On July 17, Oliver Tree released his first full album, titled “Ugly is Beautiful.” With his first single “When I’m Down” gaining traction as far back as 2016, Tree has grown a long way from his roots. It is obvious that the young artist is still trying to figure out his style, but there is still a great deal of potential on the album. Tree is definitely an artist to be watched.
Tree begins the album with the song “Me, Myself & I.” This song is about saying what is on the mind, even if it may seem trivial or dumb. The song explains that it is better to say something than nothing, because at least that way, there are never thoughts of “what if.” This song is not very strong lyrically, but the beat of the track keeps the listener interested throughout its duration.
The album continues with “Cash Machine,” a previously released single. This song is more lyrically deep than the other songs on the album. It is mainly about fame, fortune and how these two elements can corrupt people. The symbolism of gold teeth covering up cavities portrays how people in the spotlight tend to be not entirely transparent with the general public. These people may use their wealth to cover up any insecurities or secrets they want to hide. This song contributes to the overall message of the album that “Ugly Is Beautiful” and that we are all beautiful in our own, imperfect ways.
“Alien Boy” has become Tree’s most popular song on Spotify, and for good reason. In this song, Tree puts himself in the shoes of an alien from outer space. This is most likely symbolism for his viewpoint of being a newly-popular artist. He feels out of place because he does not necessarily have the same values as others in the music and entertainment industry. He truly believes his album title — that ugly is beautiful — while most famous people just tend to pretend to believe in that premise. He accepts himself for who he is, yet feels like an outcast for this view. The song is also strengthened by its catchy melody.
The album finishes with “Gone,” which is a rather disappointing ending overall. The song is about a failed relationship and realizing that Tree’s partner was the selfish one. The song has no lyric or melodic depth and sounds more like a combination of a bunch of noises that do not fit together. The song also does not follow the theme of the album. While it makes sense to place this song last, since it is about leaving someone, it just doesn’t work as the album’s sendoff.
Overall, this album is pretty solid, especially considering it’s Tree’s first. However, he does need to do some soul searching and figure out who he really is as an artist. Hopefully this is not the last we hear of Oliver Tree because with some refinements, this artist could really make it big.