Bmg Int'l
2005
Counting Down The Days
About This Album
Arguably the best of the plethora of soap stars turned pop stars, Natalie Imbruglia appears to have performed a rather frustrating musical U-turn for her third album. Whereas her difficult but underrated sophomore effort understandably attempted to break away from the commercial acoustic pop sound that saw "Torn" become one of the biggest singles of the '90s, Counting Down the Days actively embraces it. Whether this is a conscious decision to rekindle her former multi-platinum transatlantic success, or whether Imbruglia is just in a happier songwriting frame of mind, it's still a confusing and disappointing change in direction. For all the bittersweet melancholy and dark undertones of White Lilies Island suggested an interesting career ahead, yet only on a few occasions does Counting Down the Days veer into this territory. Instead, the majority is made up of fairly inoffensive radio-friendly pop songs such as opener "Starting Today" and the Eg White-produced "Perfectly," both of which are little more than "Torn" Mark Two. Even the presence of husband Daniel Johns, formerly of grunge outfit Silverchair, on production duties, can't save the Beatlesque "Satisfied" from lapsing into blandness.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9)

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