The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt

Kristian Mattson (aka The Tallest Man On Earth) casually delivers the line "I plan to be forgotten when I'm gone" on the title track of his brilliant new record The Wild Hunt, but if the intrepid Swedish singer/songwriter keeps crafting such effortlessly charming albums, there is no way anyone who loves good music will ever forget him or his stunning songs. Mattson's stark, unvarnished tunes are utterly captivating, with just his weathered vocals and sprightly guitar work guiding the intimately earnest tracks directly into the hearts of whomever is listening. With The Wild Hunt, Mattson's first for Dead Oceans, he takes a bold step forward from his equally enchanting debut Shallow Grave, confronting and making light of the unending Dylan comparisons, while wisely moving beyond them in the same clever verse in the sublime 'King Of Spain': "And I wear my boots of Spanish leather, while I'm tightening my crown. I'll disappear in some flamenco, perhaps I'll reach the other side." This record might entirely represent the 'other side' he mentions, but it clearly is rare air he's occupying these days in the world of modern music.Mattson again eschews the easy trappings of glossy production, sticking to the sparse, austere acoustic arrangements that worked so well on his debut. This time out, though, his dexterous fingerpicking and melodic strumming is given as much room as his vocals in the mix, guiding the songs forward more than his imaginative lyrics at times. The subtle addition of a banjo on opener 'The Wild Hunt,' is a welcome, albeit understated, flourish, and other than the mournful piano strains that guide the sublime closer 'Kids On The Run,' is the only other adornment to Mattson's voice and guitar throughout the record. When you have superlative talents such as those, not much else is truly needed anyway. 'Burden Of Tomorrow' proves to be one of the poppier additions to Mattson's catalog, but still resonates due to the insistently churning melody and his heartfelt vocals. The fact that the song could fit seamlessly on Nashville Skyline is a testament to Mattson's talent as a songwriter, not a detriment or a burden as some writers have suggested.One of the true joys I experienced while listening to this incredibly intimate album is realising, almost unknowingly, that I was tapping my feet perfectly in time with Mattson's own on the glorious 'The Drying Of The Lawns.' His faint but unbroken rhythm heard in the background is something that a more heavy-handed producer would do away with, in favor of a smoother, more refined sound, but the fact that it's left in the mix only personalizes the track, reinforcing the noble image of just one man alone in a room crafting these stately songs. That distinctive warmth is also present on 'Troubles Will Be Gone,' which sounds like Mattson is singing and playing directly in your ear, with the plucking of his guitar strings echoing in the spaces amid the silences. It's simply a gorgeous song, highlighting Mattson's estimable talents as a songwriter. It's a simple formula, really; just a singer with his guitar making everyone swoon, and it's certainly one that has been around for decades. But it takes someone truly accomplished to breathe new life into this often dusty musical technique, and this record is brimming with a fresh vitality and creative passion that makes this method sound new again.'King Of Spain' is both the literal and figurative centerpiece of the album, with Mattson packing all of his dreams and aspirations into a relentlessly upbeat melody, before unleashing a soaring chorus that would make for a grand singalong in a live setting. The hushed tranquility of 'Love Is All' slows the second half of the record down a bit, but finds Mattson playfully bouncing his vocals on top of his subdued but still spry guitar work. The secluded Swedish landscape that Mattson retreats to while recording faintly colours all of these songs, with Kristian taking us along with him while he explores his placid surroundings: "Well, I walk upon the river like it's easier than land."'Thousand Ways' and 'A Lion's Heart' feature more muted arrangements in favor of focusing on Mattson's plaintive vocals, and he really shines lyrically on these songs. Anyone who has survived a tough winter can clearly identify with these powerfully evocative lines: "In that land there's a winter, in that winter's a day. In that day, there's a moment when it all goes your way." We all need to cling to what can keep us warm during those frigid times, and the golden moments are indeed fleeting when the wind is truly up. Find solace where we can, he warns; and we would be smart to listen.The record closes with the forlorn, piano-laden ballad 'Kids On The Run,' which acknowledges that mistakes have been made in the past, but he doesn't say by who and doesn't apologise for any of them. It ends the album solemnly but perfectly, ultimately unifying the listener with the songwriter, while hinting that it wasn't Mattson at the heart of these songs anyway, it was a power far greater: "And the cold sky will write us a song, but will we ever confess what we've done? Guess we're still kids on the run." Even if we are all, admittedly, on the run, buying into the incessant quest for what's new and what's next, everyone needs to take a moment to slow things down enough to listen to the exquisite beauty of The Wild Hunt. The songs clearly won't sort out your problems for you, but they might just make them vanish for a second, leaving some answers in the place of questions, and some new questions in the place of old beliefs.The Tallest Man On Earth: “King Of Spain”