You heard the news — Olivier Tree died in a helicopter crash in Brazil at only 32, and I can not get over it because he was one of those rare musicians who could write an actual great pop melody without being ironic about anything. His songs "Miss You" and "Life Goes On" are already on repeat for me this morning as I try to process that his career ended so suddenly at such a young age. It is devastating, but what makes it worse is how clearly you can tell he was destined to be one of those songwriters people talk about thirty years from now the way they talk about Oasis or The Smiths.
He had an uncanny ability to channel classic songwriting influences into something that felt current — his sound drew heavily from Britpop and 90s indie rock, but his lyricism carried a sincerity that is almost extinct in modern music. He wrote in the lineage of Morrissey without adopting the detachment, writing smart lines about genuine feeling rather than crafting clever observations at a distance. His album "I Am Not Okay!" should be listened to by everyone who still believes there are songwriters left capable of creating an honest record that resonates on a deep level.
"Life Goes On" is almost too fitting as a title in this situation, and the irony I am not going to name is what makes it hurt even more. He was building something real in his music, something that would outlast him because good songwriting doesn't expire — those melodies will be played by fans for decades to come. We lost one of our best melodic songwriters far too early today, and the only thing left to do is keep listening to what he made while it still feels fresh.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/olivier-tree-miss-you-and-life-goes-on-singer-dies-at-32/
He had an uncanny ability to channel classic songwriting influences into something that felt current — his sound drew heavily from Britpop and 90s indie rock, but his lyricism carried a sincerity that is almost extinct in modern music. He wrote in the lineage of Morrissey without adopting the detachment, writing smart lines about genuine feeling rather than crafting clever observations at a distance. His album "I Am Not Okay!" should be listened to by everyone who still believes there are songwriters left capable of creating an honest record that resonates on a deep level.
"Life Goes On" is almost too fitting as a title in this situation, and the irony I am not going to name is what makes it hurt even more. He was building something real in his music, something that would outlast him because good songwriting doesn't expire — those melodies will be played by fans for decades to come. We lost one of our best melodic songwriters far too early today, and the only thing left to do is keep listening to what he made while it still feels fresh.
Source: https://pitchfork.com/news/olivier-tree-miss-you-and-life-goes-on-singer-dies-at-32/