Kristian Matsson may not really be the Tallest
Man on Earth. But he may be close to the man catching the most hearts. His
songcraft on his third full-length is intricate and undoubtedly heart wrenching.
It’s impossible to ignore the roughness to his vocals, which comes off as a
desperate attempt to convey emotion through one three-minute acoustic gem after
another. But it’s desperate in a good way – as if he’s frustrated with all
those songwriters hiding behind sappy metaphors. The Swedish native’s gorgeous
fingerpicking swims underneath his growled poetry quickly and fluidly. On the
title track, he stretches out his fingers on the piano for a quiet punch to the
gut. If Matsson’s declaration in “Wind and Walls” is true – that “this is not
the future, but I sense it’s right up there” – hearts will be aching for what’s
to come.
