Alone in A Crowd Oliver Tree Album Review

By Sophia Goetz

On Sept. 29, alt-pop artist Oliver Tree debuted his third studio album, “Alone in A Crowd.” The new project follows his 2022 album, “Cowboy Tears.” His first album presented Turbo, a social media influencer with a satirical style. The second one featured Shawney Bravo, a cowboy with a blonde mullet. While his previous albums have revolved around a fictional character, often portrayed as a caricature of himself, “Alone in A Crowd” showcases his latest creation, Cornelius Cummings, a fashion designer. He wears a magenta tracksuit that is too big for him and a black bob that resembles a helmet. Cornelius Cummings, like the real-life Oliver Tree, is always accompanied by a group of people, but he, too, is on the lookout for meaningful relationships with other people.

Of my favorite tracks off of the album, “Bounce,” certainly stands out. The first song on the tracklist with its thumping bass and repetition of the lyrics, “you’ll be coming back around,” “Bounce” appears to play a crucial role in the album’s overall narrative.

The song’s accompanying music video is also integral to the story of the record. The film depicts Tree's meteoric rise to popularity, complete with Soviet-style architecture and paparazzi in black bobs. It seems to emulate how alienating and difficult it was for him to go from zero to ten million followers on TikTok in just two months.

“Ugly Side,” the sixth track on the album, also makes the list for my favorite tracks on “Alone in A Crowd.” Similar to “Highlight Of My Life” and "Fairweather Friends,” Oliver Tree shows off his eclectic tastes by featuring elements of hip hop. With the help of Super Computer and Robin Schulz, he delves into issues of love, loss, and isolation on “Alone in A Crowd.”

Of all of the tracks, “Strangers” seems to emulate the title of his album. Repeated over a thrumming dance track are the lyrics, “Stranger standing next to me / you’re as lonely as I’ll ever be.” The upbeat backing track, combined with somber lyrics makes for an ideal “crying in the club” anthem.

Tree is undeniably a one-of-a-kind artist who continues to top the charts and sell out amphitheaters around the world. He does this by continuing to explore and dissect the absurdity of modern culture, obsession with fame, and social media through his trademark brand of Dadaist, "meta-humor" à la Andy Kaufman. He holds up a mirror to all of us and embraces the ridiculousness of it all on his new album, “Alone in A Crowd,” which reflects the good and the bad in popular culture and examines feelings of isolation and the human condition.