning: “When push comes to shove it’s gonna take the both of us.”

Listening to this album made me feel 14 again, but I liked it. What began as a fun and light-hearted record gave way to a more serious and grown up sound, and I enjoyed listening to it.

One thing I really wanted to touch on was the annoying expletives that crept in every now and again. Now don’t get me wrong, some of my favourite bands certainly don’t shy away from swearing, but on this record it seemed like Lavigne was trying too hard to sound grown up, and it made me cringe somewhat.

The overall sound is more grown up than Lavigne’s previous album, and being a fan of 2002’s Let Go¸ it was pleasing to hear songs reminiscent of Losing Grip. The vocals too have gone back to her original unique voice found on earlier records, and Goodbye Lullaby seems to have moved on with Lavigne into the next phase of her life. The album still stays true to Lavigne’s own take on pop-punk, and will be a gem for any fans of the genre.