The Tree (album)
Lori McKenna · 2018
35 min · 11 tracks · country music
Intimate storytelling unfolds through warm acoustic arrangements and poignant melodies that capture the complexities of everyday life.
Top tracks — play these first
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A Mother Never Rests — This track encapsulates the emotional weight of motherhood with vivid imagery and relatable sentiments, setting the tone for the album's exploration of family.
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You Can’t Break a Woman — Empowered and resilient, this anthem highlights strength in vulnerability, serving as a rallying cry for women facing adversity.
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Happy People — With its uplifting melody and heartfelt lyrics, this song contrasts the struggles depicted throughout the album, offering a moment of hope and reflection.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong songwriting and warm arrangements but remains within familiar country music territory.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks feature a steady acoustic guitar rhythm, while the fourth introduces a more pronounced piano presence, shifting the mood.
- Several songs employ a narrative structure, with verses that unfold like short stories, allowing for detailed character development.
- The album's final track features a gradual fade-out, creating a sense of closure that resonates with the themes explored throughout.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- intimate storytelling with warmth
- short tracks for quick reflections
- heartfelt melodies for personal connection
- poignant themes of life transitions
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy anthems
- prefer longer immersive experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By 2018, Lori McKenna was an established songwriter with multiple Grammy nominations under her belt. 'The Tree' marked her sixth studio album and came after her breakthrough success with 'The Bird & The Rifle' in 2016, which solidified her reputation as a leading voice in contemporary country-folk music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Brandi Carlile· Kacey Musgraves· Neko Case
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 A Mother Never Rests 2:45
- 2 The Fixer 3:28
- 3 People Get Old 3:42
- 4 Young and Angry Again 3:37
- 5 The Tree 3:23
- 6 You Won’t Even Know I'm Gone 2:17
- 7 Happy People 3:26
- 8 You Can’t Break a Woman 3:13
- 9 The Lot Behind St. Mary’s 3:30
- 10 The Way Back Home 3:02
- 11 Like Patsy Would 2:58
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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