the first single off his new album "I Love You. It's a Fever Dream" coming on April 2019. and I'm quite excited. I need this. on a deep soulful level i need this. 4 year was too long a wait.
This song is beautiful. I am looking forward. I am relistening to his albums now for the first time in a shamefully long time. I was too agitated and cynical and in too dark a place to feel the music the last couple years. But now its like making up with a long out-of-touch friend. this man is just amazing. _________________ -Ryan
Its very on brand for me to gush about this album and artist. I made my name in 2012 and 2013 just going on and on about Kristian Mattson. But a couple years ago something changed. It was like my spine was out of alignment or like some unnerving discordant wail was always there in my mind. When I came back to TTMOE I analytically knew I liked it. But emotionally, I couldn't jive with his positivity, his wonder, his sentimentality and vitality. Something had shifted.
And then yesterday for the first time in years I saw that a new single off a new upcoming album was dropped. I felt some jolt of nostalgia or joy. It was like the state of mind which I'd lost but didn't realize had been jump started. I listened to the new song and I felt joyous. I felt hopeful again.
And now I'm listening to this album and its all rushing back, what I fell so strongly for all those years ago (8 and a half years to be more exact). This album is not as energetic and upbeat as his previous 2 albums or first EP. Instead he seems to be in a bit deeper reverie. Like he's reflecting on life and memories as opposed to looking ever onward. The arrangements are similar, but the production is more hazey and forlorn. The songs are still undiscernable poetic sketches, but on here they conjure ghosts of dreams lost and ideas which never came to be.
His guitar playing on songs like Criminals and You're Leading M<e Now is just as awe-inspiring as anything from his brilliant 2010 album The Wild Hunt. His voice is just as brittle and passionate and heartwarming. But this may be his most perfectly introspective album of the 4 he's made. The EP Sometimes The Blues Is A Passing Bird is the only other release of his which seems similar in its mood and message.
I'm so very happy I've come back around and am back in the loving arms of this artist who has been something of a friend for a third of my life. _________________ -Ryan
Continuing with my Kristian Mattson/Tallest Man On Earth renaissance (side note: I just spelled that word correctly on first try for the first time ever!), I now am listening to Mr. Mattson's last album Dark Bird Is Home. Hard to believe its been 4 long years since this dropped.
I remember even then I had a sneaking worry that I was bound for a let down. I had just spent the previous 4 and a half years OBSESSED with his music like I had not been for any other artist outside of Dylan. And sure enough when this dropped I remember being a fan, but not smitten. As a loyalist, I abstained from any complaints. But basically my opinion was that Dark Bird was his least essential album. I felt he'd lost some of the earnest passion and power even while retaining most of the qualities which made me such a fan.
Now I am listening now and I can say I love this album. Its second tier Tallest Man On Earth. On that top shelf is The Wild/Sometimes The Blues Is Just a Passing Bird and There's No Leaving Now. And a peg below it sits this album, his debut Shallow Grave and his debut EP.
Still, the aspects of the album I was sort of put off by back in summer '15 - stuff like that omnipresent layer of keyboards and tones, or that more contemporary folk rock jangle, and that more polished production - work and work really well for me now. And the thing that sticks out to me is the sadness of the vocals and lyrics. It wasn't until later I learned that he had gone through a divorce as/just before this album was made. You can hear it in his more mournful vibes. Where as his first 3 releases were mystical and fiery, and his next 2 releases were more subdued and nostalgic, this album charges forward with eyes cast downward, sprinkled with faint sighs and sags.
Lyrically, look, I'm a sucker for his wordplay. I know it. You know it. But yeah, this albums has some lines that sucker punch me in the hawt every time I hear them.
"Well, I guess we're always in the questions of the things we never learn." - Singers
"Sometimes the noise is just your mind" - ? (forget which song)
etc...
The lyrics aren't as mesmerizing here at they were on The Wild Hunt, but something in the way he sings 'em makes me click right into his attitude and the significance of them.
And I guess now that I am older and not a 20 year old ball of passion like I once was, I can vibe with an album like this like never before. This reappraisal happened a year or 2 ago with Blood On The Tracks (not saying this is remotely on that level). But I always respected BotT but never really "got it" ... until I did. I still love Dylan's albums from his 20s, but I do feel in a way a greater connection to the classics he made mid 70s. Guess I'm just subtly changing or something. _________________ -Ryan
Like many Tallest Man On Earth fans I was paying close attention to the monthly or so individual video and song releases which we had throughout 2018. Even though I wasn't in the frame of mind to really care as much as I should have, they were each welcome additions to my listening routine. Then toward the end of last year Mr. Mattson released all 5 tracks as an EP. And that's what this is.
