Counting Down the Days

Counting Down the Days is the third studio album by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia. 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, Martin Harrington, Ben Hillier, Ash Howes, Daniel Johns, David Kosten, Stephen Lipson, Paul Mac, and Ian Stanley. The album's lead single, "Shiver" (2005) was a commercial hit, particularly in the UK, and officially became the UK’s most broadcast song of 2005 according to PPL.

Musically, unlike White Lilies Island which was predominantly darker and moodier, Counting Down the Days saw Imbruglia's return to radio-friendly pop songs. The album received generally favorable reviews, to which compliment was given for having a handful of genuinely great songs, even though critics were disappointed of its play-it-safe attitude that undid some of the good works and risk taker provided by its predecessor, White Lilies Island.

Upon release, Counting Down the Days debuted atop the UK Album Chart for one week, becoming her first and her only number one album in the UK to date. However, despite the new milestone for Imbruglia in the UK market, the album was less successful in her home country, Australia where it only charted within top twenty, the album also didn’t even get official release in North America until 2010, particularly due to her departure from RCA Records, and collaboration with newly founded record label that promoted the album only in selected regions, primarily focusing promoting on the UK market.

To support the album, Imbruglia went on a small European concert tour from October to November 2005 with 21 shows across Europe, including eight shows in the UK alone.

 Counting Down the Days has been sold over 204,000 copies in the UK, solely major market for the album, and an estimated 600,000 copies worldwide.

Critical reception
Allmusic 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 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, 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.

Notes
 * signifies a co-producer
 * signifies an initial producer

Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes


 * Natalie Imbruglia – lead vocals (all tracks), art direction
 * Ash Howes – mixing (tracks 1–5, 8, 9, 11), production (tracks 1, 5, 8, 9) , co-production (tracks 2, 11) , keyboard (tracks 5, 8) , bass (track 1)
 * Martin Harrington – production (tracks 1, 5, 8, 9), co-production (tracks 2, 11) , keyboard (tracks 1, 8) , piano & acoustic guitar (track 5)
 * Eg White – keyboard & guitar (tracks 2, 6), production, engineering, mixing, programming, drums & 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 – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 10)
 * Stephen Lipson – production, programming, keyboard, mandolin & guitar (track 2)
 * Peredur ap Gwynedd – guitar (tracks 2, 4, 7, 8, 10)
 * Daniel Johns – production & backing vocals (tracks 3, 4), guitar (track 3)
 * David Kosten – production, mixing, programming, keyboard & strings (track 12)
 * Ben Hillier – production, mixing, piano & dulcimer (track 10)
 * Seton Daunt – guitar (tracks 1, 5, 8)
 * Paul Mac – production, piano & keyboard (track 3)
 * Kenny Dickenson – piano (tracks 4, 9), keyboard (track 4)
 * John Themis – acoustic guitar (track 1), ethnic instruments (track 7)
 * Kim Moyes – drums & glockenspiel (track 3)
 * Geoff Dugmore – 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 editing (track 3)
 * Chris Brown – engineering (track 4)
 * Izzy Dunn – cello (track 4)
 * Petra Jean Phillipson – backing vocals (track 4)
 * Katch Koffee – backing vocals (track 4)
 * Richard Jones – bass (track 5)
 * Ian Stanley – production (track 7)
 * Dave Bascombe – mixing (track 7)
 * Danton Supple – 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 (track 12)
 * Roma – art direction
 * Steve Stacey – design
 * Hugh Goldsmith – A&R
 * Andy Stephens Management – management
 * Dean Freeman – photography