KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza [PA]

Performer: KT Tunstall
Engineer: Graham Deas
Producer: Steve Osborne
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall's debut, EYE TO THE TELESCOPE, proved the artist's mettle as a soulful pop chanteuse falling somewhere between Dido and Fiona Apple, yet it also underscored her unique sense of songcraft and powerfully earnest sensibility. The album's highly polished production is a bit distracting, however, which is one of the reasons the 10-song ACOUSTIC EXTRAVAGANZA is a treat. Featuring acoustic performances by Tunstall and her band, including a version of her first single, "Throw Me a Rope," the album offers a portrait of the artist in a pared-down setting that allows the songs and her lovely voice to shine. The very worst that can be said about Acoustic Extravaganza is that it is a stopgap between Eye to the Telescope, which was actually released in the U.K. in late 2005, and whatever comes next. Recorded after a relentless touring schedule, the tracks here were done in a small, remote Scottish studio with KT Tunstall's band. The set includes acoustic versions of "Universe & U" and "Miniature Disasters" from the album, and a few cuts, such as "Girl & the Ghost," "Throw Me a Rope," and "One Day," which were employed as B-sides for singles. There's also a fine -- no, nearly stunning -- cover of Beck's "Golden Age," which could have been recorded for a Ronnie Lane solo album. The rest, such as the countrified "Ashes" with its bold lyrics, the bluesy ballad "Boo Hoo," the pastoral folk-country of "Gone to the Dogs," and the minor key shimmering snapshot "Change" are all first-rate. The relaxed feel of the album is, in its way, a different side of the coin from Eye to the Telescope. Without all the production and gloss, Tunstall is still smooth, and tough at the same time. The DVD that comes along with this set contains a documentary on the making of the album -- this one -- videos for "Gone to the Dogs," "Throw Me a Rope," and a little ditty called the "Wee Bastard Pedal." There are also a slew of photos and outtakes. In other words, this is not a simple capitalistic attempt to part you from your hard-earned cash, but more the artist reaching out to fans she didn't even know she had a year ago, and offering something intimate, gentle, fun, and worthy to make the wait easier. Remember: she's as eager to keep you as you are restless for the next installment. If anything, this little "in process" package reveals the fact that -- in the over-saturated American pop culture market -- Eye to the Telescope was no fluke. Tunstall's the real artifact. ~ Thom Jurek

Rolling Stone (p.74) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[S]low songs like 'Throw Me a Rope' show some real folk-pop kicks....Solid acoustic jams like 'Boo Hoo' and 'Miniature Disasters' show off a Joplin fetish..."

Bursting on to the U.K. music scene seemingly out of nowhere in 2005, KT Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter who blends the earthy pop sensibilities of Sheryl Crow with the darker leanings of Cat Power and Beth Orton. Her debut album, EYE TO THE TELESCOPE, was huge hit in the U.K. before being released stateside in early 2006.

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