Goodbye Lullaby is the upcoming fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. It is scheduled to be released on 8 March 2011 through RCA Records.
Writing and recording
Only a month after completing The Best Damn Tour, Lavigne began recording in her home studio in November 2008 with "Black Star".Vorlage:R To help promote her first fragrance, Black Star, Lavigne needed a short theme that would be used for the TV spots. "Black Star" was composed in a Malaysian hotel during her tour. The jingle was eventually expanded into a full song, which Rolling Stone later described as "an ethereal lullaby that turns epic with tinkling Coldplay-like pianos and soaring strings."Vorlage:R Vorlage:Rquote Recording began with minimal instruments, usually starting with Lavigne singing only to acoustic guitar, with additional instruments added later. Lavigne described the process: "It’s stripped down. I love performing that way, so I really felt like it was time to make a record like that. To just make it all about the vocal and the performance, and the vibe, and the emotion." Because she has a studio in her home, Lavigne was able to compose and record at her leisure. She also used the piano to compose the majority of the songs. "The piano is more of an emotional instrument. It stirs up different emotions for me and moves me in a different way than the guitar can."Vorlage:R By July 2009, nine tracks had been recorded,Vorlage:R including the songs "Fine", "Everybody Hurts" and "Darlin". Several of the tracks were written in Lavigne's youth. "Darlin" was the second song Lavigne wrote as a 15-year-old while living in Napanee, Ontario.Vorlage:R
Composition
Lavigne described the album as being about "life". She stated, "It's so easy for me to do a boy-bashing pop song, but to sit down and write honestly about something that's really close to me, something I've been through, it's a totally different thing."Vorlage:R The album is expected to be a return to Lavigne's older musical style and may be largely acoustic.Vorlage:R With the exception of the album's lead single, Lavigne describes the songs on the album as different from her earlier material, "I'm older now, so I think that comes across in my music, it's not as pop-rock and it's a little more mellow and it's deep".Vorlage:R She said, "[For] this record, I just really, really wanted to sing.... I just wanna have silence around me, and have these acoustic songs and really deliver."Vorlage:R In November 2010, British producer Alex Da Kid, who worked with Lavigne as of August 2010, stated that some songs on the album will have a hip-hop sound. "We've got some things that are hip-hop leaning, and we've got some things that are more pop/rock leaning".Vorlage:R Lavigne described the first single off the album, "What the Hell", as "a broad message about personal freedom", calling it her "most pop track on the record".Vorlage:R
Release and promotion
The album's and lead single's release dates have been pushed back several times. The album was originally scheduled for release on 17 November 2009.Vorlage:R Later, in January 2010, Lavigne stated that the album cover had been photographed and the first single would be released in April, followed by the album in June.Vorlage:R In May, Lavigne said that she considered the album too serious and "mellow" and would return to the studio to balance the album out. "With an album, I don't want to rush it out.... I have a very serious record, so I think I need to put a couple upbeat, fun songs on it."Vorlage:R Vorlage:Rquote In August 2010, Lavigne returned to Henson Recording StudiosVorlage:R with producer Alex Da Kid. During these sessions, Lavigne had strep throat, and the people involved were required to wear surgical masks.Vorlage:R Despite her doctor's warning, Lavigne recorded vocals. "I wasn't able to sing for the last forty-eight hours because I could do permanent damage to the vocal cords. My doctor told me not to, but I sang today."Vorlage:R She revealed that she had been "trying new stuff" and that she was "exploring." Lavigne also added that she had enough material for two records.Vorlage:R In October 2010, Lavigne was featured in Maxim for the November issue. During the interview she revealed that she had finished Goodbye Lullaby after two and a half years.Vorlage:R However, in November 2010, Lavigne announced that her album had been completed for a year, citing her record company as the reason for the album's delays.
Lavigne will premiere the lead single, "What the Hell", on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on 31 December.Vorlage:R The video for the single will be shot in November and will be released in January 2011.Vorlage:R Goodbye Lullaby is scheduled to be released on 8 March.Vorlage:R
Confirmed tracks
The tracks below have been confirmed,Vorlage:R however the order in which the tracks will appear have not. Writing credits are listed were applicable.
- "What the Hell" (Avril Lavigne, Max Martin, Karl Schuster)
- "Stop Standing There"
- "Smile" (Avril Lavigne, Max Martin, Karl Schuster)
- "Push"
- "Goodbye" (Avril Lavigne)
- "Wish You Were Here" (Avril Lavigne, Max Martin, Karl Schuster)
- "Everybody Hurts"
- "4 Real" (Avril Lavigne)
- "Remember When"
- "DarlinVorlage:'-" (Avril Lavigne)
- "Black Star" (Avril Lavigne)