Review: Tallest Man on Earth, The Wild Hunt

 

The Tallest Man on Earth

The Wild Hunt

8.6 on a 10-Point Scale

I’m sorry for eavesdropping, but did you say you were looking for a Swedish folk artist that sounds sort of like Bob Dylan minus the harmonica, but with more guitar glissandos, and with a Scandanavian name that ends with –sson?  Oh… Sorry… I misheard you… Here’s the salt.  But in case you were wondering, The Tallest Man on Earth, the stage name for Kristian Matsson, is a great acoustic folk artist that you will be sure to enjoy.  He may not sound celestial, but his voice meets the genre perfectly.  Musically, his vocal lines are flowing, but at the same time are somewhat predictable. On the poetic end, his lyrics and mystifying and can keep a stoned-out coffee shop crowd scratching their heads (excluding his tracks that are narrative).  The guitar music?  Finger pickin’ good!  There are only so many chords to play, and he works his hardest to change up the chords (contrary to his previous album) and alters both the pitch and rhythm using arpeggios in the guitar lines and different combinations of rhythms.  However, despite this attempt at diversity, most of the songs are in a standard 4/4-meter that restricts him.  Is this being rough? Don’t a lot of other artists use common time as well? Of course.  But it’s much more obvious and stands out more when their isn’t much variation among the instrumentation.  In the track Kids on the Run, however, he changes it up and brings in the ol’ piano.  Unfortunately though, the effects on the piano force the listener to ask herself whether or not The Tallest Man on Earth realizes that the piano is out of tune.  I, now classifying myself as a rough critic, understand that it may be the effect he is going for, but musically it simply creates many minor dissonances that would keep the listener much happier if they were left out. 
The mood of the music however is redeeming, some songs invoke joy while others summon malaise.  It doesn’t take much for me to laugh and cry (Win a Date with Tad Hamilton [the movie] made me do both), but this album definitely is something you can get lost in. 

It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you tap for your footsies.  It makes you question the reality you live in.  More importantly, it’ll help you appreciate folk music once again. 

In Sum:
Pros: Good lyrics, awesome mood, like his voice, finger pickin’ is well done
Cons: Songs too similar (except for the favorites), minor musical problems on a few of the tracks.

Plus, he’s not even the tallest man on earth… everyone knows Robert Pershing Wadlow, at 8 feet 11.1 inches was.  Duh

Favorite Tracks: The Wild Hunt, You’re Going Back, King of Spain, Kids on the Run

-- Alex Podkul
"Nothing but a G-O-D Thang," Tuesdays 2-4 pm on WGTB

Ticket Giveaway- tune in

Looking for a great concert at the 9:30 club for a friday night? Wait, did you just think yes? Then do I have a deal for you! April 9th, Needtobreathe will be playing at the 9:30 club at 7:30PM. Tickets are $16 each and it is going to be a great concert. Last night Taylor Swift tweeted, "Trying to find a @needtobreatheconcert close to one of our tour dates-- dying to see their show!"So obviously it is going to be a great time!!! SO wait.. you don't want to have to pay? Listen to Nothing But A G-O-D Thang on Tuesday April 6th from 2-4PM to try and win a pair! It's gonna be great and and listen carefully to win ;)


-- Alex Podkul

Review: Triggers, Smoke Show

Triggers

Smoke Show

A-

 

Smoke Show is an a great album if you're in the mood for some danceable, poppy, catchy, rock music.  Poppy at times, rocky at others - this album is guitar driven and synth colored and can probably make even a paraplegic tap his foot to it.  With a driving vocal line with expected gang vocals at appropriate parts of the song, this album is certainly recommended.  Must listen tracks are - "Ready or Not" and "Right Where I Need You".  This album is certainly rhythmically energetic and melodically soothing.  Next time I go fishing, I will surely not be using any bait - the hooks in these songs will do the trick.

-- Alex Podkul
Host, "Nothin' but a G-O-D Thang," Tuesdays 2-4 on WGTB

Tune in: On-Air Interview with Eleventyseven

DJ Alexander Podkul (Host, "Ain't Nothin' But A God Thang," 2-4 pm Tuesdays) will interview Christian rock band Eleventyseven at 3 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 16. Make sure you tune into WGTB to catch it!

Reviews: Christian Rock Roundup

by Alex Podkul, Host, "Nothin But A G-O-D Thang," Tuesdays 2-4 pm on WGTB

Ike Ndolo 

We Are The Beggars

A- 

We are the Beggars is a great album done by growing Christian artist Ike Ndolo, who recently played at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.  Ndolo, brother of bassist Kemi Ndolo from Matt Maher’s band, has launched his musical career very far with this debut album.  With its feel-good rock roots in “We Are the Beggars”, the acoustic sounds in “The Wealth of Kings”, and the inspiring lyrics of “Sound of Hope”, the album is both diverse and driven to his cause.  He is a more directly Christian artist (with obvious allusions and reference to “God” and “Christ”) for sure, but his musical sound can certainly appeal to all, the blessed and the beggars.

Relient K

Forget and Not Slow Down 

B+

Relient K’s newest album, “Forget and Not Slow Down”, is another album by Relient where they simply reinvent themselves once again.  However, while they do have a new sound there is an obvious sense of a returning to the roots of their album “Mmhmm”.  This album is definitely more stripped down than there most previous album and that is obvious by the increased presence of the piano.  The album, while catchy at parts and abstract at others, is diverse and has depth instrumentation on some songs and on other songs it is simply piano, vocals, and maybe a guitar for light coloration.  The highlights of the album are “This is the End”, “Forget and Not Slow down”, as well as the triumvirate that is “Sahara”, “Oasis”, and “Savannah”. 

Eleventyseven

Adventures in Eville

A

Eleventyseven, a Christian pop punk group from South Carolina, has maintained their catchy sound, their rhythmic riffs, and their danceable quality with Adventures in Eville, there first full length album since going independent.  After listening to their songs once or twice, it is very easy for listeners to learn the words and sing along.  While not complex in instrumentation or scoring, Eleventyseven captures what they are striving for – good, clean songs with a sense of humor.  They must have had a lot of fun making this album, hopefully half as much fun as I’ve had listening to it.  

 Make sure to tune in to Nothing But a G-O-D Thang with Alex Podkul on March 16^th from 2:00 – 4:00 PM to listen to Eleventyseven get interviewed!