Put the bad reviews in context here: for fans of Avril Lavigne's prime era that has been forsaken for so long now, her 2022 release Love Sux is an absolute delight. While not every song is a winner, about two-thirds of the album is spot-on Avril, with driving guitars and hooky, righteous anthems about love and heartbreak. Here are the songs to check out, and the ones to avoid.
The lead single, and best song on the record, is a straightforward blast of pristine pop-punk that is aided by dynamic shifts between verses and choruses.
Another of the strongest tracks on Love Sux slows things down just a hair, taking a break from Lavigne's vitriol to be more nakedly honest and openly emotional.
Lavigne starts the album with a decent track, which has a catchy chorus and introduces Love Sux's approach of glossy production to the classic pop-punk songwriting formula.
Slowing things down for a bit once again, but just like 'Avalanche,' this ballad is not without sonic heights.
Straight from the Blink-182 songbook, this track could easily have been slated on The Best Damn Thing as well.
Stabs of a pop beat bleed into most songs, but it's always contrasted with a smashing digital heaviness to the guitars. 'Déjà Vu,' without that opening heaviness, would be much like other pop anthems.
The poppy bombast of the title track screams the 2000s as well, with a chorus that literally starts with 'na-na-na.'
With the same kind of punch as 'Bite Me,' this track is lyrically and sonically gripping.
If you already know the tracklist for Love Sux, you might have realized that none of the guest-featured tracks were recommended. Most fans and critics thought these were substandard, following the bland pop-punk revival pathway of the last few years set out by Machine Gun Kelly, Blackbear, and Blink-182's Mark Hoppus. While these songs bring the average down a bit, the other tracks make up for it, resulting in a solid album overall.
Rating: 7/10
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
You can stream the album on YouTube, Spotify, and all other major streaming services.