The Tallest Man on Earth, Royal Albert Hall, gig review: Kristian Matsson's talent shines brightest left alone

Intricate guitar strumming compliments achingly raw vocals

Kristian Matsson performing as The Tallest Man on Earth at a concert in 2015 (Rex)

To get it out of the way, The Tallest Man on Earth is actually quite short. He is also not the calming, forlorn stage presence many might expect him to be. Quite the opposite in fact; his frenetic energy taking hold from the moment the lights dim in London’s wonderful Royal Albert Hall.

The Swedish singer-songwriter, real name Kristian Matsson, is here tonight with a full five-piece band, leading to a more polished, soft rock sound than his earlier traditional folk. Dressed all in white, he bounds around singing his “loud sad songs” like they are stadium anthems, clearly revelling in the adoring cries of ‘You’re amazing!’ that punctuate even the briefest of pauses.

Matsson’s relentless jittering and plectrum-tossing is contagiously joyous for the most part but occasionally borders on irritating. Musical comparisons with Bob Dylan are not misplaced, but it’s hard not to long for a Bon Iver-style stillness to his at times distracting performance.

There are moments of anchored brilliance, notably when he is joined by mournful violin for a poignant delivery of “The Wild Hunt”, but his talent shines brightest when he is left alone for “I Won’t Be Found”, “The Gardner” and “Love Is All”, his intricate guitar strumming deliciously complimenting achingly raw vocals.

Lyrically he is masterfully poetic, cutting to the realist heart of romance on “Revelation Blues” and musing on how life’s dark times intensify love on a rockier rendition of “The Dreamer”. New song “Time of the Blue” is a plaintive highlight, featuring lovely but superfluous cornet accompaniment, before Matsson takes to the piano for the pretty “Little Nowhere Towns”. “King of Spain” has the packed-out hall clapping and dancing, Matsson rivalling Mick Jagger in the strutting stakes, while “Dark Bird of Home” from his latest album of the same name swells to a triumphant close.

“I plan to be forgotten when I’m gone,” Matsson sings. Thankfully, despite his disappointingly average height and a random Natasha Bedingfield cover somehow sneaking into his set list, The Tallest Man on Earth disappearing into oblivion seems unlikely.