Sometime later when I joined the BMG music club I had to pick some cds selections. I picked the cd's that I really wanted (though I can't think of them now) and I was getting to the final selection and I didn't know what to get. I remember thinking that I loved "Torn" and she sure was beautiful in that video so I'll check it out. I'm glad I did.
Songs like "Left of the Middle," "One More Addiction," and "Wishing I Was There" struck me instantly. I liked the feeling in Natalie's songs so in no time her cd was in heavy rotation. Once I read the credits and found that she wrote her own songs I became a big fan because I really respected her musically. By that time I tried to track down every Natalie Imbruglia song I could cause I found that I liked everything I'd heard from her up to that point (IE: every song on the album). I bought the limited edition 2cd version of "Left of the Middle" that has 5 bonus tracks and every cd single that had a bonus song (that I didn't already have). I was very happy with the quality of her b-side songs cause some of them ended up becoming favorites of mine like "Tomorrow Morning" and "Frightened Child." (I know it sounds like a drug addict.) When I have an artist that I really like I support them and will get everything that they put out (I have at least one copy of everything Cormega's ever put out).
(Here's "Wishing I Was There" from her 1998 cd "Left of the Middle")
After her second album "White Lilies Island" came out in 2001 she became my favorite non-rap artist. It wasn't necessarily because of the music (though I feel that this album is a masterpiece), it was because what I read in an interview. Natalie wanted to be respected as a songwriter and it didn't sit well with her that her biggest hit was a remake (translation: not written by her). I liked that this didn't sit well with her but it was what she said next that really got my attention. She said something like "I will never have another hit song written by someone else." I remember thinking that's a pretty bold statement, but after she delivered with a masterpiece I officially became a believer. This album has my favorite long-distance relationship song ever "Satellite" which was perfect timing cause I was in a semi-long distance relationship at the time.
Natalie must have been in the zone during these sessions (or she just recorded a lot of great songs since her debut album was released) cause there were great b-side songs that were released with the singles to this album (Shikaiya, Just Another Day, Always Never, and Standing There).
(Here's "Wrong Impression" from her 2001 cd "White Lilies Island")
natalie imbruglia - wrong impression from max tampax on Vimeo.
(Here's a AOL sessions performance of "Satellite." The album version is from her 2001 cd "White Lilies Island")
The purpose of this post is to celebrate the release of her "Glorious: The Singles 1997-2007" cd coming out this month (Amazon says 9/17 while Best Buy says 9/25). I know that I'm going to get the special edition with the DVD of all of her videos. For some of you this may be a great way to be introduced to (and support) a respectable & talented pop star.
(Here's "Shiver" from her 2005 cd "Counting Down the Days")
If I were to recommend any of her cd's to a first time listener of one of her entire albums it'd be "Counting Down the Days" cause I feel that it's her most brilliant album. However, since it didn't get a US release I know that it's a lot to ask to fork out over $20 for an import cd, so "Glorious: The Singles 1997-2007" might be a great alternative. Either way, there's great music out there if you're willing to dig a little deeper than what you hear on US top 40 radio.
(Here's "Glory" from her 2007 "singles + 5 new songs" cd "Glorious: The Singles 1997-2007")
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