We don’t play a cover unless we can make it feel like our own. I’m a huge fan of The Tallest Man on Earth—the way he commands massive stages alone with his guitar, his clever but heartfelt songwriting, and the complete and utter conviction behind his vocals. He’s also a hell of a rhythm guitar player. He’s an awful lot for me to look up to as an artist, and I most certainly do.
I started goofing around with his songs years ago, and once I figured out how “The Gardener” was supposed to sound when it came through me, I brought it to the band and they added worlds of energy. You’ve probably heard us play it if you’ve been to a live show sometime in the past few years. Being a love song and a song about murder, it fits thematically into our set about as perfectly as a song could. But to me it’s mostly a song about imposter syndrome, about the struggle to overcome the idea that you might not be enough and doing anything you must to prevent being exposed. Admitting that I feel that way pretty much all the time doesn’t make me special; I’m sure most people fight that feeling in their own way. But something about Kristian Matsson’s lyrics—which hide those feelings behind a saccharine yet comically bloodthirsty narrative—makes them hit me in all the right places.
So here’s Grover Anderson & the Lampolier’s version of “The Gardener” by The Tallest Man on Earth. It’s got me on vocals and acoustic guitar, Marshall on lead guitar, Anthony and Josh holding down bass and drums, and features our good friend Graham Richards on piano and organ. Graham has worked with us on a few tracks in the last year, and given how smoothly he steps into our sound we hope he’ll stick around for more down the road. It’s the final “single” off our upcoming album All the Lies That I Have Told, out July 30, 2021.
Thanks for listening, friends. Stay well.