Album: Drastic Fantastic / Artist: KT Tunstall / 11 tracks / Sept 10, 2007 / Relentless / EMI Group
What often gets overlooked with KT Tunstall’s debut CD Eye To The Telescope (2005) is just how good her vocals are and that she is an excellent songwriter who possesses the knack for telling a story set to rock melodies. At least in 
North America, she may not get as much credit for those aspects of her musical ability, because when Eye To The Telescope was re-released in the United States a track was added that did not appear on the original CD released in the UK. That track was “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” which languished in anonymity until American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee sought permission to perform the song.
Following McPhee’s performance of “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” the version of the song recorded by Tunstall rocketed up the charts before settling at # 23. The tune with the slashing rock guitar riffs and syncopated beat became a favorite of rock music fans. Tunstall received a Q Award for Track of the Year (“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,”) a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and numerous other awards.
KT Tunstall has returned with her third CD, Drastic Fantastic (KT Tunstall’s Acoustic Extravaganza was her sophomore effort and not widely distributed). Drastic Fantastic opens with a great melodic rock song that possesses infectious guitar riffs. The melody is of the foot tapping, body swaying variety, which causes you to look around for someone with whom to dance. Luke Bullen does a nice job of ensuring that he is strong but not overpowering with his drumsticks. Steve Osborne does a good job of backing Tunstall with his bass guitar. At 3:09, this Tunstall original tune is a good fit for American and Canadian radio stations, and is sure to be another hit.
The second track, “If Only,” has a melody that invites the listener to sing along with Tunstall. “If Only,” co-written with Jimmy Hogarth, is the prettiest track from Drastic Fantastic, and is also the most imaginative. Cellist Arnulf Linder contributes to a lighter melody, Kenny Dickenson’s glockenspiel adds a nice touch, and Sam Lewis appears on dobro.
For the Tunstall fan pining for more of “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” there is “Hold On,” a hard driving piece fueled by Tunstall’s energetic strumming. For the week ending September 21st, “Hold On,” was firmly planted in the # 1 slot on R&R’s Triple A chart and had already been in that spot for the past four weeks. The CD comes with a companion video for “Hold On.”
Slotted in the seventh spot on Drastic Fantastic is “I Don’t Want You Now,” a song with an early sixties rock ‘n’ roll guitar rhythm. This is a really good track. Did I happen to say this is a very good song? How commercial radio treats the song is anybody’s guess, but I predict that at Tunstall concerts fans will be demanding that she play “I Don’t Want You Now.” Like most of the songs on Drastic Fantastic, KT Tunstall has crafted a melody that invites the listener to participate, to find the groove and to make the song their own. She does not use contrived hooks, but instead relies on excellent songwriting skills. “I Don’t Want You Now,” is a fun song, and comes complete with the sound of a kazoo providing an abbreviated bridge.
I could rave on for hours about each of the songs from Drastic Fantastic but I won’t, suffice to say that all the songs from this album are well written, and I expect most of them will find their way to the radio waves. The ones that are released should chart well.
Other songs to listen for on this CD include the enchanting tale, “White Bird,” and the soul-searching ballad “Beauty of Uncertainty.” The lyrics for the later tune run in the same vein as Suzanne Vega’s music. This is an eerie song that is excellently orchestrated.
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Reviewed September 2007
