Dead Oceans
Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird doesn’t add much to Tallest Man on Earth’s previous two releases but that doesn’t prevent it from being a welcome addition to his catalogue. The Swedish singer whose given name is Kristian Mattson has quickly ascended to being one of the most revered songwriters of his day. With his Dylan-esque finger picking and gravelly voice Mattson’s pastoral poetic songs are doubly impressive when you consider that English isn’t his first language.
Mattson is gradually expanding his music’s instrumentation with each passing release. Here he adds electric guitar on “The Dreamer” which ends up being the set’s standout track. There is also some gentle piano plinking behind “Like the Wheel” and each of the five songs here are heavily coated in nature imagery and clever turns of phrase. Fans will be familiar with this sound but they won’t be complaining.
