The lead single "Torn" (1997) was a worldwide commercial success and has since been named as one of the Best Songs of 1990s by several publications, including Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork.

She admitted that she was really insecure when she was making Left of the Middle, and described that prior to recording sessions, she would over-prepare by seeking inspiration from pre-written poetry excessively.

In addition to writing and recording in the UK, Imbruglia traveled to Nashville and collaborated with Matt Bronleewe and wrote Smoke, which tells story about a kid whose needs are not being met by parents.

[5] Greg Prato from AllMusic gave the album a positive review, stating that one of the material will be seen as pop fluff by certain listeners, but fans of popular latter-day female artists like Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow, and Meredith Brooks will find Imbruglia's debut most enjoyable, and praise Imburglia’s willingness to experiment with electronic sound.

Mark Bautz from Entertainment Weekly also gave the album negative review, highlighted the lack of originality, outdated production and its sonic similarity to Rickie Lee and Alanis Morissette.