Natalie Imbruglia may have come to our attention as Beth Brennan in Australian soap ‘Neighbours’ back in the 90s but she’s best-known for her impact as a singer. Her 1997 debut album ‘Left of the Middle’ established her as one of the biggest female artists of the late 90s thanks to a string of hits including ‘Torn’, ‘Big Mistake’ and ‘Wishing I Was There’. She may have never matched that success since, but her catalogue has been an interesting and varied one. Across her near 30-year recording career, Imbruglia hasn’t been particularly prolific releasing only six studio albums and one live record.
In 2015, Imbruglia took an unexpected turn when she moved away from recording original music and instead put together a covers album. ‘Male’ saw the singer putting her spin on 12 songs that were originally recorded by male artists, and she chose a selection of songs that weren’t your usual cover picks. With tracks by artists ranging from Daft Punk through to Cat Stevens, Imbruglia was determined to put out a different kind of covers record, and she succeeded.
This reissue from Music On Vinyl, which marks the album’s 10th anniversary, retains the high quality that the label is known for. ‘Male’ is pressed on 180-gram orange and white marbled vinyl. The release is limited to 1,000 individually numbered copies and it includes a four-page full-colour insert featuring the album credits and plenty of photos of Imbruglia. The sleeve, while not a gatefold, does have a high-quality linen laminate finish, giving it a lovely feel.
‘Male’ might be the most over-looked album in Imbruglia’s catalogue. Covers albums are notoriously difficult to get right but thanks to her different approach, the album is a resounding success. This isn’t Imbruglia trying to recreate songs she loves, it’s her paying loving homage by recording them in a way that’s authentic to her own artistry. Opening track ‘Instant Crush’ is a perfect case in point. Imbruglia transforms the electro-dance of the original, and turns it into an alt-rock number. Honestly, I prefer this version to the original and it sounds like something that could have sat happily on ‘Left Of The Middle’.
She continues in that vein across the rest of the album. Her take on Damien Rice’s iconic ‘Cannonball’ is driven by piano, giving it a more intense feel than the original while a cover of Josh Pyke’s ‘The Summer’ strips away his trademark layered vocals for a more straight-forward delivery. On a cover of Zac Brown Band’s ‘Goodbye in Her Eyes’ (renamed ‘Goodbye in His Eyes’ here), Imbruglia mines the emotion of the lyrics for a passionate vocal that is among the best on the record.
One of the highlights is a Country take on The Cure’s ‘Friday I’m in Love’. The song sounds familiar but totally different at the same time. Banjo solos, hand claps and sing-a-long backing vocals transform the song into a celebratory party. For a cover of Pete Townshend’s ‘Let My Love Open the Door’, Imbruglia strips everything back to allow you to really focus on the lyrics and melody, and Imbruglia’s take on Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ ‘The Waiting’ reimagines it as a campfire acoustic number. Closing track ‘The Wind’, a hit for Cat Stevens, is one of the songs that sticks closer to the source material and it suits Imbruglia perfectly.
Imbruglia really created something special with ‘Male’ and it’s time the album got its moment in the sun. This new vinyl pressing from Music On Vinyl is a superb addition to any Imbruglia fan’s collection. For those that maybe passed it by the first time, now is the time to pick up a copy and appreciate that Imbruglia did something a little different from your standard covers album.
Track list: Side One – 1. Instant Crush 2. Cannonball 3. The Summer 4. I Will Follow You Into The Dark 5. Goodbye in His Eyes 6. Friday I’m in Love Side Two – 1. Naked As We Came 2. Let My Love Open the Door 3. Only Love Can Break Your Heart 4. I Melt With You 5. The Waiting 6. The Wind Record label: Music On Vinyl Release date: 25th July 2025 Buy ‘Male’ now