And a few days ago I finally listrened to this EP as an EP instead as individual vids and songs. Its a surprisingly cohesive and beautiful record. Not on the level of my all time favorite EP any artist Sometimes The Blues is a Passing Bird, yet still there are a couple truly landmark all timers in TTMOE's catalog.
The first song "An Ocean" is kinda shambolic melodically which I like. But the real stand out is that weird looping and complex guitar lick playing behind him. Its mesmerizingly strange. And the horns are cool.
The best song on here also happens to be one of the highlights of his whole career, and that's track 2 "Somewhere in the Mountains, Somewhere in New York." Its one of my new favorite love sick, bitter and utterly sad songs. Its so simple that you'd think hundreds of singer songwriters could release a song like it. But its so affecting and genuine and perfectly rendered that its not a common beauty. Kristian Mattson is one of our great living singer-songwriters.
Throughout the EP its really driven home how nimble and excellent Mattson is at finding a timeless and gorgeous melody. He just knows how to pick the right series of notes which aren't cliche, are catchy, and do strike a chord. For me anyway.
Track 3, Forever is a Very Long Time", has these pristine upbeat horns, and him overlayed with passionate vocals. It shouldn't work but oh it does.
Track 4 "Down In My Heart" - this track slows it down, brings the EP back to earth. Especially to start. Its another simple love/breakup track. And its really solid.
Track 5 "Then I Won't Sing No More" features some classic Mattson guitar work. Its shimmering gold much like the iconic guitar work on "Criminals" earlier in his career. The melody here is stunning, and the work of the vocals with the guitar and that's almost it, is simple and subtle sad beauty distilled to its perfect core. I love this shit.
Overall rating 9/10. Its a worthy set to add to his discography. He's really a miraculously brilliant artist.
So much more excited by the day for the new album.
"What if nature's just numbers? You and I repetition." _________________ -Ryan
Here is an album which I am very late to the hype train on. Somehow I never gave this album much time. That’s despite being a big fan of Space Is Only Noise from 2 years earlier.
Well after seeing this album grow in acclaim over the years and some really smawt BEAers heaping praise upon it, here I am finally indulging.
Well, I should have gotten onto this earlier. Jaar is a creative force of nature. And if this and SiON is an indication of his talents, I can presume he’s a genius. This album is that amazing thing which covers so much ground, and weaves together so many different sounds and styles but in a brilliantly cohesive way. Cerebral yet fun and brilliant all the way through.
I’m thinking I’ll listen a few more times and consider this chart worthy, decade chart if not all time.
Okay, dull and vanilla “review” over. Hope y’all are doing great. _________________ -Ryan
So I have a rare morning off and I put on my Naked Giants shirt I got a few months ago when I saw them open up for and be the backing band for Carseat Headrest.
So I am back to listening to this album.
Its a solid garagey rock album, a lot of unfocused energy and some good tunes. I like it a lot. Live they were wildly good. I was blown away with their stage presence. The album doesn't just okay at conveying their live energy. Still a solid 6.5-7/10 album. If you like the white stripes or Jay reatard or just generally simple and manic at times garage rock, you'll like this. _________________ -Ryan
Here is an album which I am very late to the hype train on. Somehow I never gave this album much time. That’s despite being a big fan of Space Is Only Noise from 2 years earlier.
Well after seeing this album grow in acclaim over the years and some really smawt BEAers heaping praise upon it, here I am finally indulging.
Well, I should have gotten onto this earlier. Jaar is a creative force of nature. And if this and SiON is an indication of his talents, I can presume he’s a genius. This album is that amazing thing which covers so much ground, and weaves together so many different sounds and styles but in a brilliantly cohesive way. Cerebral yet fun and brilliant all the way through.
I’m thinking I’ll listen a few more times and consider this chart worthy, decade chart if not all time.
Okay, dull and vanilla “review” over. Hope y’all are doing great.
I love this album. Not much of a review forthcoming. About a year ago I started really delving into the more extreme stuff and this really caught me ear. Its brutal yet stunningly brilliant. Also 12 minute albums are awesome.
9.3/10 and on my overall favorites chart and not being moved today, _________________ -Ryan
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
