Description

“Left of the Middle” was the debut studio album by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia. Released in 1997, the album was a worldwide hit. Spurred by the success of lead single “Torn”, the album reached number one in her home country and the top 10 in both the UK and US. The album went on to secure Imbruglia three Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best New Artist. The album sold over 7 million copies worldwide by 2002, making it the best-selling debut album ever by a female Australian singer. What separates Imbruglia from other artists of her time is her willingness to experiment with electronic sounds, no doubt courtesy of mixer Nigel Godrich (of Radiohead fame), which can be heard on such tracks such as “Smoke”. “Torn” proves to be the best song on the album, with its bouncy acoustic feel, but the pop/ rocker “Big Mistake” e.g. is just as good.