Drastic Fantastic

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Similar Items:

•	Eye to the Telescope
•	KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza
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•	The Awakening

Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Don't be put off by the cover photo on K.T. Tunstall's follow-up to the four-million selling Eye of the Telescope. Yes, it's startling to see her sporting Buck Rogers boots and wielding a glittery, oversized silver guitar. And what's up with the comic book images that make up the CD booklet? But if Tunstall is feeling a bit like her overnight success is something out of interplanetary fiction, the new graphic "positioning" doesn't mean the Scottish singer-songwriter has gone full-blown, diva-fied pop-rock. Rather, she's built on the success of the euphorically catchy "Suddenly I See" and "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" to craft the bouncy kiss-off of "I Don't Want You Now," and the hypnotic beat of "Hold On," with its lyrical warning (shades of Bob Marley's "Judge Not") of karma and responsibility. The new repertoire, like her sensual, slightly slurred singing, is more authoritative, polished, and less bluesy and rough-edged as Eye…, despite a British urban influence. But Tunstall paves her continuum by again using producer Steve Osborne (U2, New Order, Happy Mondays), and with two songs she recorded for the first album--the driving pop-rock of the anti-plastic surgery anthem "Saving My Face" (with its irresistible "ooh-oohs" lifting the mood), and "Funnyman," a pop-alt-folk sonic blend that flirts with electronica. Best of all, Tunstall, who veers from playing a little electric lead guitar to ukulele on the album, is decidedly intent on reprising the spare framework of the songwriter. "White Bird," the most memorable of the four songs that spotlight her poetic, pensive side, amounts to a meditation ("Half of you is heavenly/Showing off your purity"). But whether meant as a metaphor or a literal descriptive paean, a la the romantic 19th-century poets, this melancholy, quiet song finds the 32-year-old musician more confident and on top of her craft than anything on her delicious debut. On the whole, then, this solid sophomore album isn't really such a "drastic" turn. But you just might agree with the second half of her title. --Alanna Nash

Amazon.com
Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall burst onto the public consciousness last year with her gritty debut album Eye to the Telescope, a provocative sonic mesh of heartfelt pop, rootsy, electric blues, and left-field alt-rock. Eye spawned three hit singles — the Grammy-Award nominated "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," "Suddenly I See," and "Other Side of the World" — all of which became omnipresent on radio, television, movies, and the Internet. Thanks to the multi-media exposure, Eye is certified platinum in the U.S., with worldwide sales exceeding 3.5 million copies.

Now Tunstall is readying her follow-up, entitled Drastic Fantastic, which will be released by Virgin Records on September 18th, 2007. It showcases the 31-year-old's growth as both a songwriter and musician on songs like the thumping "Hold On," the rollicking "Saving My Face," the jazz-inflected "Someday Soon," and the frisky pop gem "I Don't Want You Now." "I wanted to be braver," Tunstall says of the album. "I wanted to push the musicality. You can't let previous success scare you away from moving on."

KT Tunstall Photos

More from KT Tunstall

Eye to the Telescope

KT Tunstall Holiday Gift Pack [2 CDs, 1 DVD]

KT Tunstall' s Acoustic Extravaganza

Album Description
Drastic Fantastic is a collection of soaring Pop songs and intimate ballads. Produced by Steve Osbourne (producer of Eye To The Telescope) it sees Tunstall's considerable songwriting skills and unique vocals underpinned by a rawer musical backdrop than it's predecessor. Full of powerful lyrics, bold colorful melodies and adventurous musicianship, it's a very definite move forward for Tunstall. Pensive ballads like 'White Bird' and 'Beauty Of Uncertainty' are complimented by the infectious lead single 'Hold On', and rollicking pop gems like 'Saving My Face' and the folk-punk of 'I Don't Want You Now'. Virgin.

Album Details
2007 Release of the Scottishrocker's Critically Acclaimed Album that Includes the Added Bonus Track, a Live Version of her Hit "Suddenly I See".

Customer Reviews: Read 62 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

KT Tunstall_ one of the greatest female artist of all time August 15, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

(In America) it is incredibly hard to know who the real artist are. The industry promotes so many over glamorized puppets, that we start to assume that all good looking artist must be fakes. This is not the case with KT Tunstall. Like Elvis, she has incredible musical talent, singing talent, and happens to be good looking. I was lucky enough to see her recently in concert and I swear she sounds (vocally and musically) even better live than on her album.

Drastic Fantastic is a really great album, which compliments her first album Eye to the Telescope very nicely. All of the tracks are good, but my two favorites are "If only" and "Hopeless".

If you liked the great alternative sound of the 1990's, give KT a listen.

4 out of 5 stars

Almost Fantastic June 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

KT Tunstall has become one of my favorite female artists quite quickly. I loved the Telescope CD, the Acoustic CD, and then with Drastic Fantastic here it continues to add to the catalog of great songs.
I still have a difficult time getting into slower tracks like "White Bird", "Someday Soon", and "Paper Aeroplanes" even after repeated listens I tend to skip those tracks. I do appreciated the slower songs, it's just the mood perhaps set by the other tracks that makes me wanna avoid the detour into this area. It's not that the songs are bad, it's just not my speed...but in time I may come to appreciate them....I just have a good time rocking out to her more upbeat tunes more often than the others.

My fav right now is "If Only", that one along with "Little Favour" is a great way to kick off the CD I think, "Saving My Face", and "Funnyman are a couple other up tempo favs along with "I Don't Want You Now". "Hold On" is a song I like somewhat, but it doesn't grab me quite like the other up tempo songs.

Overall some nice material that is continuing on what she accomplished on Eye To The Telescope. Which is the better CD I'm not really sure at this point, both are near perfect....not quite there yet perhaps, but she's putting out so much great material so soon, it's hard to keep up perhaps.

She has a great voice, great talent. It's nice to hear the real deal more often, there are more and more female artist out there who are making their own music their way, and it's good to know it can be done, and KT along a handful of others are in a class by themselves right now.

3 out of 5 stars

Couple of good tunes. June 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I think KT kicks major a--.
Drastic Fantastic feels a little rushed.
There are a couple of good tunes, perhaps if she took a little hiatus she can return to her greatness, but lets face it, great songs are a rareity and KT has already had many moments of greatness.
"Mr. GLM" White Plains, NY

4 out of 5 stars

4.5 Stars - Fantasic Album June 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I have not heard KT's first album, but as a new fan, I can tell you that this album is great. Her faster, more pop tracks are her strongest. The slower songs toward the end are a good way to end the album, but don't pack the power of the other songs.

Stand Out Tracks: "Funnyman" and "Saving My Face"

5 out of 5 stars

Better May 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I think this album is better than Eye to the Telescope, better lyrics, catchy and faster rhythms. That doesnt make the first one bad (just more mellow) but Drastic Fantastic is my personal favorite. My favorite tracks:

1. Little Favours
2. If Only
4. Funnyman
5. Hold On
6. Hopeless
7. I Don't Want You Now
8. Saving My Face
11. Paper Aeroplane

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