KT TUNSTALL - DRASTIC FANTASTIC

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Reviews - Music

KT TunstallWith one eye firmly focused on the American audience, KT’s second album looks and sounds buffed for commercial success.

Not that you’d think that the multi-award winning, Ivor Novello scooping artist of  Telescope would need to. But her band sound safe and college radio friendly on ‘Little Favours’, ‘Saving Face’ and ‘If Only’, which are slick, well produced songs (again produced by Steve Osborne) but very middle of the road, but that does seem to be her territory now – it’s just not the KT from her first record.

Only her first single, ‘Hold On’ – which borrows off Bob Marley's 'Judge Not' - carries on where Telescope left off, like an older sibling of ‘Cherry Tree’. Elsewhere, Kate sounds more like Nina Persson in the Cardigansesqe, ‘I Don’t Want You Now’.

She definitely saves the best until last though, with her delicate, melancholic side emerging on ‘Someday Soon’, 'Beauty Of Uncertainty' and closer ‘Paper Aeroplane’. Quiet jazz-inflected songs, with Tunstall's voice fluttering from whisper to heartfelt cry.

Taking all this into consideration, it’s not a bad album – she really is a fantastic songwriter, with vocal hooks and melodies which most bands can only dream of. And it’s this skill that  carries her second record, and no doubt will carry her to even greater heights.

If you liked her debut you’ll find certainly something to please from Drastic Fantastic. (Paul Crompton)
 

 
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