Firebird

Over the years, Natalie Imbruglia has veered between pop that pushes the envelope and the kind that aims straight at the mainstream. Her later albums blended those extremes more evenly; on 2015's Male, she made songs written by Daft Punk and Tom Petty sound like her own. Six years on, Firebird finds her balancing the different sides of her music, as well as hope and heartache, with assurance. The album's title is no coincidence -- there's a triumphant feel to the whole affair, and the happiest songs are among the most immediate. "Build It Better" kicks off the album on a confident, optimistic note, and "What It Feels Like" and "Invisible Things" are so sweetly breezy that they're ready for their rom-com closeups. Any time it feels like things might be getting a little too smooth, Imbruglia brings back the edge her music has hinted at since "Torn" and White Lilies Island. Created with the Strokes' Albert Hammond, Jr. and that band's longtime producer Gus Oberg, the standout "Maybe It's Great" is a fun synth pop pastiche that calls to mind Robyn as well as Scandal and Pat Benatar, while "On My Way"'s twangy rock echoes the Pretenders and "River"'s moody mix of electronic and acoustic…

When was Firebird released?

Firebird was released in 2021 on BMG.

How many tracks are on Firebird?

Firebird has 14 tracks, with a runtime of 52 minutes.

What genre is Firebird?

Firebird is catalogued under Pop.