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Track Listings
| 1. Uummannaq Song |
| 2. Glamour Puss |
| 3. Push That Knot Away |
| 4. Difficulty |
| 5. Fade Like A Shadow |
| 6. Lost |
| 7. Golden Frames |
| 8. Come On, Get In |
| 9. (Still A) Weirdo |
| 10. Madame Trudeaux |
| 11. The Entertainer |
Editorial Reviews
The Berlin odyssey set the scene for Tunstall's awakening to the wonderful world of synthesizers. "I was very scared of them because I felt that they would be an albatross around the music," she says. But that was before IAMX, aka former Sneaker Pimp Chris Corner, supplied her with a couple of "transporting" arrangements. "Then every synth came out of the box and I entered a world that I am completely smitten with now." Pride of place in Tunstall's armory went to the Yamaha CS-80 -- Vangelis' weapon of choice on the Blade Runner soundtrack -- which she describes as "a huge beast, like playing a couch."
Without sacrificing any of her personal storytelling touch, the sonic landscape of Tiger Suit shifts from the uninhibited tribal yelp of "Uummannaq Song," inspired by her Greenland foray, to the analog drone-meets-oriental chime and flutter of "Lost," by way of "Push That Knot Away," which she calls a signature track on the album. "It's about confronting fear rather than running away." Then there's the rollicking first single, "Fade Like A Shadow," which Tunstall explains is about a person who haunted her for many months. "The person is still very much alive, but my interactions with them led to these weird, almost visitation-like feelings that I found difficult to shake off."
Elements of all the influences that make up Tiger Suit come together on "(Still A) Weirdo." A beautiful acoustic guitar line floats through organic and electronic rhythm sounds, while the lyrics are some of Tunstall's most personal. "It's one of those rare moments where you can see yourself objectively and look into your own emotional machinery and realize what you are," Tunstall says. The journey continues through the extra-terrestrial blues of "Golden Frames" (featuring the formidable Seasick Steve), and the glam strut of the anecdotal "Madame Trudeaux," to the up-tempo swagger and hum of "Glamour Puss."
"Making the album felt a bit like an archaeological dig," Tunstall says. "I had to dig deep to uncover what most turns me on. The best way I can describe it is that I discovered the indigenous part of myself by going back to campfire dance music just as much as club dance music. When I grind my boot heel into the floor, it's connected to when I went clubbing in Berlin. Losing yourself in the middle of nowhere around a fire is no different to losing yourself surrounded by hundreds of people on a dancefloor."
Customer Reviews
Comparisons to other female artists are almost inevitable, but Tunstall's lyrics - alternately straightforward and impressionistic - and her melodies - pop-savvy but never canned and rarely radio-friendly - demonstrate her vivid originality. This is before considering her adventurous song structures and sonic textures.
The music Tunstall has created for "Tiger Suit" is "art for art's sake." She clearly cares more about self-expression, integrity and musicianship than selling a million records and having hit singles.
She mixes things up with a bit of genre-hopping, introducing shots and squirts of electronic beats, Eastern strings, oddball keyboard, melodic phrasing via whistling, international blues fusion, and more. She takes many risks, and the songs are idiosyncratic to be certain, yet the results are never jarring and the songs rub against each other well.
The downbeat, off-kilter "(Still a) Weirdo" was an odd choice for European lead single - a double-edged affirmation of individuality, it is one of the few compressed, thoroughly reigned in moments on the album - while the sprightly "Fade Like a Shadow" - an ear-pleasing tune, especially when it's urgent chorus of keyboard chords surges upward - is a safer choice for the other side of the Atlantic.
"Difficulty" finds Tunstall singing scattershot-like about an unpredictable lover over an aggressive set of beats that coalesce to form a heady, urgent melodic hook that both underlines and highlights. It is a bit overlong, but it works well and instantly locks itself in.
"Glamour Puss" is almost as special and full of grit, fire and verve, juggling several different flourishes and accents that somehow land in the right places. "Come On, Get In," about living for the moment, works similarly with its type-A, get-in-your-face attitude. It resembles "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" in its aggressive, swashbuckling arrangement.
The quieter moments simmer and glisten. The sly, snake-like "Golden Frames" leaves room for depth and range in Tunstall's vocal expression, which she takes full advantage of.
"In my life I've never seen anything quite like it," she sings icily. "And I've been around for years."
The brooding, classy "Lost" is so gorgeously arranged and textured that it overwhelms, and with sweet, haunting melody, probing lyrics and evocative vocals pouring over it. "The Entertainer," the album's strong closer, is similarly ingratiating, but a little less interesting and a little more radio-friendly.
"Tiger Suit" shows that Tunstall is a rarity - a singer/songwriter who, in spite of being situated firmly in the mainstream, is staunchly following her muse. She is able to serve up genuine emotion while avoiding the useless, inane heart-on-sleeve-ness of the majority of her contemporaries. She not only shows her talent here, but focuses it, sharp and laser-like, resulting in her strongest collection of songs yet.
The ultra catchy "Uummannaq Song" (with nice yay ayes) does feature more synths and beats than usual but the guitar is pushed to the fore and there's even a light Country lilt and an air of familiarity. Similar is "Glamour Puss" (with a nice whistled refrain). The intricately layered "Difficulty" reminds one of Alanis Morisette, while "Fade Like A Shadow" and "Come On, Get In" are bouncy clap-filled Pop like Tunstall's old stuff. "Lost" is a delicate ballad with eerie flourishes, while "Golden Frames" is creepy Bluegrass.
"(Still A) Weirdo" is a lovely little quirky ballad (my favourite), while "Madame Trudeax" is a spoken/sung Blues Rocker. She does tinker with her winning formula a wee bit, but not enough to make her unrecognizable. This is one tiger with a very nice bite.
Not liking this one at all. I miss the acoustic guitar!! Read more
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