Wax (KT Tunstall album)

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Wax
Studio album by
KT Tunstall
Released5 October 2018 (2018-10-05)
Recorded2017–2018
StudioSausage Studios (London)
Bradland Studios (London)
Genre
Length41:36
LabelVirgin, Rostrum Records[2]
Producer
KT Tunstall chronology
KT Tunstall's Acoustic Extravaganza 2
(2017) 		Wax
(2018) 		Live at the Barrowland Ballroom Glasgow 2019
(2019)
KT Tunstall studio album chronology
Kin
(2016) 		Wax
(2018) 		Nut
(2022)
Singles from WAX
  1. "The River"
    Released: 23 August 2018
  2. "Human Being"
    Released: 19 October 2018
  3. "Little Red Thread"
    Released: 7 May 2019

Wax is the sixth studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, and the second album in the "soul, body and mind" trilogy. It was released on 5 October 2018,[4] following up the first album of the trilogy, Kin. The first single from the album is "The River", released on 23 August 2018.

Background[edit]

Tunstall announced the release of a new album called Wax on 23 August 2018.[4] In early 2018, Tunstall announced she had started working with Nick McCarthy from the Brit band Franz Ferdinand, who is one of the co-writers and producers of the new album. She also announced that the album would be the second of a trilogy following the themes of soul, body and mind.[5] On naming the album, Tunstall said that "Wax describes very physical things to me. Bees, candlelight, music being pressed onto old wax cylinders, statues of human beings that look so incredibly lifelike and almost have a life-glow to them, and of course wax being produced inside your own head".[6]

About the sound of the album, Tunstall said she wanted it to be an electric guitar record before she started the writing process. "It had to be visceral, about the physical, and the weight of that, and the obstacles of that. It's a record about human-ness, which we so often just write off as 'flaws'".[7]

Singles and songs[edit]

The album is composed of eleven tracks. The lead single is "The River", and it was released on 23 August 2018, along with a lyrics video. An official music video was released on 11 September. Along with the single release, an acoustic version and an "Alexander Bradley Remix" were released. Tunstall stated she wrote the song years ago, during a tour while promoting her second album Drastic Fantastic.[8]

"Human Being" was released as the second single on 19 October 2018, along with a lyrics video. Its official video was released on 9 November 2018, featuring eight-year-old Canadian martial artist Eccaia Sampson.

The album also includes a new version of "The Healer", which was originally included on the Golden State EP. The new version is included under the title "The Healer (Redux)".

"Poison in Your Cup" is an old song that Tunstall had written years ago and played during some gigs. Finally, the track made its way on Wax.

Another notable song is "The Night that Bowie Died", which, as the title says, is a tribute to David Bowie that Tunstall and McCarthy wrote together. Tunstall stated that writing the song "was a real moment where Nick and I looked each other in the eye and knew we were making special work together. It got us both very emotional, and we had to take a minute to get our shit back together. So that song is a real vanguard."[7]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
Albumism[10]
AllMusic[1]
Exclaim!7/10[11]
Paste[12]
The Times[13]

Wax received generally positive reviews by critics. Aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalised rating of 75% based on four critic reviews[9] and AnyDecentMusic? reports a rating of 6.3 based on six reviews.[14] Before the album's release, Wax was a part of Billboard's most anticipated albums of Fall 2018.[15] The article calls the lead single "The River" a "roaring single".

Of the songs, "The Mountain" appears as a standout, being described by Neil Z. Yeung from AllMusic as "slinky, intergalactic exploration that sounds unlike anything Tunstall has ever done", while the website The Skinny picked the song in her Top 3. Also, the last two songs "The Night That Bowie Died" and "Tiny Love" were mentioned in many reviews as standouts. The Arts Desk writes about it: 'the final tracks "The Night That Bowie Died" and "Tiny Love", you could hardly ask for a better listen for those first nights of putting the heating on as autumn sets in.'

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Little Red Thread"
3:26
2."Human Being"
  • Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • Bran
  • Kerr
3:29
3."The River"
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • Bran
  • Kerr
3:40
4."The Mountain"
  • Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • Bran
  • Kerr
3:57
5."The Healer (Redux)"Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
3:48
6."Dark Side of Me"
  • Tunstall
  • Terefe
  • Tyler Connolly
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • Bran
  • Kerr
3:36
7."Poison in Your Cup"Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
3:48
8."Backlash & Vinegar"Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
4:06
9."In This Body"
  • Bran
  • Kerr
3:21
10."The Night That Bowie Died"
  • Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
3:49
11."Tiny Love"
  • Tunstall
  • Terefe
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
4:36
Total length:41:36
HMV Scotland special edition bonus tracks[16]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."John the Conqueror"
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
2:51
13."Throw Down Boy"
  • Tunstall
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
  • McCarthy
  • Kellig
3:07

Notes[edit]

  • ^[a] Despite not being credited as songwriter of "In This Body" in the album's liner notes, Karen Poole is listed as songwriter by ASCAP and BMI.[17][18]

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 6
UK Albums (OCC)[20] 15
US Billboard Top Independent Albums 30

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "WAX - KT Tunstall". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. ^ Stickler, Jon (23 August 2018). "KT Tunstall Shares The River From Upcoming Sixth Studio Album 'Wax'". Stereoboard.com. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  3. ^ "KT Tunstall: Wax | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  4. ^ a b "KT Tunstall Announces Sixth Studio Album 'WAX' With New Song 'The River': Listen". Billboard.com. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  5. ^ Warren, Bruce (23 August 2018). "Listen To KT Tunstall's Anthemic 'The River' From Her Forthcoming Album, 'WAX'". NPR Music. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  6. ^ Armour, Casandra (3 December 2018). "KT Tunstall on the Making of Her New Album, WAX". Performer Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Story - KT Tunstall". KT Tunstall Official Site. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  8. ^ Tunstall, KT. "KT Tunstall - WAX (Track By Track)". YouTube. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Album Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  10. ^ Harrison, Quentin (11 October 2018). "KT Tunstall's Musical Versatility and Vitality Burn Bright on 'WAX'". Albumism. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  11. ^ Hillary Windsor (2 October 2018). "KT Tunstall - WAX". Exclaim!. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  12. ^ Desler, Madison (8 October 2018). "KT Tunstall: WAX Review". Paste. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  13. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (5 October 2018). "Pop review: KT Tunstall: Wax". The Times. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  14. ^ "KT Tunstall WAX". Any Decent Music?. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  15. ^ "The 40 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2018". Billboard. 13 September 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  16. ^ "KT Tunstall – Wax (2018, CD) - Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  17. ^ "In This Body (Work ID: 894767118)". ASCAP. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  18. ^ "In This Body (BMI Work ID: 28688632)". BMI. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
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