Head Above Water

by Avril Lavigne

Overview

Roughly a year after Avril Lavigne released her eponymous fifth album in 2013, she was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Her illness informs Head Above Water, which arrives six long years after Avril Lavigne -- the longest time separating Lavigne albums by far. Considering that half-decade gap and all the personal turmoil the singer endured, it scans that Head Above Water unveils a different Avril Lavigne, one who proudly bears her scars and is eager to share her journey. Head Above Water has its moments of darkness, but they're not sad, they're stirring. The album is designed to offer solace while also being a rallying call. Inspirational music, in other words, so it's not entirely surprising that its title track was serviced to Christian radio in advance of its release -- a gambit that proved successful, since "Head Above Water" went to number five on the Christian radio chart. Despite this, Head Above Water can't be called Christian music by any measure -- no album with "Dumb Blonde," a cherry bomb stomp of defiance featuring a Nicki Minaj verse could -- but its quieter, contemplative moments, of which there are many, do veer toward the aspirational pop of Rachel Platten, a sign Lavigne is no longer the mall punk of lore. Although the album is weighed heavily by ballads suited for adult contemporary radio, Lavigne fortunately peppers it with moments of levity: "Tell Me It's Over" sways with echoes of a '50s slow dance, "Crush" is so light it floats into the stratosphere, and "Bigger Wow" swells with strings reminiscent of vintage Vanessa Carlton. Such moments provide a needed contrast to the motivational ones while also connecting to Lavigne's bubblegum roots, a move that makes the overall maturation of the album feel earned. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	02/15/2019
Label:	BMG Rights Management
UPC:	4050538441789

Tracks

1. Head Above Water
2. Birdie
3. I Fell in Love With the Devil
4. Tell Me It's Over
5. Dumb Blonde
6. It Was in Me
7. Souvenir
8. Crush
9. Goddess
10. Bigger Wow
11. Love Me Insane
12. Warrior

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Avril Lavigne   Primary Artist
Kevin Fox   Cello
Peter Noos Johansson   Trombone
Mattias Bylund   Strings,Synthesizer,Horn Engineer,Synthesizer Pads
Aaron Sterling   Drums
Zane Carney   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Tomas Jonsson   Sax (Tenor)
Jonathan Martin Berry   Guitar
David Bukovinszky   Cello
Jonathan Rotem   Keyboards
Jay Bicknell   Keyboards
Jeremy Lertola   Guitar (Acoustic)
Kylen Deporter   Vocals (Background)
Wojtek Goral   Sax (Baritone)
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith   Cello
Stephan Moccio   Piano,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Mattias Johansson   Violin
Maiya Sykes   Vocals (Background)
Johan Carlsson   Bass,Piano,Shaker,Marimba,Mellotron,Wurlitzer,Tambourine,Synthesizer,Handclapping,Synthesizer Pads,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Mika Lett   Vocals (Background)
Janne Bjerger   Trumpet
Michel Zitron   Taiko Drums
Paul Bushnell   Bass
Corky James   Guitar
Larry Gold   Conductor,String Conductor

Technical Credits

Avril Lavigne   Composer,Producer
Bonnie McKee   Composer,Additional Production
Ross Golan   Composer
Mattias Bylund   String Writing,String Engineer,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Aaron Sterling   Engineer
Zane Carney   Composer
Samuel Kalandjian   Engineer
Jon Levine   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Jonathan Rotem   Composer,Producer,Programming
Serge Courtois   Mixing Engineer
Jay Bicknell   Engineer,Drum Programming,Additional Production
Jeremy Lertola   Engineer,Programming
Kylen Deporter   Assistant Engineer
Chantry Johnson   Vocal Engineer
Scott Robinson   Vocal Engineer,Vocal Producer
Caleb Hulin   Vocal Engineer
David Heedleman   Photography
Sam Holland   Engineer
Noah Passovoy   Vocal Producer
Justin Gray   Composer
Stephan Moccio   Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer
Johan Carlsson   Composer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer
Cory Bice   Assistant Engineer
Melissa Bel   Composer
Randall Leddy   Design,Art Direction
Serban Ghenea   Mixing Engineer
Tony Maserati   Mixing Engineer
Chris Baseford   Engineer,Producer,Vocal Engineer,Vocal Producer,Mixing Engineer,Drum Programming
Chris Gehringer   Mastering Engineer
Will Quinnell   Mastering Assistant
Lauren Christy   Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer
Larry Gold   String Arrangements
Chad Kroeger   Composer,Vocal Producer
John Hanes   Engineer
Travis Clark   Composer
Mitch Allan   Composer,Producer,Vocal Producer
Ryan Cabrera   Composer