MAVENity

It seems that every few years Natalie Imbruglia makes a comeback of sorts, at least insomuch as her visibility to me is concerned. Perhaps she is more present in the UK and Europe where her target demo resides, but as someone who gets her Britpop fix intermittently, it always feels like Natalie is “back” with some great single, which I listen to for a while, then forget. Realistically, I know she’s releasing new albums and singles on the same schedule as most other contemporary artists in the UK, but, I don’t know… she just fades for me, than bursts back into my mindspace, bright and glorious.

Natalie is having a glorious moment, currently, with her new single Want.

For you Americans reading, your only point of reference for Natalie Imbruglia is probably her megahit from the 90s, Torn. In this sense, she is the ultimate “oh, I forgot about you!” artist. Her other “comebacks” have all been good — whenever I wander across Wishing I Was There, Wrong Impression or Shiver, I remember “oh, yeah, I like Natalie Imbruglia!” But I’ve never gone for an entire album of hers. I might give this one, “Come To Life,” a go, judging from Want.

Here is the video:

The song is simple, melodically, and really only does one or two things, the same hook repeated over and over. There’s no bridge or swelling finale. Nonetheless, the hook it has is catchy, and Natalie sings it well. The beat makes you want to dance, but the lyrics are still meaningful — it’s an edgy twist on a post-breakup song, and I like it.

The video had me, oh irony, torn at first: what is with Natalie mugging for the camera, half-dressed? Ok, honey, we know you’re hot, but come on. It’s a little sexist… but then the premise evolves and, oh, there are those acting skills of hers (obscure cinema: Johnny English, in which she was excellent!). Her performance is ultimately gut-wrenching, and Want’s video premise is more clever than it at first appears. It is the YouTube parting gift we’d all like to record to our exes — hey, look at what you let go, I’m hot, I’m sassy, and I don’t need you… only to devolve into an emotional hot mess. It works for me.

Want is officially on my Fall 2009 playlist (along with Fight for this Love, Forever is Over, About a Girl & Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer XD). We’ll see how the album stacks up! With Chris Martin apparently having contributed several songs (including a co-writing credit on this one), it could be a good one.