Kristian Matsson (born 30 April 1983) is a Swedish singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. Matsson grew up in
Leksand
Leksand () is a locality and the seat of Leksand Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 5,934 inhabitants in 2010.
Sport
Leksand is famous for the Leksands IF ice hockey team, who have won 4 Swedish Championships, although the team is curre ...
, and began his solo career in 2006, having previously been the lead singer of the
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
band Montezumas. His music has often drawn comparisons to the music of
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
.
Since 2006, Matsson has released five full-length albums and two EPs. He records and produces these in his home, and usually records his voice and guitar together on one track. He is known for his charismatic stage presence.
He was previously married to
Amanda Bergman, also known by the stage name ''Idiot Wind''. Together, they wrote the music for the Swedish drama film ''Once a Year''.
Musical career
Before Kristian Matsson began his solo career, he was the lead singer of the indie band Montezumas.
Matsson's first solo release, ''
The Tallest Man on Earth
Kristian Matsson (born 30 April 1983) is a Swedish singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. Matsson grew up in Leksand, and began his solo career in 2006, having previously been the lead singer of the indie b ...
'', was released in 2006. The EP received positive reviews.
At the start of his solo career, Matsson didn't plan to make music full-time, and he released his music without providing personal information or photographs of himself to journalists.
To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of The Wild Hunt, Matsson released a cover of Graceland by ''
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
'' through ''
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Dead Oceans is part of Secretly Group, which also ...
''.
''Shallow Grave'' (2008–2009)
In 2008, Matsson released an album, ''
Shallow Grave Shallow Grave may refer to:
* ''Shallow Grave'' (1987 film), an American slasher film
* ''Shallow Grave'' (1994 film), a British thriller film directed by Danny Boyle
* ''Shallow Grave'' (album), a 2008 album by The Tallest Man on Earth
{{disa ...
'', which was praised by the music site
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
and was listed #47 on Pitchfork's list of the ''50 Best Albums of 2008''. The album received generally favorable reviews.
Following ''Shallow Grave''
's release, Matsson was chosen as the opening act for the American indie folk band
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
.
The resulting publicity led to a solo tour throughout the United States, Australia and Europe, where he attracted large crowds, in spite of the lack of a record deal or distribution in the United States.
The song "Pistol Dreams", also released as a single, appeared in the Swedish television serial
How Soon Is Now?
"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the co ...
(Swedish: Upp till kamp).
On 9 October 2009, Matsson visited the
Daytrotter
Daytrotter is a recording studio, music venue and subscription-based music discovery website located in Atlanta, United States. It hosts recording sessions with indie music acts.
The original studio in Rock Island, Illinois, was founded in 2006 ...
studio, where he recorded four songs, including a cover of Bob Dylan's "I Want You." At that time, Matsson cited
Roscoe Holcomb
Roscoe Holcomb, (born Roscoe Halcomb September 5, 1912 – died February 1, 1981) was an American singer, banjo player, and guitarist from Daisy, Kentucky. A prominent figure in Appalachian folk music, Holcomb was the inspiration for the term ...
as an influence for his singing style and later included
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...
,
Feist and
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...
as influences.
''The Wild Hunt'' (2010–2012)
![The Tallest Man on Earth 03 - 20101117](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/The_Tallest_Man_on_Earth_03_-_20101117.jpg)
Mattson signed with the American label
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Dead Oceans is part of Secretly Group, which also ...
, and in April 2010 released his second album, ''
The Wild Hunt''.
The album was well received. The single "King of Spain" contains, besides the title track, a cover of
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
's "Graceland" and the previously unreleased track "Where I Thought I Met the Angels"; it was sold exclusively at the subsequent European tour. During the late summer and autumn of 2010 Matsson went on tour in North America and Europe.
The album was followed that same year by an EP, ''
Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird'', which also got good reviews. The EP was released through the iTunes Store in September, and in November was published on CD, LP and MP3. The album consists of five songs, all written for ''The Wild Hunt''; "Like the Wheel" the conclusion of many of Matsson's gigs, and "The Dreamer", was the first recording on which he plays electric guitar.
