''Counting Down the Days'' is the third studio album by Australian singer

Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Jane Imbruglia ( , ; born 4 February 1975) is an Australian singer and actress. In the early 1990s, she played Beth Brennan in the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''. Three years after leaving the programme, she began a singing care ...

. It was released by Brightside Recordings on 4 April 2005 in the United Kingdom. Her debut with the label, Imbruglia reteamed with Gary Clark to work on her next project, but also consulted a wider range of producers to collaborate with her, including

Eg White Francis Anthony "Eg" White (born 22 November 1966) is a British musician, songwriter and producer. He started his career in the cowpunk band Yip Yip Coyote in the 1980s and then formed Brother Beyond with his brother, David White, in the lat ...

Martin Harrington Martin Harrington is a British songwriter, record producer and music publisher. He has written songs for many music artists including Emma Bunton, Five, Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Natalie Imbruglia and Blue. See also *Music of the United Kingdom ...

Ben Hillier Ben Hillier is an English songwriter and pop-rock record producer who is part of the creative team 140 dB. He produced the notable albums '' Playing the Angel'', '' Sounds of the Universe'' and ''Delta Machine'' by Depeche Mode, ''Think Tan ...

Ash Howes Biffco is a music production and songwriting team from Brighton, England, formed by Richard "Biff" Stannard, Julian Gallagher, Ash Howes. The group have worked with a number of high-profile artists, including Kylie Minogue, One Direction, Atom ...

Daniel Johns Daniel Paul Johns (born 22 April 1979) is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the former frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter of the rock band Silverchair. Johns is also one half of The Dissociatives with Paul Mac ...

David Kosten Faultline is the musical alter ego of producer and artist David Kosten. Working under the name Faultline, Kosten produced the largely instrumental debut ''Closer, Colder'' and the follow up ''Your Love Means Everything'', which featured guest ...

Stephen Lipson Stephen J. Lipson (born 16 March 1954) is an English record producer, audio engineer, guitarist and songwriter. As a record producer, he has worked with many artists including Annie Lennox, Propaganda, Act, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Will Youn ...

Paul Mac Paul Francis McDermott (born 17 September 1965), who performs as Paul Mac, is an Australian electropop musician, singer-songwriter, producer and music re-mixer. He was classically trained at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Mac has formed variou ...

, and

Ian Stanley Ian Christopher Stanley (born 28 February 1957) is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He was previously a member of the English band Tears for Fears for most of the 1980s, and played a key role in the making of their multi-plat ...

. Upon release, ''Counting Down the Days'' entered the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

at number one, selling over 40,000 copies in its first week. Imbruglia's highest-charting release there, it was eventually certified gold by the

British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company wi ...

(BPI), indicating sales in excess of 100,000 units. Elsewhere, the album entered the top ten in Italy and Switzerland, while reaching the top 20 in Australia and Ireland. ''Counting Down the Days'' produced two singles, "

Shiver Shivering (also called shuddering) is a bodily function in response to cold and extreme fear in warm-blooded animals. When the core body temperature drops, the shivering reflex is triggered to maintain homeostasis. Skeletal muscles begin t ...

" and " Counting Down the Days". It was released digitally in the United States on 7 September 2010, but has never received a formal physical release in the country."Counting Down The Days- Natalie Imbruglia"
iTunes. Retrieved 24 April 2015.

Critical reception

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

editor Jon O'Brien found that the album suggested "a confusing and disappointing change in direction. For all the bittersweet melancholy and dark undertones of ''

White Lilies Island ''White Lilies Island'' is the second studio album by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia released by RCA Records in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2001. The name of this album comes from the location of Imbruglia's home in Windsor, Berkshire ...

'' suggested an interesting career ahead, yet only on a few occasions does ''Counting Down the Days'' veer into this territory. Instead, the majority is made up of fairly inoffensive radio-friendly pop songs ..''Counting Down the Days'' will undoubtedly be a commercial success but its play-it-safe attitude undoes some of the good work done by its predecessor. A few more risks next time wouldn't go amiss." Betty Clarke, writing for ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'', felt that "Revisiting the mid-tempo rhythms of her last album, Imbruglia turns from muse to troubled girl next door, gushing about love and fretting about voices in her head, while acoustic guitars, flutes and strings whip a radio-friendly pop froth around her. Bored with pushing perfection, she's selling an old-fashioned brand of submission, her feisty edge eroded to a disturbing gratefulness. ..Imbruglia's voice sounds better than ever – hanging on to words as if she's rolling out an expensive carpet."

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the record sleeve, sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner n ...

. Notes * signifies a

co-producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

* signifies an initial producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes *

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of th ...

(all tracks), art direction *

– mixing (tracks 1–5, 8, 9, 11),

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

(tracks 1, 5, 8, 9), co-production (tracks 2, 11),

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

(tracks 5, 8),

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

(track 1) *

– production (tracks 1, 5, 8, 9), co-production (tracks 2, 11), keyboard (tracks 1, 8),

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a musica ...

