The Tallest Man On Earth
Review: The Tallest Man On Earth
8.9
ARTIST INFO
The Tallest Man On Earth, i.e., the Swedish indie folksinger Kristian Matsson, is a sneaky little devil.
Here's why: I envisioned some kind of 8-foot tall Woody Guthrie when I first heard about him a few years ago -- dude is only 5'9", I later come to find out. He then tricked me again today after I realized, on the third listen, that his new album, There's No Leaving Now, actually *isn't* boring but is, in fact, brilliant.
I'll admit it: I thought that the collection of pretty folk songs on There's No Leaving Now, out on June 12, was somewhat forgettable on first listen. No one track really stood out to me. Matsson channels the young Bob Dylan beautifully. His acoustic guitar-work is gorgeous and his voice poignant... but I felt a little bit like I had taken a Klonopin after the first listen: I was half-asleep and I couldn't remember a damn thing.
On the second go around, I found myself absentmindedly singing along to "1904," the album's first single which I had downloaded a couple weeks ago. "Hey," I said to myself, "Shannon!" (because I always address myself out loud and by my full Christian name). "This shit is actually pretty catchy!"
I could feel myself warming to the album as I heard the rest of the songs again, and this time I was humming along to another of the album's deceptively catchy tunes, "Leading Me Now." This song just has whatever magic element, whatever secret ingredient it is that makes a song a good one. No frills necessary.
As I approached the end of the album, I had one of those "moments" when you're listening to music and a chill runs through your body. It happened when I was listening to "On Every Page," and heard the lyrics, "when you know you're already young/ like the grass withered/ to become again and free/ it's all we'll ever be." Either the perfect confluence of the lyrics and music was making me feel damn wistful, or I'm coming down with something (which could very well be the case... I just found out one of my friends I saw last weekend has meningitis... ew!)
Third time around, I was genuinely enjoying each song, appreciating the intricacy of the arrangements and the depth of the lyrics, particularly on songs like "Wind and Walls" and "Little Brother." I've found that music that grows on you with time is oftentimes the best music, and I think this album might just be the perfect example of that phenomenon.
Stream "There's No Leaving Now" by The Tallest Man On Earth over at NPR and let us know what you think. Is it brillz or do I probably have meningitis? (make sure you listen to it at least a couple of times before responding. :))
Lyrics to 1904:
Some will say it's not even funny
and there you stand, not even trying
they say it is in line with the aging
sometimes noise is just your mind
but the lesson is vague and the lightning
shows a deer with her mind on the moor
and now something with the sun is just different
since they shook the earth in 1904
as I lower down I hear it's a message
and it's 1902 telling people to get out
if there was a just a way I could tell them
it's been long, but you are right.
the singing is slow and so quiet
like the sound when you sweep off the floor
and now something with the dirt is just different
since they shook the earth in 1904
when the night is young
but the bridge is up
something passing by our shore
the only one you can tell it to
is the only one that will know
As one rock was made to go through my window
here is something so strange and something louder than before
you're living with no light or direction but damn precise,
and now you know
that believing is hard but you go now
and you feel what you drag across the floor
and now something in these trails is just different
since they shook the earth in 1904
Some will say it's not even healthy
but body is young and mind is sure
that at least something is alright with your thinking
because they shook the earth in 1904
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