The Tallest Man On Earth - There’s No Leaving Now (Album Review)
Wednesday, 06 June 2012
Written by Ben Bland
With the success of his previous two albums there must have been times when Kristian Matsson really has felt like The Tallest Man on Earth. With a minimum of fuss but a bucketful of charisma and an abundance of beautiful songs, Matsson has charmed his way to the edge of the mainstream. With 'There’s No Leaving Now' he only looks set to continue his rise.
On first listen one thing is immediately apparent about this record compared to previous efforts. The Tallest Man on Earth has finally taken the plunge and progressed to a more band oriented sound. Whilst the acoustic guitar is still dominant for the most part, it is more often accompanied here than not. This isn’t a transition quite as dramatic to be akin to when Dylan went rock but it has allowed a noticeable new level of depth and variation in sound, something that is probably appropriate for album number three.
Most benefitting from this new tactic is probably the gorgeous 'Revelation Blues', what sounds like a distant clarinet nestling behind one of the best guitar/vocal duets Matsson has penned to date. The regular appearances of echoing slide and pedal steel add new layers to Matsson’s trademark lessons in always engaging acoustic work but, as with 'Kids on the Run' from 2010’s 'The Wild Hunt', the piano also makes an appearance, accompanying the vocals alone on the title track, and it is on electric guitar that Matsson picks out the gentle figures of 'Criminals'.
The last track is arguably the finest. 'On Every Page' is more akin to the songs Matsson has been writing through his entire career but it immediately stands out as one of the best, in which The Tallest Man on Earth relegates himself to the ground and gives himself up to the imperfections of life. Yet the song itself is aching perfection defined, a perfect closer to a record that sees The Tallest Man on Earth cement himself as one of the very best songwriters around. If you are not yet familiar, now is the time to get acquainted. This is one of the essential records of 2012.
'There’s No Leaving Now' is out on 11th June via Dead Oceans. The Tallest Man on Earth plays London’s Hackney Empire on 3rd July, Hop Farm and Green Man festivals in the summer and tours the UK in October.
Mon October 22nd 2012 - HMV Forum, London
Tue October 23rd 2012 - Colston Hall, Bristol
Sat October 27th 2012 - HMV Picture House, Edinburgh
Sun October 28th 2012 - HMV Ritz, Manchester
Mon October 29th 2012 - St Bartholomews Church, Brighton
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On first listen one thing is immediately apparent about this record compared to previous efforts. The Tallest Man on Earth has finally taken the plunge and progressed to a more band oriented sound. Whilst the acoustic guitar is still dominant for the most part, it is more often accompanied here than not. This isn’t a transition quite as dramatic to be akin to when Dylan went rock but it has allowed a noticeable new level of depth and variation in sound, something that is probably appropriate for album number three.
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