Kristian Mattson has the rare talent that allows him to create and hold a space in which all of us on the other side of his guitar can come in direct contact, face to face, heart to heart with his thoughtful and passionate art.Mattson, who records and performs as The Tallest Man On Earth, recorded his third full length album "There's No Leaving Now", in his home studio in Darlana, Sweden with his signature minimal accompaniment. He added Matts Winkvist on bass on several tracks and Niclas Nordin on drums on a couple. It's subtle, but there's a little lift with this support.
Mattson's guitar playing is distinctive whether he's strumming or picking and the well placed reverb on his voice augments the emotional waves that roll through each track. The Tallest Man On Earth is a Romantic, like the musical, visual and literary artists of the 1800's who placed emotion and connection at the center of their work.
The album will be released on June 12th. Just after the release, he returns to Town Hall in New York City to play a couple of sold-out shows. It was there that The Tallest Man On Earth opened for Bon Iver in 2008 and the reaction of the audience led to a buzz that started to propel Mattson to a new status.
The space around Kristian Mattson is rarefied and pure. It just occurred to me, maybe that's why he calls himself The Tallest Man On Earth.
