Tallest Man on Earth at The Ninth Ward, Buffalo, NY, 4-14-10.

The Ninth Ward is the acoustic space located below The Church at Asbury Hall. I have to say; Asbury is probably my favorite venue in Buffalo. I saw Iron & Wine there with Blitzen Trapper as well as Andrew Bird and St. Vincent. The church is majestic, beautiful, and as much a part of the music played there as the band is. This was my first time in the acoustic space and I think it suited the circumstances wonderfully. The Tallest Man on Earth is the moniker of Kristian Matsson, a Swedish folk singer whose unadulterated acoustic guitar and gravely yelp are truly refreshing. Matsson’s first Tallest Man album “Shallow Grave” sounds as if it was recorded live, complete with background noises and guitar thumps. The album is full of adept finger picking, banjo, muddled fairy tale lyrics and simple, honest melody. “The Wild Hunt”, the newest Tallest Man full length was released the day of his Buffalo show, so I picked up my vinyl copy on my way out. Matsson’s newest effort is perhaps even more endearing than “Shallow Grave.” The wild finger plucking, signature bark and unadorned nature are still present, but the lyrics are much less abstract. Matsson also seems to have found his stride as a vocalist, soaring through songs with confidence and the occasional charming croaky hiccup. As per the show, Matsson was a thrill to watch. The set-list featured a lot of new songs as well as some “Shallow Grave” favorites peppered throughout. At the time of the show I had only heard two songs off of “The Wild Hunt”, “The King of Spain” and “Burden of Tomorrow,” but having listened to the album since I recognize a lot more. Matsson’s presence is undeniable. He plays his guitar wildly, stomping his feet as if to add percussion to his melodies. The dexterity in his playing is incomprehensible, yet never showy and his distinct howl is impossibly charming. His interaction with the audience was endearing as well. Matsson interjected with thoughts on audience conversations, his Gene Kelly style stomping and the audience’s reaction to his red electric guitar (“Oh no, what could I possibly do with this?”) Matsson enjoined us with a 3-song encore, during which he played a new song and profusely thanked the audience for allowing him to do so. The song was beautiful of course, and of course warranted no apologies or exceptions. “The Wild Hunt” is out now via Dead Oceans and I highly recommend it, in fact it’s spinning away on my turntable at this very moment.