Avril Lavigne - Love Sux (LP)

Avril Lavigne’s seventh album, Love Sux, landed on 25 February 2022 through DTA Records and Elektra, and it plays like a victory lap for the sound that first put her on bedroom walls and school lockers. It’s a short, sharp jolt of pop‑punk, recorded with producer John Feldmann, with Travis Barker in the mix and the fingerprints of collaborators like MOD SUN all over the guitars and drum fills. The hooks arrive fast, the choruses blow out car speakers, and the mood stays defiant even when the lyrics swerve into heartbreak.

From the opening seconds of Cannonball, you can hear how tight this band sounds. The guitars snarl with that Feldmann sheen but never feel plastic, and Barker’s drum sensibility keeps the songs racing without losing swing. Bite Me, the late‑2021 lead single, is the clearest mission statement. It’s all bite‑sized rage and kiss‑off melody, the kind of track that makes you want to drive with the windows down even if you’re stuck on a tram down Swanston Street. Love It When You Hate Me taps blackbear for a call‑and‑response that leans closer to radio pop without letting go of the chugging rhythm guitar; it’s a neat reminder that Avril always had one foot in mainstream pop and one planted in the pit.

The guest list is smartly chosen. Bois Lie pairs her with Machine Gun Kelly for a back‑and‑forth that feels like an after‑school argument set to a power chord sprint. All I Wanted brings in Mark Hoppus, which is more than a novelty credit. You can hear the easy chemistry in the harmonies, and the song clicks into a classic blink‑ish gallop without feeling derivative. Across the record the writing credits circle the same crew, and that consistency shows. These songs are built lean, often two and a half minutes, with bridges that actually punch rather than meander.

What makes Love Sux more than just a nostalgic reboot is how it balances sugar rush with small gut‑punch moments. Avalanche is the standout there, a mid‑tempo anthem about spiralling that still lands its big singalong. Déjà Vu plays it coy for a verse or two before the chorus opens up like the lights going on at a festival. Even the title track, with its half‑sneer jokes, gets at the mess of post‑breakup bravado. Dare to Love Me slows things for a minute, reminding you she can still pull off a ballad when the mood calls for it, then closer Break of a Heartache slams the door in emphatic fashion.

The record arrived in a pop‑punk resurgence, but Lavigne never sounds like she’s chasing it. If anything, Love Sux nudged that wave along by showing how to fuse sharp pop craft with crash‑helmet guitars in 2022. Reviews reflected that mood at the time, with outlets like NME and Rolling Stone tipping their hats to the album’s energy and songcraft, and fans treating it like a return to form rather than a mere throwback. A deluxe edition followed in November 2022, adding I’m a Mess with YUNGBLUD, which slotted neatly into the setlist on tour.

On vinyl, this album really clicks. The guitars sit wider, the snare cracks a little harder, and those stacked gang vocals feel like they’re bouncing off the walls of a small club. If you’re crate‑digging in a Melbourne record store, it’s an easy one to recommend to anyone who loved Let Go but also spins Paramore and early blink. Love Sux vinyl tends to disappear from shelves quicker than you’d expect, and there’s a good reason for that. The songs just work, front to back, with only the slightest dip in the middle when the sugar rush leaves you hunting for water.

For collectors, Avril Lavigne vinyl has a funny way of spiking in demand whenever she drops a new single, and this album has only strengthened that pull. If you’re trying to buy Avril Lavigne records online, keep an eye on local shops that stock vinyl records Australia wide, since restocks pop up without much warning. It also plays nicely beside other Avril Lavigne albums on vinyl, giving you a neat arc from the scrappy spark of Let Go to the sharpened, grown‑but‑still‑feral spirit here.

Love Sux is concise, catchy and cut through with just enough bruised honesty. It sounds like a veteran artist who remembers exactly why these songs work, smiling a little as she turns the amps up again.