Avril Lavigne pursues acoustic direction

Pop-punk star Avril Lavigne has decided to pursue a new musical direction on her next record. Speaking to Rolling Stone, the Fender Telecaster player said many of her new songs feature a stark and acoustic guitar-dominated sound.

"My last record was about loud guitars and energy, but this time I wanted to really feel my music," she commented.

Lavigne said that while it is easy for her to write a "boy-bashing pop song", writing a piece that is more meaningful and introspective is a "totally different thing".

She added that the main theme of her upcoming album is life.

Lavigne rose to prominence with hits such as I'm With You, Sk8er Boi and Complicated and has also enjoyed more recent successes including 2007's Girlfriend. She is working with her husband, Sum 41 electric guitar player Deryck Whibley, on her new record, which will be released before the end of the year.