This five-song EP from The Tallest Man On Earth follows his masterful full-length The Wild Hunt with songs of love, loss, and insecurity. These themes are nothing new to Kristian Matsson, who always seems to be still nursing an old wound, but here he seems the most vulnerable. Despite it’s sudden release, this EP is a thoughtful and tender collection of songs, each one a standout in its own right.

Opener “Little River” is perhaps the song that would most closely fit in with the songs of The Wild Hunt, so it is appropriate that its nimble guitar plucks and earnest lyrics introduce the EP. “The Dreamer” is memorable for its sweeping melody, big-picture lyrics, and punctuating electric guitar, a rarely used tool in Matsson’s songs.

Matsson is his quietest and most achingly vulnerable in “Like The Wheel,” where his voice crackles as if he might break into tears at any moment. His insecurities are at the forefront in lyrics like “Oh my Lord/ Why am I not strong?/ Like the branch that keeps/ Hangmen hangin’ on/ Like the branch that will take me home.” Matsson sings of birds, mountains, and streams, clearly taking inspiration from his homeland of Dalarma, Sweden. In “Tangle In This Trampled Wheat” he is equally insecure and forlorn, but instead of sounding pessimistic, Matsson just sounds endearing as he boldly howls out “I’m not leavin’ alone” in the chorus. “Thrown Right at Me” sees The Tallest Man On Earth at his most romantic, without a word of anxiety or moodiness in sight. His guitar is quieter than usual, and Matsson seems perfectly content to let his voice take over the reigns.

Unlike many EPs, this selection from The Tallest Man On Earth is not a jumbled mess of afterthoughts, but rather a grouping of beautiful songs that just happened to come between albums. If nothing else, these songs reassure fans that Matsson has no intention of straying too far from his simple folk roots, and that he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

s=”50″ class=”textarea”>