Search - Kt Tunstall :: Drastic Fantastic (CD/DVD)

KT comes out of her shell

eric_f | Boston, MA | 09/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

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The CD:



If Eye To The Telescope represented a shell that KT Tunstall was tucked away safely inside in, Drastic Fantastic represents this shell cracking open and KT emerging, wanting to show herself to the world. After all, the former had a cover photo of a shy and timid KT, suggesting a retrospective and reflective album, which Eye To The Telescope essentially was. But after just one glance at Drastic Fantastic's cover photo it's apparent that KT now wants to (cliché as it is), rock. And I think she has pulled off a very worthy sophomore effort here, giving us something a little different while not completely abandoning the style and sound that we've come to love about her.



It's true that Drastic Fantastic has a more commercial sound to it and one could say that it's more "poppy." As others have noted, it's also more polished. "I Don't Want You Now," "Saving My Face" and "Little Favours" are the rockers here. "If Only," "Hopeless," "Funny Man" and "Hold On" are more low-key. "White Bird," "Beauty of Uncertainty," "Someday Soon" and "Paper Aeroplane" represent the mellow acoustic tracks, all songs that could easily have been on Eye To The Telescope. So in a sense KT gives something for everyone here. I do think that the album would have benefited from having the last 3 tracks a) not back-to-back and b) not at the end...a rocker would have closed the album off much better IMO.



The DVD:



Contains a total of 3 segments. The main segment, a 1-hour documentary titled "All You Need Is Mud," is pretty much the main reason to get this. It is broken down into the following chapters:



1) Opening Credits - "Turn Into You" 2) St. Andrews, Scotland 3) "If Only acoustic" 4) Telescope at St. Andrews, Scotland 5) "Suddenly I See" live at Fat Sam's, Scotland 6) West Sands, St. Andrews 7) "Saving My Face" acoustic 8) Dance Rehearsals "Hold On" promo 9) "Hopeless" acoustic 10) Behind-The-Scenes "Hold On" promo shoot 11) "White Bird" acoustic 12) Press at Outsider Festival, Scotland 13) "I Want You Back" live at Outsider Festival, Scotland 14) KT's birthday party 15) "Ain't Nobody" acoustic 16) Glastonbury Festival 17) "Hold On" acoustic. The acoustic performances of songs from Drastic Fantastic consist of KT outdoors jamming either with her band or just friends (I can't tell which). The other chapters are self-explanatory.



The second segment consists of a 13-minute mini-documentary called "Interview: A Comic By Robin Footitt" and is exactly what it implies: a sit-down interview with Robin, the artist who created the comic booklet for Drastic Fantastic. This was interesting to watch once, but I can't see it calling for repeated viewings by most people.



The final segment is merely a 3 and a half minute photo gallery with KT's music playing in the background.



This version has a really cool color drawing of KT walking through a field of flowers.



A quick note about the packaging of this deluxe edition. KT obviously had the environment in mind when laying it out. The CD is housed in a unique tray made out of some recycled material that seems to be a cross between styrofoam and an egg carton. As much as I applaud KT for this I'm a little skeptical about the durability of it, so you'll probably want to handle it carefully. And the DVD is housed in a pocket slit which is fine, but one must take care not to scratch it when removing it and putting it back.



So, who should buy this CD/DVD deluxe edition? I'd recommend it to those who are big enough fans to want to learn more about KT's experiences before "making it big," and who are generally interested in some nice bonus features. For the everyday casual fan though, you'll probably want to just stick with the CD-only version. But whichever version you buy, Drastic Fantastic is one great album."

Get the deluxe version!

BillK 8 | Detroit, USA | 09/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was initially disappointed that the DVD does not include the "Hold On" video, but, the acoustic campfire songs included in the "All You Need Is Mud" documentary are well worth the price. So far, I like those better than the new album. It includes an acoustic performance of the Chaka Khan hit "Ain't Nodoby," which is almost worth $20 by itself.

"

Get to know Ms. Tunstall

G. E. Williams | California | 09/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I didn't watch the DVD for this set until today, and I reviewed the CD the day I got it under the CD alone category.

I won't rehash what I said about the CD in detail... So let me just say this.

The music is excellent. The lyrics are amazing. The musicianship is fabulous.



So... Why kick in the extra for the "Deluxe Edition"?



I don't know what it's like where you live, but this kind of music is mostly ignored where I live. So here is a chance to get up close and personal with this amazing artist. Included on the DVD is a comic that I just didn't get, but what I did get was the interviews and documentary with Ms. Tunstall, as well as a very cool set of unplugged performances of some of her songs.



If you are a fan, this set makes for a must have collectors item, and for those who are mostly uninitiated, this is a great introduction to this exceptional performer and her band.

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