''The Wild Hunt'' garnered Matsson several award nominations. In 2011, he was nominated in the category "Best Male Artist" in
the Grammis Awards, the Swedish equivalent of the American
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s, but lost to
Håkan Hellström. Matsson was also nominated in the category "pop" in the 2011
P3 Gold Awards, but lost to Malmö indie pop band This Is Head. In February 2011, Matsson won the Manifest Award in the "singer/songwriter" category; he was also nominated in the "live" category, lost to
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two Billboard Hot 100, ''Bil ...
.
On 5 April 2011, Matsson participated in the BBC's program, ''
Later... with Jools Holland'', where he performed the songs "King of Spain" and "Love Is All". In June of the same year, Matsson's debut EP, The Tallest Man on Earth, was reissued with the previously unreleased track "In the Pockets" exclusive to the vinyl edition of the reissue. In July, he released the single "Weather of a Killing Kind" as part of the 2011 Adult Swim Singles program.
In August 2011, Matsson had contributed to the soundtrack of the Swedish drama film ''En gång om året''
(English: Once a Year), along with the
Idiot Wind. The film premiered at the
Gothenburg Film Festival
Göteborg Film Festival (GFF), formerly Göteborg International Film Festival (GIFF), known in English as the Gothenburg Film Festival, formerly Gothenburg International Film Festival, is an annual film festival in Gothenburg, Sweden and the larg ...
on 29 January 2012 and had a theatrical release on 17 May 2013.
On 27 January 2012, Matsson took part in the Swedish
TV game show
A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...
, På spåret where he, backed by a studio band, performed two cover songs: Thin Lizzy's "Dancing in the Moonlight" and Cornelis Vreeswijk's "En Fattig Trubadur"
(English: A Poor Troubadour). In February of that year, he re-released "King of Spain" as 12" vinyl for the event Record Store Day. the album was limited to 2000 copies.
''There's No Leaving Now'' (2012–2013)
![KristianMatsson 20130615](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/KristianMatsson_20130615.jpg)
On 12 June 2012 (June 11 in the UK), Matsson released his third studio album as The Tallest Man on Earth, ''
There's No Leaving Now
''There's No Leaving Now'' is the third studio album by Swedish folk artist The Tallest Man on Earth, released on 11 June 2012 on Dead Oceans. The album was preceded by the single "1904", released as a digital download on 15 May 2012. The track ...
'', on
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Dead Oceans is part of Secretly Group, which also ...
. The album was recorded by Matsson himself in his home studio in Dalarna during the latter part of 2011 and early 2012.
The album was streamed on Dead Oceans' website a week before its official release.
At the same time, Matsson released ''1904 b/w Cycles'', a 7" LP of his song "1904" as well his cover of the song "Cycles," written by Gayle Caldwell and
made famous by Frank Sinatra. He has also covered this song in live performances.
Along with the album, Matsson announced a summer tour throughout Europe and the United States including two gigs in Sweden (at the
Södra Teatern
Södra Teatern is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Mosebacke torg on Södermalm in Stockholm. The venue is the oldest theatre in Stockholm and is situated in the heart of the city.
History
Södra Teatern is one of Sweden's o ...
(English: Southern Theatre) in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
) and a performance at the
Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. It was one of the first modern music festivals in America, and remains a foca ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
. Matsson also toured in Europe in October 2012.
On 28 January 2013, Matsson took part in a benefit concert for the American musician
Jason Molina
Jason Andrew Molina (December 30, 1973 – March 16, 2013) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. Raised in northern Ohio, he came to prominence performing and recording as Songs: Ohia, both in solo projects and with a rotating cast of ...
, who did not have health insurance and, consequently, was in debt after a hospital stay. The concert took place at the Södra Teatern
(English: Southern Theatre) in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
, where Matsson played alongside, among others,
I'm Kingfisher and
Idiot Wind. Molina died on 16 March 2013.
''Dark Bird Is Home'' (2015)
Matsson's fourth studio album as The Tallest Man on Earth, ''
Dark Bird Is Home
''Dark Bird Is Home'' is the fourth LP by The Tallest Man on Earth. It was released on CD, digital and vinyl on May 12, 2015 through the label Dead Oceans. The album is the first in his discography to feature a full band playing on almost every tr ...
