Album Review

KT Tunstall – If Only

• 18th Feb 2008

A beautiful (close to perfect) slice of melancholia from everyone’s favourite Brit award winning lady singer songwriter.

If Only is the third single to be taken from ‘the difficult second album’ Drastic Fantastic and is, for my money, the strongest yet with possibly the catchiest chorus of the year so far.

As we’ve come to expect from the Edinburgh songstress the instrumentation manages to sound simple yet remain engaging whilst bittersweet lyrics (If only it was only me now), KT’s heartfelt vocals and some exquisite harmonies mean this song at times sounds like a cross between Jagged Little Pill era Alanis Morrissette and The Magic Numbers. When I see it written like that I realise what a truly terrifying prospect that combination is but trust me, I’ve heard it and it’s not bad at all.

With tour dates throughout April, a string of summer festival appearances lined up and another Brit nomination I’m sure this single will receive plenty of airtime (deservedly so), if it isn’t doing so already.

Personally I shall be splashing out on the 7” vinyl version of the release as it is supported by Bloc Party’s The Prayer as the B-side, whilst any remaining Bangles fans (there must be some) can get KT’s version of Walk Like an Egyptian as a B-side on CD or digital formats.

‘If Only’ is taken from current album Drastic Fantastic.