KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza | 
| Artist: Kt Tunstall
Label: Virgin Records Us
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $11.60
You Save: $7.38 (39%)
New (29) Used (8) from $9.99
Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 9022
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 76142
UPC: 094637614228
EAN: 0094637614228
ASIN: B000IU3XX8
Release Date: October 17, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Ashes | | • | Girls & the Ghost | | • | One Day | | • | Golden Age | | • | Boo Hoo | | • | Gone to the Dogs | | • | Change | | • | Miniature Disasters | | • | Universe & U | | • | Throw Me a Rope |
Disc 2
| • | Gone to the Dogs [DVD] | | • | Throw Me a Rope [DVD] | | • | Wee Bastard Pedal [DVD] | | • | [DVD] [Bonus Material] |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
If Eye To the Telescope introduced a bold new talent, KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza confirms that the Scottish singer is no fluke. Whether stripping down tracks from her platinum debut--nominated for both a Grammy and Britain's coveted Mercury Prize--or taking on Beck's tender "Golden Age," it's all about the Voice and the Voice is good. While Telescope elicited comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Bjoerk, in acoustic mode, Tunstall sounds more like countryman Rod Stewart back when he was fronting the Faces. She's got that soulful thing down to a science, but there's nothing affected about it, and she never pushes too hard. Ten years of busking can do that for a girl (it's how she learned to use a loop pedal to duplicate the sound of a full band). Originally only available through her website, Acoustic Extravaganza doesn't include hit singles "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" and "Suddenly I See," the theme from The Devil Wears Prada, but then it isn't a greatest hits collection. Recorded in two days, the CD/DVD set consists primarily of non-LP material, like the angry "Ashes," plus the featurette Five Go to Skye (Making the Album). The parental advisory warning ("explicit content") refers to the profanity in "Ashes." Otherwise, there's nothing objectionable going on here. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Album Description
Special Deluxe Edition of KT Tunstall's critically acclaimed debut release. CD includes bonus track "Immune" from One Night in Gaia performance. KT Tunstall "Live In the USA" DVD includes five live songs from her show in Washington D.C. on June 9, 2006 plus every video from "Eye To The Telescope."
Album Description
Limited Edition 2006 release from the Scottish singer/songwriter , a fan-oriented package featuring acoustic performances by KT and her band recorded at the tail end of 2005 on the Scottish island of Skye. Includes acoustic versions of new material, a version of her rare first single 'Throw Me a Rope' and a cover of Beck's 'Golden Age'. Also featured are unplugged renditions of 'Miniature Disasters' and 'Universe And U', originally from her Eye Of The Telescope album. 10 tracks. EMI.
Album Details
Recorded Between Christmas and New Year 2005 on the Scottish Island of Skye. The 10-track CD Includes Acoustic Versions of Recent 2005 Material, a Version of her First, Limited-edition Single "Throw Me a Rope" and a Cover of Beck's "Golden Age." Also Featured Are Unplugged Renditions of "Miniature Disasters" and "Universe and U" from "Telescope."the Pal Dvd Focuses on a "Making Of" Film Called "Five Go to Skye" and also Includes Live Performances of "Gone to the Dogs" and "Throw Me a Rope."
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| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
 Worthy release, but mainly for devoted fans October 29, 2006
eric_f (Boston, MA)
38 out of 41 found this review helpful
Previously only available through KT's website, "Acoustic Extravaganza" has finally gotten a commercial release. All in all this is certainly a good buy for any fan of KT who has been following her up until now. But having said that, I cannot give this the full 5 stars for the reason that IMO neither the CD nor the DVD quite measure up to her other material.
The CD: Basically a collection of b-sides and other rarities. Die-hard fans will already own a few of these songs..."Girl & The Ghost" makes an appearance as a b-side on her "Suddenly I See" single, "Boo Hoo" can be found as a bonus track on the Japanese import version of Eye to the Telescope, and "Throw Me A Rope" can be found on her "False Alarm" EP. And it's beyond me why "Universe & U" and "Miniature Disasters" are here. But "Ashes," "One Day," "Golden Age," "Gone to the Dogs" and "Change" are the real treats here.
The DVD: Unfortunately, it won't offer any profound insight into the world of KT Tunstall. There are a couple of intimate performances by KT, some outtakes, a "making of the album" featurette and a photo gallery. A little ho-hum if you ask me. I would have liked to see a much more in-depth exploration of KT's music here. Instead, it feels like something put together at the very last minute without much substance.
If you're a long-time fan of KT, by all means get this. Having these rare songs is definitely nice. But if you're new to KT's music, start by getting her Eye to the Telescope album, or better yet, invest the extra cash and get the recently released CD/DVD deluxe edition of Eye to the Telescope. "Acoustic Extravaganza," while solid, is more suited towards KT completists and die-hards.
