Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne tossed out her neckties years ago. Once hailed as the “anti-Britney” with the release of her chart-topping 2002 album, Let Go, the former teen rebel has since stripped down for Maxim, launched numerous product lines, married and divorced. And now it seems the angsty power pop image that many associate with the 26-year-old Canadian has given way to a more mature artist.

Avril’s latest album, Goodbye Lullaby, leaves out the Tony Basil-like chanting found in girl power anthems Girlfriend and The Best Damn Thing, and we barely hear any distorted guitar, a mainstay in her multi-platinum...