Henry St.

“Henry St.” The Tallest Man On Earth
6th original studio album from Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter, Kristian Matsson. In his early years, Matsson produced and performed as a solo artist — and thanks to his writing and unique voice, was sometimes compared to Bob Dylan. On this album, he’s teamed with Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn as producer, in addition to a number of prominent session players. The result is a fuller, more polished sound, rather than the sparse compositions of his earlier work. There’s quite a range of material, and a lot to like here. RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes, S. Carey, Iron & Wine.
— Francis

Recommended: 3, 6, 7, 9, 2, 5, 11. No FCCs detected.

1. (4:03) Bless You — Starts with guitar picking and Matsson’s vocals sounding raw and vulnerable. Builds to a somewhat louder and strange ending.
2. (3:35) Looking For Love — Up-tempo toe-tapper, with rapid picking and lilting vocals. Ends with electronic noise and dissonance. ***
3. (3:10) Every Little Heart — Plaintive vocals over virtuoso classical guitar playing and an intriguing rhythm track. ****
4. (3:36) Slowly Rivers Turn — North Carolina influence shows on this Americana-flavored pop — with wistful vocals, rich guitar and an early 70s radio flavor. Saxophone solo near the end. ***
5. (3:07) Major League — Bluegrass banjo accompanying Matsson’s meandering storytelling vocals. ***
6. (4:30) Henry St. — Beautiful piano ballad. Fragile and crystalline, with longing vocals over the deliberate keyboards. Heartfelt, personal lyrics. ****
7. (4:29) In Your Garden Still — Happy bounce — with a syncopated Island rhythm, strummed guitar and warm vocals. A fun dance! ****
8. (4:04) Goodbye — Counts in. Swaying Americana, with acoustic strumming, electric guitar and a measured bass part — plus slightly twangy vocals.
9. (4:31) Italy — Starts with a bit of chatter. Sorrowful, melodic musical stroll, featuring strummed and picked guitar with forlorn vocals. ***
10. (4:24) New Religion — More orchestrated, with a lush soundscape supporting Matsson’s guitar strumming and soaring vocals.
11. (2:41) Foothills — Like the Matsson of old. Spare, reflective and melancholy. Quite pretty, with keys and guitar intricately woven together. Ends a bit unfinished. ***