The Tallest Man on Earth – Dark Bird is Home

A shimmering influx of Scandinavian country-influenced singers – that’s First Aid Kit and the like – have graced the international stage of recent. Who knows where the fascination or the perfected accents came from; either way Kristian Mattson can still claim to have been one of the mighty at the crest of it all, debuting with 2008's Shallow Grave. Fourth album in and he continues to bring ever-sentimental anthems to his songbook, albeit with a voice that’s dropped a tone or two as of late – no stress, it’s still adorable.

With his biggest sound yet he’s added a full-on Sigur Rós-style backing to the mix. It works for opener Fields of Our Home but elsewhere his vocal talents can sometimes drown in the happy-clappyness: steering this material into a strict verse/chorus format doesn’t always totally translate. That first album had it right: Mattson really needs no more than his voice and guitar to prove himself. [Luisa Brown]