Remember "Torn," the Natalie Imbruglia song that was played every three minutes on one radio station or another a few years ago? Of course you do. Well, the former Australian soap star has a new album out, White Lilies Island, but don't expect to find any more eternal pop melodies on it.
Imbruglia spent the past few years in Windsor, England, in self-imposed isolation to complete her second release. White Lilies Island is the name of the thin strip of land in the Thames where Imbruglia owns a small mansion.
All of the lyrics were written by Imbruglia; however, most of the music was penned later by the guys at RCA Records. "Torn" was originally written by her Left of the Middle producer Phil Thornalley and the L.A. band Ednaswap. It was performed by a few other budding pop stars before Imbruglia recorded it, which undoubtedly inspired her to write all of her own lyrics for her latest album.
Her inspiration came from "the bad stuff," as Imbruglia calls it, that occurred after the "Torn" whirlwind settled down. A lot of it appears to stem from her emotional imbalance issues. "The bad stuff," her palatial Windsor home and possibly her own talent have created an album that is more mature, emotional, and polished than her debut. Even so, her new, folkier sound seems borrowed from the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Alana Davis and even Ani Difranco.
"That Day," the first single released off the album, is the strongest, edgiest and least radio-friendly song. It also sounds nothing like the rest of White Lilies Island. It is a free-associative type of groove with a happy melody and confused but contemplative lyrics. "That Day" opens the album with the promise of an original and inspired listen. Unfortunately, the remaining 11 songs don't really deliver. Songs such as "Hurricane," "Do You Love?" and "Everything Goes" sound exactly the same - too mellow and, sorry Natalie, poorly written. It's hard to find something original sounding on White Lilies Island. Track nine, "Sunlight," is good but it sounds like a new U2 song. Imbruglia's favorite rock star is Bono and he reportedly gave her songwriting criticism. As a result, however, her songs are cute but lack real depth.
Overall, White Lilies Island makes a good post-breakup Sunday morning listen. The pop songs will make everyone happy and her sometimes angst-filled lyrics are satisfying. If you are looking for something groundbreaking and original, you won't find it here. But if you want some quasi-folk/pop, White Lilies Island is a good place to start.
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