KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza

Disc 1
1	Ashes 3:34
2	Girls & The Ghost 4:14
3	One Day 5:02
4	Golden Age 5:00
5	Boo Hoo 4:56
6	Gone to the Dogs 3:59
7	Change 3:44
8	Miniature Disasters 4:32
9	Universe & U 4:31
10	Throw Me a Rope 3:43
Disc 2
1	Gone to the Dogs DVD
2	Throw Me a Rope DVD
3	The Wee Bastard Pedal DVD

Barnes & Noble

This Scottish singer-songwriter's left-field success was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2006. This unfussy collection, while not billed as the "follow-up" to her debut, Eye to the Telescope, furthers that disc's vibe with flair. While three of the tracks on Acoustic Extravaganza -- notably a chopped-and-channeled version of "Miniature Disasters" -- are revamped Eye to the Telescope cuts, the majority of its songs were recorded in a whirlwind session on the bucolic Isle of Skye earlier this year. As the title indicates, this is a low-key affair, rife with plucked strings and warming washes of organ -- elements that Tunstall works into an ever-changing set of sonic moods. She waxes ethereally playful on the subtly insistent "Girl and the Ghost," which chugs along like something Ray Davies might've penned circa Village Green, and gets a bit earthier on the burnished "Boo Hoo," which parlays intricate instrumental interplay into a late-night mood reminiscent of the Band's earlier work. Tunstall's natural charisma surfaces again and again here, most vividly in the way she doesn't break stride when she interrupts the gently loping "Ashes" -- a song that grafts a swinging jazziness to Tunstall's trademark folk structures -- to toss off the aside "f**k you little princess, who the hell do you think you are?" The smile on her face is palpable in her tone of voice, and it's a smile that proves contagious throughout the disc. The package is rounded out by a DVD chronicling the making of Acoustic Extravaganza, as well as live concert footage and Tunstall's wry commentary on how she discovered -- and how she employs -- the loop-making "Wee Bastard Pedal" that enhances so many of her songs. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The very worst that can be said about Acoustic Extravaganza is that it is a stopgap between Eye to the Telescope, which was actually released in the U.K. in late 2005, and whatever comes next. Recorded after a relentless touring schedule, the tracks here were done in a small, remote Scottish studio with KT Tunstall's band. The set includes acoustic versions of "Universe & U" and "Miniature Disasters" from the album, and a few cuts, such as "Girl & the Ghost," "Throw Me a Rope," and "One Day," which were employed as B-sides for singles. There's also a fine -- no, nearly stunning -- cover of Beck's "Golden Age," which could have been recorded for a Ronnie Lane solo album. The rest, such as the countrified "Ashes" with its bold lyrics, the bluesy ballad "Boo Hoo," the pastoral folk-country of "Gone to the Dogs," and the minor key shimmering snapshot "Change" are all first-rate. The relaxed feel of the album is, in its way, a different side of the coin from Eye to the Telescope. Without all the production and gloss, Tunstall is still smooth, and tough at the same time. The DVD that comes along with this set contains a documentary on the making of the album -- this one -- videos for "Gone to the Dogs," "Throw Me a Rope," and a little ditty called the "Wee Bastard Pedal." There are also a slew of photos and outtakes. In other words, this is not a simple capitalistic attempt to part you from your hard-earned cash, but more the artist reaching out to fans she didn't even know she had a year ago, and offering something intimate, gentle, fun, and worthy to make the wait easier. Remember: she's as eager to keep you as you are restless for the next installment. If anything, this little "in process" package reveals the fact that -- in the over-saturated American pop culture market -- Eye to the Telescope was no fluke. Tunstall's the real artifact. Thom Jurek