Left Of The Middle

About

Before her out-of-nowhere smash of a debut album at age 22, Natalie Imbruglia was best-known for appearing on two seasons of the Aussie soap opera <i>Neighbours</i>. Powering the album’s surprise success was opener—and obvious lead single—“Torn,” a fraught-love anthem about feeling pulled apart by emotion. Written by members of the American rock band Ednaswap, the song had already been recorded three times before Imbruglia took it to the top of charts in the US, Canada, and several other countrie. It’s easy to see why Imbruglia’s version took off, between its breezy guitar strum, baggy drum, and clean, open choru. “Torn” became the undisputed herald for <i>Left of the Middle</i>, a contrasting set of songs designed to show off this musical newcomer’s natural versatility. A deep bench of co-writers ensures that continuing sense of variety: “Big Mistake” and “Wishing I Was There” intentionally echo the raw-throated angst of Alanis Morissette’s <i>Jagged Little Pill</i>, while “Leave Me Alone” incorporates Portishead-style flourishes like spine-tingling reverb and a jazzy, stuttered beat. Imbruglia fares quite well across all these scene change, highlighting her vocal abilities best on ballads like the piano-led “Smoke” and the acoustic title track. .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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