 Even better than "Eye to the Telescope"! July 21, 2007
Gregory J. Casteel (Athens, AL United States)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
Take KT Tunstall's hit CD "Eye to the Telescope" and make it less "pop" and more "folk" and you've got "Acoustic Extravaganza". In fact, "Acoustic Extravaganza" even includes alternate acoustic arrangements of a couple of the songs from "Eye to the Telescope". Of course, it also contains several songs that were not on "Eye to the Telescope". Recorded in a guy's living room, with just a small group of acoustic musicians, the songs on this CD have an authenticity and intimacy to them that just can't be reproduced in a slick, modern recording studio. If you like KT Tunstall, you'll love "Acoustic Extravaganza". In fact, if you like good acoustic music at all, you'll love this CD. I fell in love with it from the moment I first played it.
I will warn you that there is some strong language in the first song on the CD ("Ashes"); so if that sort of thing offends you, please use your own discretion. However, language notwithstanding, I must say that "Ashes" is probably the best song on the CD, with a really catchy tune and some powerful lyrics. (It's a song about a couple having a fight; so the profanity is part of the heated exchange between the two.)
This version of the "Acoustic Extravaganza" CD comes with a DVD documenting the recording session and giving a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at KT and the band setting up and rehearsing for an appearance at a music festival. There is even a brief feature on the DVD demonstrating the loop pedal that KT is famous for using in her live performances.
If you like good music, I believe you'll be very impressed with this CD / DVD combo.
I Don't Have to Raise My Voice October 24, 2006
Scooter McGavin (Ohio)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
Earlier this year, KT Tunstall released one of the best pop albums in recent memory with Eye to the Telescope even garnering a rare 5 Stars. A couple months after that album, Tunstall released Acoustic Extravaganza, a collection of songs that was recorded in one day, through her website. But now it's getting a proper release along with an accompanying DVD which includes a making of the album documentary. Don't expect an acoustic rendering of the big hit Black Horse and the Cherry Tree or even the follow up single Suddenly I See.
Instead, the album is comprises mostly of material that didn't make the first album and work as acoustics songs instead of converting her hits like a poor version of MTV Unplugged. The last three tracks though are from the album, Miniature Disaster, Universe & U, as well as Throw Me a Rope, which was on the British release of the album but got cut from the Yankee release. But the newer tracks are the real gems most notably the opening track Ashes that bounces along like a country track and is also the song that gets the album its Parental Advisory sticker so be warned. Then One Day could have fit perfectly somewhere on her first album is polished up a little.
As Eye to the Telescope was close to pop perfection, Acoustic Extravaganza fall short of its predecessor thanks in part to the theme of the album. Acoustic songs lend themselves to be mellower than there plugged in counterparts which lead to a lull of too many mellow songs in the middle of the album. Add to that the holdovers from the first album just are not as good as the originals. But with that said, had this had been album that was released first; it would be up there as one of the best of the year.
If you liked "Eye to the Telescope"... January 13, 2007
Deanokat (Michigan, USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
....you'll love this acoustic collection from KT Tunstall. The bonus disc is great, too. Definitely one of the more promising female artists out there today.
The Title Says It All January 1, 2008
Kurt Harding (Boerne TX)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
My journey into the musical world of KT Tunstall began only recently, but I have come to like her music quite well. Her songwriting abilities are well-honed and her music charming, but its her voice that really draws me in. Some have compared it to Joni Mitchell and others to Bjork. But I don't hear either. What I hear in Tunstall's vocals is at times the seductive innocence of Shivaree's Ambrosia Parsley, at others the fire and grit of Bonnie Raitt, and at others still the sweet vulnerability of Paatos' Petronella Nettermalm.
I didn't even know this had been released until I saw it "on sale" at a local big box book and music store. So I looked it up here, found it at an even better price and ordered it. When I first heard it, I was very pleased. The title truly says it all. Acoustic Extravaganza is stripped down and raw. On this bargain CD/DVD package, Tunstall shows that she has both the skills and the stage presence to have some staying power in a world of so many one-shot wonders.
You get about forty-five minutes of mostly excellent songs on the CD and an entertaining DVD that shows her on the road both to record and to perform. While you may not watch the DVD more than a couple times, it contains enough music and insights that add value to this package. As for the CD, my favorites are Ashes, Boo Hoo, and Miniature Disasters. The parental advisory sticker warns of explicit lyrics. If you were to pay attention to the product description here on amazon, you would think that every song was laced with profanity. They are not, and on the one song where profanity is used, it fits.
The industry is having a hard time classifying Tunstall's music. Some say folk, others country. Although her music contains elements of both, I would prefer to classify it under adult alternative. I suppose what you would call it is up to the individual listener. If you like intelligent lyrics put to appealing music, you will like Acoustic Extravaganza no matter where you find it classified.
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