KT Tunstall got her big American break in 2006 when contestant Katharine McPhee delivered a surprisingly horizontal rendition of her hit song "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree" on American Idol. From there, Tunstall's debut album Eye to the Telescope went multi-platinum. Tunstall's second album, Drastic Fantastic, slipped under the radar—way under—in comparison to her debut. If it weren't for the occasional Eye to the Telescope tracks gracing the radio, one might be compelled to forget about Ms. Tunstall altogether. Fortunately for her fans, she won’t settle for that.
Tunstall's third studio album, Tiger Suit (released Oct. 5 in the US) is the Scottish singer-songwriter's most ambitious effort. "Hold On," the lead single from Drastic Fantastic, was basically a "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree" retread. There is none of that this time. Tiger Suit is clearly a different animal. The very first ominous synthesizer chord makes it very clear that this is not your, um, older sister's KT Tunstall record. Except it kind of is. She still has that honest folky singer-songwriter dynamic and still dabbles in upbeat country blues, but she explores so much more. Tunstall has never shied away from electronic experimentation, her live shows are loaded with samples and loops, but she really pushes herself in that area on Tiger Suit. There are moments at which Tiger Suit could pass for an Imogen Heap album (though Imogen did trade in the electronics for all natural instruments on Ellipse).
The album’s opener “Uummannaq Song” takes no prisoners. The aforementioned synthesizer and echoing “oh oh oh’s” set a vast stage that Tunstall confidently commands, wailing through a powerful chorus. “Uummannaq Song” is poised to be the crown jewel of Tiger Suit until “Fade Like a Shadow” comes around. Perhaps the most cheerful-sounding song ever written about lost love using vampiric imagery, “Fade Like a Shadow” hits with an infectious wall of sound sprinkled with a delightful xylophone line. Not all of Tunstall’s emotions are masked by upbeat pop tunes, though. “Lost,” “The Entertainer,” and the sparkling “(Still a) Weirdo” provide pitch-perfect contrasts to the toe-tappers. “Weirdo” is the confession of a person woefully coming to terms with inadequacies and the inability to measure up. Think Radiohead’s “Creep” with less angst and more heart.
Tiger Suit is a bit uneven, but that speaks more to the excellence of the standout tracks than the deficiencies of the others. Not only does it serve as the vehicle for a few wonderful tunes, but Tiger Suit is also a delightful 43 minutes of music.
Tunstall's third studio album, Tiger Suit (released Oct. 5 in the US) is the Scottish singer-songwriter's most ambitious effort. "Hold On," the lead single from Drastic Fantastic, was basically a "Black Horse & The Cherry Tree" retread. There is none of that this time. Tiger Suit is clearly a different animal. The very first ominous synthesizer chord makes it very clear that this is not your, um, older sister's KT Tunstall record. Except it kind of is. She still has that honest folky singer-songwriter dynamic and still dabbles in upbeat country blues, but she explores so much more. Tunstall has never shied away from electronic experimentation, her live shows are loaded with samples and loops, but she really pushes herself in that area on Tiger Suit. There are moments at which Tiger Suit could pass for an Imogen Heap album (though Imogen did trade in the electronics for all natural instruments on Ellipse).
The album’s opener “Uummannaq Song” takes no prisoners. The aforementioned synthesizer and echoing “oh oh oh’s” set a vast stage that Tunstall confidently commands, wailing through a powerful chorus. “Uummannaq Song” is poised to be the crown jewel of Tiger Suit until “Fade Like a Shadow” comes around. Perhaps the most cheerful-sounding song ever written about lost love using vampiric imagery, “Fade Like a Shadow” hits with an infectious wall of sound sprinkled with a delightful xylophone line. Not all of Tunstall’s emotions are masked by upbeat pop tunes, though. “Lost,” “The Entertainer,” and the sparkling “(Still a) Weirdo” provide pitch-perfect contrasts to the toe-tappers. “Weirdo” is the confession of a person woefully coming to terms with inadequacies and the inability to measure up. Think Radiohead’s “Creep” with less angst and more heart.
Tiger Suit is a bit uneven, but that speaks more to the excellence of the standout tracks than the deficiencies of the others. Not only does it serve as the vehicle for a few wonderful tunes, but Tiger Suit is also a delightful 43 minutes of music.
