When you're listening to Under My Skin, remember that Avril Lavigne is no punk rock artist rebelling against the mass production of our society. In fact, she is a mass-produced product herself, designed to come across as cheeky and grungy. From this point of view, Under My Skin is nothing more than a well-produced and cleverly-marketed pop rock album. It is neither original nor provocative. Occasionally it's even dull and boring because some of its tunes and music arrangements are just too familiar. The strength of this album lies in its lyrics, which often exude an air of defiance that should especially appeal to adolescent girls. In Don't Tell Me, a song about a girl fending off her boyfriend who is too eager to consummate the relationship, Lavigne sings: 'Don't think that your charm/ And the fact that your arm is now around my neck/ Will get you in my pants/ I'll have to kick your a** and make you never forget.' Quite bold and impressive for a 19-year-old girl, isn't it? It's also worth remembering that she wrote or co-wrote all the songs on this album. Let's hope Lavigne is not a finished article but has something more substantial, unique and genuinely angsty to offer in the future.