'', was released on 12 May 2015 on
Dead Oceans
Dead Oceans is an American independent record label formed in 2007 and based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Dead Oceans is part of Secretly Group, which also ...
. The album was largely inspired by Matsson's divorce from
Amanda Bergman as well as the death of a close family member, and its more elaborate instrumentation represented a musical shift from previous albums.
Following its release, Matsson performed—with a full band—at several festivals, including the
Roskilde Festival
The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...
in 2015 and the
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival (EFMF) is an annual four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, established in 1980 by Don Whalen. The festival continues to draw many people from around the world a ...
in 2016.
''I Love You. It's a Fever Dream.'' (2019)
On 4 February 2019, Matsson revealed that a new album would be released in 2019. In late February 2019, he revealed that his new album, now titled ''
I Love You. It's a Fever Dream.'', would be released sometime in April. He also released the first single, "The Running Styles of New York" the same day. The second single, "I'm a Stranger Now" was released on 27 March. The album was released on April 19 2019.
Matsson's song ''It Will Follow the Rain'' from his
eponymous
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
EP was featured in a 2019 commercial for the
Infiniti QX50
The Infiniti QX50, previously the Infiniti EX or Nissan Skyline Crossover until 2013, is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced by Infiniti, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Nissan. The first-generation QX50 is a minor model upd ...
automobile.
''Too Late for Edelweiss'' (2022)
On 19 September 2022, Matsson announced a new album of covers. It was released later that week on 23 September 2022 and includes covers of songs from
The National and
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
, among others. The album's title, ''Too Late for Edelweiss'', is a reference to the album ''
För sent för Edelweiss'' by Swedish singer
Håkan Hellström and that titular song is the first cover on the album.
Musical style
Critics have compared The Tallest Man on Earth to
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
both in terms of songwriting ability and vocal style.
When asked about his lyrical style, Matsson explains that he began listening to Bob Dylan at fifteen, and upon hearing Dylan's cover material, he "tried to figure out where those songs came from" and became slowly exposed to early American folk, such as
Pete Seeger
Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...
and
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
. But he is careful to qualify this, saying "I don't consider my work to be a part of any tradition. This is how I play. This is how I write songs."
With regard to his guitar technique, Matsson uses a variety of
open tunings
Guitar tunings are the assignment of pitches to the open strings of guitars, including acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and classical guitars. Tunings are described by the particular pitches that are made by notes in Western music. B ...
, and standard tuning to a lesser degree. He had classical guitar training in his youth, but says he "never really focused on it" and that by the end of high school he "got bored playing guitar because it was like math",
until he then discovered open tunings while listening to
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...
in his early twenties. He was drawn to this style of playing because it allowed him to focus on singing while still performing intricate music.
Discography
Studio albums
EPs
* ''
The Tallest Man on Earth
Kristian Matsson (born 30 April 1983) is a Swedish singer-songwriter who performs under the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. Matsson grew up in Leksand, and began his solo career in 2006, having previously been the lead singer of the indie b ...
'' ''(2006)''
* ''
Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird'' ''(2010)''
* ''A Collaborative EP with
yMusic
yMusic is an American sextet Chamber music, chamber ensemble from New York City. Consisting of a trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello, the group was formed in Brooklyn by trumpeter CJ Camerieri and violinist Rob Moose in 2008.
Ca ...
'' ''(2017)''
* ''When the Bird Sees the Solid Ground'' ''(2018)''
Singles
Music videos
References
External links
*
*
Artist page for The Tallest Man on Earth at NPR Music.Review: The Tallest Man on Earth
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tallest Man On Earth
Swedish folk singers
Swedish folk musicians
Swedish songwriters
English-language singers from Sweden
People from Leksand Municipality
1983 births
Living people
21st-century Swedish singers
21st-century Swedish male singers
Dead Oceans artists
Anti- (record label) artists
21st-century Swedish guitarists
Swedish male guitarists