The Tallest Man on Earth - There’s No Leaving Now
- By Ian Easton -
- Jun 11, 2012
Dylan, Dylan, Dylan. That’s all Kristian Matsson hears. The truth is, such comparisons are rarely worth the backslapping. However, Swedish-born Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth may be one of a select few who actually blow away the cobwebs and live up to the hype. Dylan never had this effortless ability on guitar either.
Following up on his genre-acclaimed second album, 'The Wild Hunt', Matsson could have been forgiven for becoming complacent. Not the case. Bursting with Americana-influenced meanderings, TTMOE’s third album, There’s No Leaving Now, is brimming with even more refreshing hooks, leaving you in a 1960s time warp - for an hour at least. This album is full of – dare I say it – an even more rounded and well-chosen selection of tracks. In terms of overall sound, the album itself is somewhat lo-fi, which adds to the overall vintage vibe going on here.
Stand out songs include the brisk and summery ‘Revelation Blues’, the quietly uplifting ‘Leading Me Now and the head-nodding ‘Wind and Walls’. This dude’s intricate clawhammer fingerstyle will leave most budding guitarists weeping onto their fretboards. The truth is, this man is a one off in terms of absolute raw talent.
Post folk-revival, this recording of one man and a guitar holds attention well. It’s a grower, not a show-er, and that’s why it will stand the test of time. Who wants short-sighted tracks that give a quick fix these days? That’s a testament to this man’s ability, voice and never-waiving knack for writing a standout track. This man really is the Wayne Rooney of the folk world. Bravo.
7/10
By Ian Easton. Blogs at thewidowmaker and tweets at @Thewidowmakeruk
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