Natalie Imbruglia "Come To Life (EU, Malabar Records/Island Records, 0602527169224)"

Come to Life is the fourth studio album released by Australian singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia. It was initially released by Island Records on 2 October 2009, and later was the first album released on Imbruglia's self-funded label, Malabar Records.

Although recording for the album began in 2007, during promotion for the release of Glorious: The Singles 1997–2007, tracks "Scars" and "My God" were rumoured to have been recorded in 2006. The album took nearly three years to complete. In February 2009, The Sun newspaper rumoured that Imbruglia was collaborating with Chris Martin from Coldplay, and it was later confirmed by Martin himself and people involved in the recording process that he had worked with Imbruglia on a "string of tracks".

Chris Martin wrote the song "Fun" for Natalie. "When he sang it to me, I almost did one of those ugly cries. But I held it together. That's the crazy thing - he wrote it, not me. Who knows what Chris was thinking, you would have to ask him about that. But I thought it was a stunning, beautiful love song". The song "Lukas", produced by Brian Eno and Rik Simpson, was confirmed as an out-take from the recording sessions of Coldplay's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. Martin also worked with Imbruglia on "Want", with his voice echoing at the end of the song. "Coldplay write so much material it's quite ridiculous how many songs they have, some of which never get finished because Chris Martin is a bit of a mad genius," Imbruglia explained.

In April 2009, Imbruglia stated the following in an interview: "I get frustrated because I’d like to produce more work... It’s something that bugs me about myself, but I don’t really know any other way. And I’m not motivated by money, so I need to get things done right. I feel the same creative buzz I felt when I first started my career... It's just fun and artistic and creative and all the things it should be. There's still a lot of depth to the songs... It just sounds fresher to me. I've tried different things - there's more electronic stuff in there, and that's different for me, more dance beats. There's a freedom overall, and a sense of confidence. It's slightly less introspective..." The album "combines dark, driving beats and gorgeously wistful ballads".

The album was first released via on Island Records on 2 October 2009 in Australia. It was announced that the release of the album in the United Kingdom would be delayed so that Imbruglia could concentrate on her duties as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor franchise. The album was eventually made available in the United Kingdom on 14 February 2010 by Amazon. In 2020, the album became available for streaming in its entirety on Spotify and its tracks were made available on YouTube by Universal Music.

Tracklist:

1. My God 4:03
2. Lukas 3:50
3. Fun 4:22
4. Twenty 3:56
5. Scars 3:31
6. Want 4:19
7. What You're Up To 3:19
8. Cameo 3:12
9. All The Roses 3:28
10. Wild About It 4:07

Natalie Imbruglia "Counting Down The Days (EU, Brightside Recordings, 82876679672)"

Counting Down the Days is the third studio album by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia. It was released by Brightside Recordings on 4 April 2005 in the United Kingdom. Her debut with the label, Imbruglia reteamed with Gary Clark to work on her next project, but also consulted a wider range of producers to collaborate with her, including Eg White, Martin Harrington, Ben Hillier, Ash Howes, Daniel Johns, David Kosten, Stephen Lipson, Paul Mac, and Ian Stanley. The album's lead single, "Shiver" (2005), was a commercial hit, particularly in the UK, and officially became the UK’s most broadcast song of 2005 according to PPL.

Musically, unlike White Lilies Island which was predominantly darker and moodier, Counting Down the Days saw Imbruglia's return to radio-friendly pop songs. The album received generally favorable reviews, to which compliment was given for having a handful of genuinely great songs, even though critics were disappointed of its play-it-safe attitude that undid some of the good works and risk taker provided by its predecessor, White Lilies Island.

Upon release, Counting Down the Days debuted atop the UK Album Chart for one week, becoming her first and her only number one album in the UK to date. However, despite the new milestone for Imbruglia in the UK market, the album was less successful in her home country, Australia where it only charted within top twenty, the album also didn’t get an official release in North America until 2010, particularly due to her departure from RCA Records, and collaboration with a newly-founded record label that promoted the album only in selected regions, primarily focusing promotion on the UK market.

To support the album, Imbruglia went on a small European concert tour from October to November 2005 with 21 shows across Europe, including eight shows in the UK alone.

Counting Down the Days has sold over 204,000 copies in the UK and an estimated 600,000 copies worldwide.

