If you’re part of the sub-society with a distaste for Bob Dylan-style singing then you may be advised to stay away from The Tallest Man On Earth’s new album. Although I have received much criticism for my dislike for such vocals, regardless of how great the lyrics are, I must say that quite frankly I don’t give a damn!
While the production of There’s No Leaving Now is nicely done and the sound is very soft, there seems to be nothing spectacular about its musical content. Kristian Matsson is the type of artist that attempts to keep a very organic approach when writing songs and with There’s No Leaving Now, he keeps those elements apparent.
There are no effects on guitar and everything is mostly done in acoustics. It’s all too often that this kind of music is mistakenly classified under the genre of “folk.” Matsson’s style is dead and weathered by this point in time in terms of uniqueness. Every vocal section throughout each track sounds as if the singer is in a room filled with foul odors and that he is pinching his nose shut for dear life.
Some of the solos would sound fitting if they were recorded at higher volumes, allowing them to be heard more clearly over Kristian’s overbearing, typical, guitar chords. A lot of space is left open for improvement with this release. More bass and possible vocal harmonies are things that are missing that, if incorporated, could add to its ingenuity.
Often times in any form of creative outlet, artists will fall into an old sound that repeats itself, whether intended or not. Unfortunately, The Tallest Man On Earth has become victim to this pattern with There’s No Leaving Now. Regardless of the shaming fact that this is the case with his new record, Kristian Matsson still should be commended for having the guts to throw himself into a very difficult industry while giving it his best shot.
In A Word: Unoriginal