Artist Profile: The Tallest Man On Earth

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There’s a comforting nostalgia in the songs of The Tallest Man On Earth, a.k.a. singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, almost like sipping a warm cup of tea in your favorite old sweater. The plucking of his guitar and crackly wail of his distinctive voice are enough to garner Bob Dylan comments abound, but Matsson’s sincerely-crafted folk tunes transcend any comparison. Like Dylan, though, The Tallest Man On Earth has produced two full-length albums (Shallow Grave, The Wild Hunt) of stunning Americana-folk, despite his roots in rural Sweden.

Matsson’s songs speak of someone who has lived but never lost his childlike wonder or eager curiosity. Lyrics bounce off of guitar picks and plucks with equal importance and weight, and the occasional reckless howl bursts through. “Pistol Dreams” sees Matsson cry out his story with abandon, “Love is All” is his tender ballad, and “King of Spain” is the crooner at his most exuberant and joyful, sly Bob Dylan homage and all.

Live, Matsson is a small (that’s right, not tall at all) bundle of talent and energy, and he himself is the show. There are no backing musicians or superfluous adornments here, just Matsson and his well-worn guitar. His intensity and voracity towards his craft is almost as charming as his sweet-natured graciousness between songs.

 

 

Don’t miss The Tallest Man On Earth on tour this fall. Click here for dates.