Track listing

1. "Starting Today" 2:54
2. "Shiver" 3:42
3. "Satisfied" 3:28
4. "Counting Down the Days" 4:09
5. "I Won't Be Lost" 3:51
6. "Slow Down" 3:30
7. "Sanctuary"  3:07
8. "Perfectly"  3:22
9. "On the Run" 3:37
10. "Come On Home" 3:55
11. "When You're Sleeping" 3:04
12. "Honeycomb Child" 4:12

Natalie Imbruglia "White Lilies Island (UK, RCA/BMG, 74321 913422)"

White Lilies Island is the second studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia. It was released by RCA Records on 5 November 2001 in most international territories and on 5 March 2002 in the United States. For this album, Imbruglia collaborated with songwriter, Gary Clark, with whom she co-wrote majority of the album materials. Other collaborators include Phil Thornalley, who was a major contributor of her previous album, as well as Ian Stanley, Matt Wilder and Patrick Leonard. Attempting to take more control of her creative direction, Imbruglia admitted that she suffered from writer's block, perfectionism and isolation during the recording process. She co-wrote 64 songs potentially intended for the album. The album is named after the location of Imbruglia's home in Windsor.

Musically, White Lilies Island is a rock album, with element of pop, and acoustic sounds. The album was notable for being the first to include copy protection software on compact disc pressing, but later removed due to surrounding technical faults that resulted to consumer outcry. Upon release, White Lilies Island received polarized reviews, while some critics praised the album for its dark and distinctive tone compared to her predecessor. Commercially, the album charted within top five in Australia, top twenty in the United Kingdom, and top forty in the United States. White Lilies Island has sold one million copies worldwide.

In May 1998, during a backstage interview at MTV Movie Award where she performed, Imbruglia told journalists she was writing new songs during her time off. In June 1998, Imbruglia also informed Washington Post that she began to sketch songs for her sophomore album, and would collaborate again with Phil Thornalley, producer of "Torn" and former Eurythmics Dave Stewart. However, she also indicated that she would let things happen naturally and wouldn't rush the process.

In October 1999, after receiving an Outstanding Achievement Award on stage at 13th ARIA Music Awards, Imbruglia was asked by the presenter Molly Meldrum about the progress of her second album production, to whom she replied: “...it's coming along fine”.

In early 2000, when Imbruglia was being interviewed by Chris Evans on TFI Friday, she said that she had been hunting for her second album, and that she was writing intensively. However, she also stated that she needed to have a balanced life.

Imbruglia chose to name her album White Lilies Island as she wanted to associate the album with the location where most of the songwriting took place. For Imbruglia, the island could be meant as bliss and paradise but also a total isolation which contributed to her complex feelings during the process of making the album. Imbruglia emphasized that it was essential for her to be a major contributor for every song on the album, highlighting the pressure she had felt after the unexpected worldwide success of her debut single, "Torn" which had been a cover. She also stated that she'd have liked to write songs in her bedroom during afternoon and that being single at the time helped her finish the album the way she wanted. For all the songs on the album, Imbruglia highlighted "Butterflies" as the first song she wrote which helped her determine the overall sound and mood for the album, as well as "That Day" which she favored due to its distinctive style, she also praised RCA Records for being brave to release "That Day" as the first single internationally even though it's not a pop radio-friendly song and a commercial risk.

White Lilies Island is notable for being the first album to implement copy protection on compact disc. To prevent consumers from illicitly copying the album, a 24.5 megabyte data file is included on the disc that interferes with the methods by which personal computers read the twelve audio tracks. Instead of reading outwards from the centre, PC CD-ROM drives usually start reading inwards from the outermost end of the data track. The copy protection scheme takes advantage of this difference by offering them a separate data session and appearing as a CD-ROM instead of an Audio CD. The data section contains a second, highly compressed representation of the same music content, which allows playback on PCs, but with a greatly reduced audio quality compared to the actual CDDA data (at a data rate of 80 kbit/s rather than the standard 1.4 Mbit/s). Additionally, the copy protection software prevents some Macintosh computers and all Philips CD recorders from reading the disc and causes other Macs to avoid playing track one; this latter fault is also present when trying to play the disc on a PlayStation 2 video game console. No message exists on the disc's packaging that it is copy protected. The various technical faults caused by the CD's copy protection software resulted in significant public backlash. Among others, a spokesman from Philips stated that "any changes that put a disc outside the CD standard result in a disc that should no longer be described or marketed as a CD" in reference to White Lilies Island, while Julian Midgeley, a spokesman for the Campaign for Digital Rights, stated that "all they are doing is annoying a lot of people who cannot do with it what they want to do, which is just listen to it." The outcry ultimately forced Bertelsmann Music Group to reissue the album on CD with the software removed and offer free replacement discs to affected buyers. A hotline was set up where buyers could order replacement discs starting 19 November 2001.

