The Tallest Man on Earth - I Love You. It's a Fever Dream

Kristian Matsson, otherwise known by the moniker The Tallest Man On Earth, has been at the heart-on-your-sleeve singer/songwriter game for over a decade now. And while much of his earlier work fell squarely into the box of traditionally-leaning folk, Matsson’s last album, 2015’s Dark Bird is Home, found the Swedish artist expanding upon his ‘man-and-his-guitar’ palette with a more plugged-in sound. And now The Tallest Man On Earth is back with his latest release, I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream.

With a collection of songs that ranges from sparse, intimate balladeering to polished indie-pop, I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream finds Matsson in fine form as the artist dutifully pairs his hushed, pensive musings with yet another collection of carefully constructed songs.

The album-opening “Hotel Bar” is a lighter-than-air rumination on distance and heartache that finds Mattson admitting “All I can do is say things will be fine” over a bed of sparse finger-picking. The stage-ready waltz “The Running Styles of New York” continues the confessional trend while the harmonica-laden “There’s a Girl” is Mattson at his most Dylan.

Much of what follows can be slotted into one of two categories: gentle ballads (“I’ll Be A Sky”, “What I’ve Been Kicking Around”) and upbeat toe-tappers (“I’m a Stranger Now”, “All I Can Keep Is Now”). For his part, Mattson’s vocals have never sounded more raw and emotional, and the understated production shines a light on both his lyrics and his impeccable playing.

That being said, much of I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream sounds like it comes from a place that Mattson's already been. It's a safe, and comfortable record for someone that just four years ago, seemed like he was on the verge on an artistic break-through. Long-time fans will likely hail The Tallest Man On Earth's latest release as a return to form, but when compared to Dark Bird is Home, I Love You. It’s A Fever Dream almost feels like a retreat to safer waters.