Avril Lavigne’s Goodbye Lullaby shows off the pop princess’ talent

It seems like Avril Lavigne faces the same challenge every time she releases an album. Having never been seen as a champion of artistic growth, she is often relegated to the "out-of-touch" pile. This, after all, is the woman who got married, then released a song about wanting "to be your girlfriend."

Lavigne has a secret weapon, however, that she rarely gets credit for: her voice. Its power is hidden by her singing tone — a little petulant, a little nasally and completely unchanged since her teenage debut — but her range is undeniable. Listening to Lavigne roar her way through her new single, "What the Hell," it is obvious she is not straining for a single note.

In regards to artistic growth, Lavigne has caught up a little. In comparison to pop-rock diva Pink, "What the Hell" is Lavigne's "So What," and her new album Goodbye Lullaby is very similar in tone to Pink's Funhouse. Just like Pink, Lavigne wrote and recorded her new album while in the midst of a separation from her husband, Sum 41's Deryck Whibley.

You would assume the heartbreak is coming as soon as Goodbye Lullaby begins and you hear the twinkly music-box notes of the intro, "Black Star." Lavigne's voice is laced with sadness and a little ache.

Then blasts "What the Hell," and you think exactly that — "What the hell?" The sequencing of Goodbye Lullaby is totally off. "What the Hell" is a classic Max Martin jam that finds Lavigne at her most sexual.

"All my life I've been good," Lavigne insists, "but now…all I want is to mess around." It is one of her standard kickoff singles — bombastic, bratty, brash and managing to be catchy and forgettable at once. It's a smart move to re-establish herself though.

After "What the Hell," the album mood switches again, and we get the best three tracks of the album, "Push," "Wish You Were Here" and "Smile," which should have been the first single. All three paint a vivid picture of a strained relationship and result in a good union of pop production and honest songwriting, along with some of the best vocals in Lavigne's career.

Lavigne has said that her label insisted on her recording "What the Hell" as her first single, which makes no sense if they were already sitting on a gem like "Smile." Over choppy layers of guitars and drumbeats, Lavigne exudes a fresh-start enthusiasm as it is the catchiest song.

The streak ends with "Stop Standing There," a monotone snoozer that tries to evoke a shuffling ‘50s beat, but just winds up sounding undercooked. The album immediately rebounds with "I Love You," a slick, pretty piece of pop that manages to be both positive and melancholy. The lyrics, "You're so beautiful, but that's not why I love you / the reason is…you / being you / just you," make it a lovely and longing song.

From there on, the album gets a little muddied. "Everybody Hurts," "4 Real" and "Darlin'" are standard deep-album cuts that are unable to maintain interest, although the latter would sound terrific live. "Not Enough" fares much better, with the vocal track weaving in between the production masterfully.

Any artist that writes a song called "Goodbye" is going to stick it at the end of their album. Lavigne's is a simple, lush track; it's her own "I'm With You" all grown up. "I have to go and leave you alone," she sings in an unusually pure tone, "but always know / I love you so."

Then the strings really kick in, the background voices mesh up with the lead vocals, and suddenly you're listening to the heartache of a divorce right in your ear buds. This cathartic moment of harmony is what the entire album's been building up to, and it's a great way to end a surprisingly strong set of tracks from Lavigne.

Goodbye Lullaby will be released on March 8.