white lilies island

natalie imbruglia

rca, 2002

Mood—varied, light, facile.

Sample: "Satellite"

Thoughts— I'm not at all guilty about my love for "Torn" and the rest of Natalie Imbruglia's debut album Left of the Middle. I'm not always a fan of "pop" but when I like it I really like it.

I was excited about a second ablum from Natalie, and there are certainly some gems on White Lilies Island but as a whole I wasn't totally captivated by it. The first track, "That Day" is odd. The vocals are intentionally hurried, and it's also a sound I wasn't expecting from her. "Beauty On The Fire", the next track, feels more like the Natalie I was expecting.

I am all for artists evolving and growing, but that doesn't mean I have to love it when they do. In this case, I don't love it. I do like the album, but it's not one I come back to regularly.

The clear standout for me is "Satellite". I have an affinity for songs named "Satellite" in general, and this one might be my favorite. It's just got that "I'm in love" sort of vibe that hits me in the right spot. Songs that are all about smiling are great every now and then. The rest of the album is solid but I'm not wowed by it like I was with songs like "Smoke" or "Leave Me Alone" from Left of the Middle.

Let's be clear though, she is quite lovely. Not that that's a reason to buy an album. Just sayin'.

Recommended? This one can be skipped, but if you're the iTunes type (I am not), pick up "Satellite".

Link—natalieimbruglia.com

Tracklist
1. That Day
2. Beauty On The Fire
3. Satellite
4. Do You Love?
5. Wrong Impression
6. Goodbye
7. Everything Goes
8. Hurricane
9. Sunlight
10. Talk In Tongues
11. Butterflies
12. Come September