The Tallest Man On Earth

The Tallest Man On Earth is a great example of two things.  False advertising (I’ve seen him on TV, he wasn’t that tall) and the fact that music doesn’t have to be innovative to be worth appreciating.  His real name is Kristian Matsson, and he’s another great musical export from our friends over in Sweden.  Music reviewers have thus far not failed to comment on the fact that he sounds a lot like Bob Dylan.  There’s no getting away from it, he does.  It put me off at first, and to begin with I dismissed him as somewhat of a copycat.  To his credit, he publicly acknowledges Dylan as an influence.  More importantly, the more you listen the more you realise they don’t sound as similar as you first thought.  Matsson is a better vocalist, more powerful, more emotive, more tuneful.  I haven’t listened to Dylan in a while, but I’d say with a smidge of confidence that Matsson is a better guitarist as well.  Don’t worry; I’m not getting carried away.  I wouldn’t dare claim that some young upstart from Sweden was better than the legendary Bob Dylan would I? No, I wouldn’t.  I doubt very much Matsson will ever have the same way with words, or the same mastery over the protest song.  But he does write very, very good songs.  He describes himself thusly, in his song ‘King of Spain’: “I am a native of the North Pole, and that could mess up any kid”.  Well, I guess it is pretty dark up there for most of the year.

So he’s not as tall as he claims, but he is a really good guitarist.  In most tracks it’s just him and an instrument, most commonly a steel strung acoustic guitar, but sometimes banjo, and on a couple of occasions electric guitar and piano.  So, the bastard’s ‘gone electric’ already.  I doubt anyone is furious, ‘The Dreamer’, featured on his 2010 EP Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird, is one of his better songs and his voice suits the electric guitar very well.  The simple combination of voice and a single instrument found on the vast majority of tracks leave nowhere to hide, so it’s lucky that the songs are so strong.  Personally, it’s the lyrics that keep me coming back for more – Matsson has a lovely turn of phrase, and writes emotive, memorable lyrics.  The imagery is reflective of a life lived in rural Sweden, and mostly it’s very pleasing on the ear.

He has released two studio albums to date, Shallow Grave (2008) and The Wild Hunt (2010).  The former was recorded at his home, and you can tell.  It’s perhaps a bit under produced, but it’s a blessing as it lets the quality of the song writing speak for itself.  It’s a really good album, with ‘Where Do My Bluebird Fly’ and ‘The Gardener’ being the pick of a very good bunch.  The songs typically combine good guitar lines and emotive vocals with excellent lyrics.  The mood of Matsson’s music ranges from upbeat to sinister, and all in all, it’s a charming record.  2010’s The Wild Hunt is even better.  On the second effort the production values have improved, with a slight echo being added to Matsson’s voice on some tracks which works really well.  The album brings more of the same – beautiful imagery and plenty of memorable lyrics wound skilfully around lovely guitar work.  Highlights include ‘King of Spain’, a cheeky foot stomper that has enjoyed radio and Jools Holland exposure, and ‘Love is All’, my personal favourite. 

Both albums are satisfyingly short, something I’m all for.  I appreciate value for money as much as the next guy, but I’ve listened to too many good 15 track albums that would have been great trimmed down to 10 or 11.  Waiting for Mattson’s next record, I find myself wondering whether an album with more instruments be a good thing.  It would be interesting to hear, but I like the current set up.  Too often singer songwriters load albums with heaps of instruments which don’t improve the tracks.

So, The Tallest Man On Earth is neither very tall nor very innovative.  But I’m sure he’d settle for being a great songwriter, which for someone of his talent is very achievable.