Sounds reminiscent of a beautiful summer day or a road trip with some friends or days when simple leisure is priority. These were the first thoughts that came to mind when I tentatively slipped the KT Tunstall album into my CD player.
It has a smooth bluesy feel, with hints of soft rock, I thought, but many critics have described it as pop music. I think not. It's not my usual choice of music, but her strong voice and edgy melodies swayed me.
Despite the slightly distorted connection from London, I could still feel her warmth and passion for music radiating through. The same warmth felt when listening to Other Side Of The World and Heal Over, two of my favourite tracks on her debut album Eye To The Telescope.
Speaking to KT on the phone, I discovered that she also finds it difficult to categorise her music, but safely says that it has a "blues-inspired and strong acoustic feel, with a coffee shop vibe".
The talented 30-year-old Scottish singer/songwriter has been described as a hybrid of many great female artists on the lines of Janis Joplin.
"I took that as the biggest compliment. But I'm not going to fully agree with that because Janis was just amazing."
Others have compared her to Dido, Katie Melua and Joss Stone - a comparison KT does not necessarily agree with: "My intentions when writing, is to write music for myself, wanting to sound like myself. The album was an autobiographical account of my personal experiences."
KT is more than your average singer/songwriter, she is also an artist and a self-taught guitarist who plays the flute and piano. Growing up in St Andrews in Edinburgh, she says her parents did not have a stereo system, so she was not exposed to much music. That changed when she decided to spend her final year of school in America.
"That was a real "ear-opener" and there was this wave of music-obsessed kids. They were always trying to drag me to shows and gigs. One of the first records I did own, however, was Tom Waits. This was when I was about 16. I liked the way he would create the sounds that he wanted, without the slick approach. It was homemade, native sounds that terrified me the first time I heard them."
KT also has a talent for art and design and designed her own website, before she even cracked a record deal. The home page is blank except for a model of a cottage in the woods, which she handmade.
"I really wanted to use it on my CD cover, but they insisted that they use a picture of me, but I was glad when a picture of my model house made it onto the CD sleeve."
She chose the house because she regards her music as "kitchen table conversations that take place in this humble, little home, a place where these songs could live".
The album title, she says, was a self-plagarisation of sorts.
She was part of a three-piece rock band known as the Red Light Stylers and would play mostly folk-inspired music, before she decided to wing it on her own: "I'm happy to be independent now, I feel like I can reach my full potential musically."
Having performed at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK in May this year, she is also excited about other upcoming events: "I have a few concerts lined up, like the Bob Dylan tribute concert, and I'm a big fan so I'm really excited. Then there's the V Festival 2005, where I will be playing with some big acts like Kaiser Chiefs and Razer Light."
If you're a fan, since you probably won't be at London's Hylands Park, best enter our competition to win the CD - we have five from EMI to give away. Simply e-mail [email protected].
Question: Name her debut album. Don't forget to provide contact details. Also look out for a competition on DStv's music channels to win tickets to see KT live in concert in London.