White Lilies Island

The sophomore slump is tough for any artist, but it's got to be daunting when your worldwide smash debut four years ago (1998's Left of the Middle) dominated the charts based on someone else's song (Ednaswap's "Torn"). For her second album, pop singer Natalie Imbruglia allies herself with big-name producers/collaborators but takes a slower, moodier direction. While the singer/songwriter has maintained the key elements of her first album--a mixture of pop rock, acoustic and electronic embellishments, and gritty guitars--there's a greater sense of emotional turbulence here. The best moments on this effort are the edgier ones: the anxious opener, "That Day," with its nervous guitar and tumbling lyrics; the yearning space-pop of "Sunlight"; and the sparkling electro-acoustic rock of "Wrong Impression." Not all the tracks are keepers, but there is an appealing honesty and understated quality to White Lilies Island that makes it sound refreshing. After all, sadness can be catchy too. --Bryan Reesman