In Australia the album debuted at number 3 and was certified Gold, despite enjoying only a small resurgence in sales with subsequent singles. The album debuted at number 15 on the UK Albums Chart with 21,000 in sales before dropping out of the top 75 in its fourth week. It re-entered the top 30 with the release of the second single "Wrong Impression" and sold eventually nearly 200,000 copies in the UK overall. In the US the album debuted at number 35 with 35,000 in sales and dropped out of the Top 200 after seven weeks, eventually selling 215,000 overall. Worldwide, White Lilies Island has sold around a million copies.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Natalie Imbruglia and Gary Clark, except where noted.

1. "That Day" Imbruglia, Patrick Leonard 4:44
2. "Beauty on the Fire" Imbruglia, Clark, Mat Wilder 4:21
3. "Satellite" Imbruglia, Phil Thornalley 3:08
4. "Do You Love?" 4:43
5. "Wrong Impression" 4:17
6. "Goodbye" Imbruglia, Wilder 5:01
7. "Everything Goes" 4:01
8. "Hurricane" 3:38
9. "Sunlight" 5:01
10. "Talk in Tongues" Imbruglia, Thornalley 3:29
11. "Butterflies" 4:56
12. "Come September" 4:10

Natalie Imbruglia "Torn (Single & Video)"

In 1997, Australian singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia, working with Thornalley, covered the song for her debut studio album, Left of the Middle (1997). Imbruglia's version was recorded in Kilburn, London, with David Munday (lead guitar), Thornalley (bass, rhythm guitars), Chuck Sabo (drums), Henry Binns, Sam Hardaker (Zero 7) (drum programming) and Katrina Leskanich (background vocals). It was mixed by Nigel Godrich. Released as a single, Imbruglia's version became a worldwide hit.

For the song, Imbruglia received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, losing to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On". The accompanying music video for "Torn" features British actor Jeremy Sheffield.

Imbruglia also recorded an acoustic version of the song in 2001 for MTV Unplugged. The sheet music for "Torn" is published in the key of F major.

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "shuffling, acoustic-lined rocker", noting that it "has the rich texture and guitar flavor needed to win the props of rock radio." He added, "However, the song also has an infectious melody that will warm the heart of anyone with a hankering for a slice of pure pop. Imbruglia has a charming, heartfelt delivery mildly reminiscent of Jewel." Scottish newspaper Daily Record commented, "Gorgeous tune from a gorgeous lady". A reviewer from Music & Media stated that "this very convincing debut single" has taken the U.K. charts by storm, "and looks likely to do so elsewhere." Music Week rated it five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. They wrote, "The former Neighbours star possesses a sweet voice and this song — produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead) — has a gentle beauty. Should be huge." The magazine's Alan Jones viewed it as an "excellent single", adding, "A star is reborn."

In 2013, "Torn" was declared the "Best Pop Song" on a top 10 list, part of a larger collection of songs by Q magazine in their special edition 1001 Best Songs Ever issue. In 2013, Billboard ranked "Torn" the number 26 Biggest Pop Song based only on pop radio charts compiled between 1992 and 2012. In 2005, "Torn" was listed at number 383 on Blender magazine's list of "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".

The music video to Natalie Imbruglia's cover version, filmed on 25 October 1997 under the direction of Alison Maclean, features a shot of an apartment where the angle of vision never changes. Shots of Imbruglia singing along with the song are interspersed with footage of her and British actor Jeremy Sheffield engaging in a romantically inclined conversation. These few scenes turn out to be B-roll footage, as the two actors are seen fumbling their lines and positions; and the director constantly steps into frame to redirect the two. During the last chorus, the apartment walls start wobbling and the crew comes to dismantle it, revealing the location to be a set inside a soundstage. Imbruglia begins to dance during the finishing guitar solo as her "world" crumbles around her.

The song was pantomimed by David Armand for a 2005 HBO broadcast which spread on the internet. This popularity of the "Karaoke for the Deaf" performance by Armand as Johan Lippowitz resulted in the 2006 live performance (Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball) with Imbruglia where she sings "Torn" and then joins into the "interpretive dance" pantomime featuring both Armand and Imbruglia acting out the words of the song.

