There is a combustible quality about KT's music. Starting with her voice,
the music jumps out at you. Strong one moment, lilting the next, it is mesmerizing. The art of a great singer-songwriter for me is captured when the artist can combine substantive lyrics with melodic catchy sounds that stay with you...this is not always an easy combination to find. KT has met my test along with the great Lucinda Williams and relative newcomer Arrica Rose in her new album La La Lost.My favorites on the album are "Black Horse and Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See."

Most people have heard the two major hits from Eye To The Telescope - "Black Horse And Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See". However, if that is the full extent of your experience with KT Tunstall's debut CD, then you have really missed out. Eye To The Telescope is full of great songs that cover a broader spectrum.

Vocally, there is a lot to like here. Tunstall shows an ability to succeed at a variety of different styles. She is sweet (without being sappy) on the opener "Other Side Of The World" as she gracefully hits falsetto notes on the chorus. Many of the songs - including "Under The Weather" and "Heal Over" - boast rich vocal harmonies. On hit "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree" Tunstall evokes Joan Jett with her growls on the chorus. Typically when an artist tries for this much breadth in style something comes up short; however, this is not the case on Eye To The Telescope.

Lyrically, Tunstall doesn't break a lot of new ground, but her songs manage not to come across as trite. "Another Place To Fall" deals with the after effects of bad relationships. The lyrics are often metaphorical as the line "But now you have got indigestion/The answer comes in the form of a question" from "Another Place To Fall shows. "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree" is probably the least straightforward song as Tunstall laments having sent her heart away only to find that it won't come back. Suffice it to say that you will listen to these songs time and again, and still you won't be quite certain the specific or exact meaning. As a final note, I found it a minor annoyance that the liner notes obscure the lyrics on the first four songs with black text and an almost black background in places.

Instrumentally, Eye To The Telescope is heavily influenced by folk. With songs that like "Black Horse And Cherry Tree", "Miniature Disaster", "Silent Sea", and "False Alarm" that feature acoustic guitars as well as "Miniature Disaster" and "Stoppin' The Love" that have clapping supporting the rhythm, you have classic folk ingredients. At the same time the songs are not so simplistic. "Stoppin' The Love" has a mellow, reggae influenced guitar line as well as mixing in some violin. The long song that features more of an electronic sound is "Universe & U", yet it does not stick out. Finally, the closing number, "Through The Dark" is a slower song supported mostly by jazz tinged piano and drums.

Overall, Eye To The Telescope is an impressive CD from KT Tunstall - especially when you consider that it is her first. It is that rare treat that is musically diverse yet has the continuity to keep it from seeming like a collection of random, disconnected songs. If you like music that is folk at its core yet layers in other styles for extra depth; you should give this a spin.

I just am a huge fan of KT's and this is just a killer CD. Anyone who has not had a chance to either see her or hear her music should... just great.

Jeff

I had just seen a concert with KT, and thought she was great. I was excited to get the CD, and was very pleased with how quickly I received it. Would definitely deal with this vendor again in the future.

I bought this CD for one song and ended up liking the whole CD great music