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

(track 5) *

– keyboard &

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

(tracks 2, 6), production,

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

, mixing, programming,

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

& bass (track 6) * Gary Clark – production, engineering, guitar & strings (track 11), initial production (track 7) * Keith Uddin – engineering (tracks 1, 5, 8, 9, 11), mix engineering (tracks 3, 4), additional engineering (track 2) * Pete Davis – programming & keyboard (tracks 1, 5, 8, 9) * Rej Rheinallt ap Gwynedd – bass (tracks 2, 4, 7–10) *

Chuck Sabo Chuck Sabo is an American drummer, musical director, songwriter, and producer who has performed and recorded with prominent artists including XTC, Natalie Imbruglia, Elton John, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, Bryan Adams, Cher, Tina Turner, Pet Shop B ...

– drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 10) *

– production, programming, keyboard,

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

& guitar (track 2) *

Peredur ap Gwynedd Pendulum is an Australian electronic rock band founded in 2002. Pendulum originally formed in the city of Perth, Western Australia, by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen and Paul "El Hornet" Harding. The band was later expanded to include members Ben ...

– guitar (tracks 2, 4, 7, 8, 10) *

– production &

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are u ...

(tracks 3, 4), guitar (track 3) *

– production, mixing, programming, keyboard & strings (track 12) *

– production, mixing, piano &

dulcimer The word dulcimer refers to two families of musical string instruments. Hammered dulcimers The word ''dulcimer'' originally referred to a trapezoidal zither similar to a psaltery whose many strings are struck by handheld "hammers". Variants of th ...

(track 10) *

Seton Daunt Seton Daunt is an English guitar player and songwriter, best known as lead guitarist for the British rock band Fiction Plane. Guitarist At 19 years old, Daunt met Dan Brown, who introduced him to Santa's Boyfriend. The band was playing the c ...

– guitar (tracks 1, 5, 8) * Paul Mac – production, piano & keyboard (track 3) * Kenny Dickenson – piano (tracks 4, 9), keyboard (track 4) *

John Themis John Themis is an Australian-born musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his long-term work with Boy George and Culture Club, collaborating on many of their songs and albums since the 1990s. He also worked on ''Taboo'', a music ...

– acoustic guitar (track 1), ethnic instruments (track 7) *

Kim Moyes Kimberley Isaac Moyes is an Australian musician, producer, mix engineer, composer, songwriter, DJ and one half of the Sydney-based electronica duo, The Presets (with Julian Hamilton). Note: n-lineversion established at White Room Electronic P ...

– drums &

glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( or , : bells and : set) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibraphone. The ...

(track 3) *

Geoff Dugmore Geoff Dugmore (born 12 April 1960) is a Scottish drummer, musical director and producer. He was a member of the bands The Europeans, and Wildlife. Career Educated at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow, Scotland, Dugmore started his musical caree ...

– drums (tracks 5, 8) * Richard Morris – production assistance & mixing assistance (track 10) * Heff Moraes – engineering (track 2) * Rick Willson – guitar (track 2) * Anton Hagop – engineering (track 3) * James Haselwood – bass (track 3) * Julian Hamilton – keyboard (track 3) * Reece Gilmore –

Pro Tools Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture ( sound design, audio post-prod ...

editing (track 3) * Chris Brown – engineering (track 4) * Izzy Dunn –

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

(track 4) * Petra Jean Phillipson – backing vocals (track 4) * Katch Koffee – backing vocals (track 4) *

Richard Jones Richard Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *F. Richard Jones (1893–1930), American filmmaker *Dick Clair (Richard Jones, 1931–1988), American producer, actor and TV writer *Richard Jones (The Feeling), British bass guitarist *Richard J ...

– bass (track 5) *

– production (track 7) * Dave Bascombe – mixing (track 7) *

Danton Supple Danton Supple is a British record producer and mixer, best known for his work with Coldplay. Early career (1985–1994) Danton Supple was introduced to the world of recording studios in the 1980s, at his girlfriend's uncle Paddy Kingsland's BBC ...

– engineering (track 7) * Neil Taylor – guitar (track 7) * Alison Clark – backing vocals (track 7) * John Greswell – mandolin (track 10) * John Sundry – guitar (track 12) * Drusilla Harris –

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

(track 12) * Roma – art direction * Steve Stacey – design * Hugh Goldsmith – A&R * Andy Stephens Management – management * Dean Freeman –

photography Photography is the visual art, art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It i ...

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

External links

''Counting Down the Days'' - Press release
{{DEFAULTSORT:Counting Down The Days Natalie Imbruglia albums 2005 albums Albums produced by Stephen Lipson Albums produced by Ian Stanley