Track listings

Australian CD single and UK CD1

1. "Torn" Scott Cutler/Anne Preven/Phil Thornalley  4:06
2. "Sometimes" (incorrectly lists length on sleeve as 5:51) Natalie Imbruglia/Rick Palombi/Nick Trevisik   3:52
3. "Frightened Child"   Imbruglia/Dave Munday/Thornalley   1:56

UK CD2 (withdrawn a day after release)

1. "Torn"  Cutler/Preven/Thornalley   4:06
2. "Contradictions" Imbruglia/Palombi/Trevisik  4:07
3. "Diving in the Deep End" (ending cut short) Imbruglia/Thornalley   3:30

UK cassette single

1. "Torn" Cutler/Preven/Thornalley 4:06
2. "Sometimes" (length incorrectly listed on sleeve as 5:51) Imbruglia/Palombi/Trevisik   3:52

European CD single

1. "Torn" Cutler/Preven/Thornalley   4:06
2. "Diving in the Deep End" Imbruglia/Thornalley  3:54

Natalie Imbruglia "Left Of The Middle (Spain, RCA/BMG, 74321 571382)"

Left of the Middle is the debut studio album by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia. It was released by RCA Records on 24 November 1997 in the United Kingdom, followed by most international territories in early 1998. Primarily writing and recording the album in the UK, Imbruglia worked with a number of English producers, including Phil Thornalley, Andy Wright and Nigel Godrich, and at the final stage of the album production, she traveled to Nashville, the US and co-wrote a song with American songwriter Matt Bronleewe. Left of the Middle is an alternative pop album which incorporates element of electronic sound. The lead single "Torn" (1997) was a worldwide commercial success and has since been named as one of the Best Songs of 1990s by several publications, including Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork.

Commercially, Left of the Middle topped the album music chart in Australia as well as charted within top five in the United Kingdom and top ten in the United States, and has been sold over seven million copies worldwide. The album won Best Australian Debut Album and Best Pop Release at the 12th ARIA Music Award in 1998 and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999. In late 2022, Imbruglia toured the UK to celebrate 25 year anniversary of the album.

At the time Imbruglia signed a record deal with BMG/RCA, it was the moment when RCA Records was looking for a female alternative act, a singer like Sheryl Crow at A&M or Alanis Morissette at Warner Bros., and it was Phil Thornalley’s demos which he recorded with Imbruglia that impressed Anne Barret, Imbruglia future manager who took and played the demos to Jeremy Marsh, BMG Executive and finally signed Imbruglia to RCA Records. Imbruglia co-wrote all the songs in the album, except for Torn and Don’t You Think. She admitted that she was really insecure when she was making Left of the Middle, and described that prior to recording sessions, she would over-prepare by seeking inspiration from pre-written poetry excessively.

Pigeons and Crumbs, written by Mark Goldenberg and Imbruglia, explores the struggles of a person in his/her early twenties living in the big city or big community. City, written by Imbruglia and Thornalley, refers to false friends who disappeared when hardship came along. In addition to writing and recording in the UK, Imbruglia traveled to Nashville and collaborated with Matt Bronleewe and wrote Smoke, which tells story about a kid whose needs are not being met by parents.

Five songs on the album were mixed by Radiohead's frequent collaborator, Nigel Godrich, and seven songs on the album were produced by Phil Thornalley.

In the United Kingdom, Left of the Middle debuted and peaked at number five on 06 December 1997, spending 15 weeks in the Top 10 and total of 101 non-consecutive weeks in the Top 100 until 27 January 2001. The album eventually sold 1.2 million copies in the UK, and has been certified triple platinum by BPI.

In Australia, the album debuted at number three on 15 March 1998, before falling to number 18 the next week. The album slowly climbed the chart in the following weeks and reached number one spot in August 1998, spending 61 total weeks in the Top 50 until 1999. The album was ranked five on the ARIA Top 100 Albums of 1998, and 68 on the ARIA Top 100 Albums of 1999. Left of the Middle has been certified five times platinum by ARIA and sold over 350,000 copies. 

In the United States, the album was released a week after Imbruglia’s performance on SNL, and debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 Album Chart by 28 March 1998, the album spent 52 consecutive weeks on the chart and sold over two million copies, and certified double platinum by RIAA.

Left of the Middle has sold over seven million copies worldwide.

Track listing

1. "Torn" Scott Cutler/Anne Preven/Phil Thornalley   4:04
2. "One More Addiction"  Natalie Imbruglia/Dave Munday/Thornalley 3:30
3. "Big Mistake" Imbruglia/Mark Goldenberg   4:35
4. "Leave Me Alone"  Imbruglia/Andy Wright  4:21
5. "Wishing I Was There"  Imbruglia/Colin Campsie/Thornalley   3:52
6. "Smoke"    Imbruglia/Matt Bronleewe  4:37
7. "Pigeons and Crumbs"   Imbruglia/Goldenberg   5:21
8. "Don't You Think?"   Campsie/Thornalley   3:55
9. "Impressed" Imbruglia/Rick Palombi/Nick Trevisik  4:47
10. "Intuition" Imbruglia/Munday/Thornalley   3:22
11. "City" Imbruglia/Thornalley   4:34
12. "Left of the Middle"  Imbruglia/Steve Booker 3:46

Total length: 50:03