REVIEW: Natalie Imgruglia, Left Of The Middle (RCA)
- Franklin Johnson
One of the major industry buzzes has circled Natalie Imbruglia. The 23 year old Australian (born in Sydney) first achived fame in her native land as a member of the soap opera Neighbors. But forget (Stock-Aitkman-Waterman era) Kylie or Jason - this soap star doesn't have an ounce of disposable bubble-gum pop in her body.
The first track (and single), "Torn", is straight out of the Lisa Loeb AAA book. Written and produced by former Cure member Phil Thornalley and produced by Nigel Godrich (of Radiohead fame), "Torn" was the second best seller in Europe (behind the Princess Diana tribute, "Candle In The Wind") in 1997.
"It ("Torn") was one of the first demos I did," Imbruglia remembers. "I got signed in August of 1996...6 months prior, I met Phil Thornalley, and I just loved it. It's one of those songs that - I don't know - there is something timeless about it".
Some comparisons to Alanis surface ("One More Addiction", while "Wishing I Was There" recalls Morrissette's "All I Really Want"), when Imbruglia's vocals imitate the Canadian's, and the guitar and drum programming come to the forefront. But just as Alanis is not Liz Phair, so is Imbruglia not Morrissette.
Smoky vocals engulf the listener in a Portishead/Garbage trance on "Leave Me Alone", while the up-front rocker "Impressed" was written during Natalie's frequent trips to the local nightclubs.
"It's about a sleazy guy with this six foot model who's with him for all the wrong reasons. The girl with 'ice cream beauty - you know, that very artificial kind of sexiness."
And continuing the modern feel which resounds through the entire Left of the Middle disc, "Big Mistake" was written with Mark Goldenberg - who wrote "Novocaine For The Soul" for the Eels. Imbruglia wrote or co-wrote nine of the album's twelve tracks, again showcasing her talents as much more than a pinup voicing someone else's songs.
Likely to be one of the top albums of 1997, Imbruglia's debut blows away all the stereotypes associated with actors making the transition into the singing world.
