Fionn Regan and Kristian Mattson (aka The Tallest Man on Earth) are folk troubadours in the finest sense. An impeccable sense of songcraft weaves its way through their sophomore albums, Shadow of an Empire and The Wild Hunt, respectively.
Fionn Regan's debut was a masterful folk record in the vein of Nick Drake and Bob Dylan, albeit more propulsive than Drake and more pastoral than Dylan. On Shadow of an Empire, the Irish lad plugs in and leaves the acoustic guitar behind for a few tracks, driving home a ragged (but always melodic) rockabilly with his usual literate flair. A formidable, second triumph.
Kristian Mattson's voice always leads to comparisons with Dylan, and, indeed, his spare acoustic production is a folk-revival of sorts, even though his songs are decidedly forward-looking in their ultimate tone. The Wild Hunt displays Mattson's vibrant finger-picking and vocal agility, and his strange Southern drawl swagger (again) belies his Swedish roots. Heady, dexterous, and enthralling stuff.
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