Tallest Man On Earth

(NOTE: This record has actually been out for quite some time, and just recently available in the United States and I've been listening to it since December. I just now wrote a review for Philadelphia CP and wanted to post it here too)

It’s rather infrequent that I get so into a record that it consumes a lot of my thought. It’s only happened a few times in my life. In the 5th grade when I bought blink-182’s Dude Ranch and Green Day’s Nimrod., in middle school when I listened to Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On for the first time, and in high school when I heard Bright Eyes’ I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, and frankly, I’ve been waiting for that moment since 2005. I think it’s happened again.
I happened to have the fantastic opportunity of seeing Swedish folk master, Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man On Earth open for Bon Iver (Another favorite record of mine from 2008) in late December. There was something about that uncharacteristic warm December night (It was like 60 degrees on December 18th, what’s up with that?). He had an awkward stage presence and I thought he might of just been uncomfortable or not used to playing large crowds, but when he started playing music…. I was entranced. I went immediately upon his conclusion to buy the record, Shallow Gave, and I have yet to stop listening to it.

The record opens with an interesting note, the track ‘I Won’t Be Found’. The track is rather sparse compared to the others, featuring a second melody, usually another guitar, or banjo, or mandolin. But it none the less is entrancing, and made me want to listen more. The 3rd track, ‘Honey Won’t You Let Me In’ is one of my favorites and definitely has a country feel to it, with a beautiful chord progression matched by Matsson’s crooning voice. ‘Shallow Grave’ comes in with a intense lo-fi sound featuring a banjo melody. The record continues on and then comes to the fantastic track, my favorite by far, ‘The Gardner’. A subtle metaphor for a lover who’s become jaded by his lover who has moved on and found a new boyfriend and the scorned lovers attempt at becoming even by, well, making the new boyfriend fertilizer for the ground. Half way through this folk gem import from Sweden, there is no possible way that you couldn’t be hooked (Unless you aren’t into folk).

Overall, this is probably one of my favorite records of 2008, had I known about it before the end of the year, it would have been in my top 10, hands down. However it arrived in my hands too late. However this record receives a solid 9.5/10 for nearly pretty much perfection.