“The sounds from my apartment have now somehow made it out there in the world,” Kristian Matsson said in a post as he announced the release of his fifth studio album, “I Love You. It’s a Fever Dream.”
The Tallest Man on Earth, ironic as Matsson is only 5’7”, has stuck to the true roots of folk in an era where so many seem to compromise to a more radio-friendly rock ‘n’ roll version of folk.
The album is a true acoustic masterpiece; sounding as though it was recorded in a state of such nostalgia, the only way to get the full effect of this album is to listen to it in a cozy chair overlooking the city on a rainy day.
In the past, Matsson seemed to write about his love for nature and the earthly things we take for granted every day. Matsson’s previous album art is that of nature, and only in his previous album “Dark Bird is Home” did he introduce a human figure into the art. This year a portrait of Matsson overtakes the album, and rightfully so. This album is less about the human experience and more about Mattson’s inner self and reflection.
Opening the album with a monotonous drive to a hotel bar, the album theme is set. “A tug of lonely in your heart/ That little beast that keeps it ripped apart/ Will there be people in this bar?”
The song is slow and methodical until the climax —when a plethora of instruments, other than just a guitar, is introduced—where the beat picks up reveals to us the emotions he is feeling on his way to the bar.
“I’m A Stranger Now” gives us an upbeat, strong break from the deliberately remorseful songs on the album. It provides a happy medium of joyous sounding instrumentals mixed with despondent lyrics, revealing the talent held by Matsson.
Much like fan-favorite “The Dreamer,” he continues the poetic metaphors on this album in songs such as “Running Styles of New York” and “I’ll Be A Sky.” The lyrical maturity of these songs gives us a clear insight into his emotions. “I travel the fever road/ I travel the clouds of my mistakes/ And sure, I can drift away/ But I’ll be right around the corner from your love,” Matsson sings in “I’ll Be A Sky.” He lets us in. He does not hide from his audience but embraces them and welcomes them with open arms into the world of his emotions.
When we make it to the end, we are left with the title song. It is a sad cry for help, with the chorus being a hopeful mantra where he expresses his deep desire to carry this love he feels for this woman on for ages, no matter where life takes them.
The meticulous attention to detail in this album continues to draw us in and leaves us feeling the emotions Matsson hoped for us to feel when recording this album in his apartment. The self-produced and recorded album is a marvelous feat and was done with such attention to detail. The Swedish folk artist is leaving his mark on the industry with every new album he puts out.
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