On The Download: KT Tunstall’s ‘Tiger Suit’

With song titles like “Lost” and “Fade Like A Shadow,” you might think that KT Tunstall’s third album would be similar to the majority of the songs on her gorgeously melancholy first album, “Eye to the Telescope,” but you would be mistaken. “Tiger Suit” is light-hearted and upbeat, similar to her biggest hits “Suddenly I See” and “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,” which makes listening to the album a perfectly peppy treat.

For this album, KT has mostly shed her acoustic roots and opted instead for a more danceable pop sound. She even gets a bit experimental with a sound machine at times.

“Glamour Puss,” “Push that Knot Away” and “Fade Like a Shadow” are the most danceable tracks from the collection. They seem to be written for the beginning of a romantic comedy – one in which our heroine is getting ready in the morning, making a smoothie, working out and trying to get a good start to her day. In fact, the album is a fantastic companion piece for your ride to work in the morning. It’s gentle enough not to jolt you too much in your sleepy state, but lively enough to wake you up and start your day off on a high note.

KT also includes some rollicking foot stompers with “Uummannaq Song,” “Come On, Get In” and “Madame Trudeaux.” These are tracks to which you could easily imagine her jamming in a dive bar… much to the pleasure of the rowdy patrons.

KT experiments more than she ever has before with a wider variety of sounds. Instead of her usual acoustic guitar, she adds whistles to the playful “(Still) a Weirdo” and gives “Lost” an Asian vibe. And on the song “Difficulty” she distorts the sound of an electric guitar, which gives the tune an interesting tone – it sounds cheery, but the lyrics chronicle her ongoing struggles with the difficulties of life — difficulties that always hound each and every one of us.

Having been a huge fan of her first album (four years after its debut, most of that album’s songs are still on constant rotation on my mp3 player), naturally my favorite songs on this album are in the same vein. “The Entertainer” is a wistful tune about being jilted by someone that seemingly has many others from which to choose. And “Golden Frames” starts out sounding like a song from the Wild West, and ends up having the most melodious and hummable chorus on the album.

This whole album feels tailor-made for the live stage, which is great for anyone who’s lucky enough to catch her upcoming tour — she’ll hit the States starting in late October. Here’s to hoping that she plays a nice mix of old and new – soft and raucous — to capture the spirit of all of her albums.

Check out her official website for more info on how you can catch KT in your area: http://www.kttunstall.com.

And check out “Tiger Suit” on sale starting Oct. 5, 2010!

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