The band's distinct sound is a mixture of Doss and Hart's experimental tendencies. This chemistry is evident in their albums given that some tracks are 2-3 minute pop songs, while others are electro-acoustic collages ranging in length from 2 seconds to 10 minutes, and differing in content from vibrant horns to near silence. Furthermore, the band released a record of experimental electro-acoustic music, The Late Music, Volume One, under the name The Black Swan Network, in 1997. Another Black Swan Network release, a 7" EP on the Happy Happy Birthday to Me label, appeared in 2000, though it did not feature Bill Doss. In October 1997, a "collaborative" LP between The Olivia Tremor Control and The Black Swan Network was released, originally as a tour-only item, and later put out as a CD by Flydaddy, which gave the record the title, The Olivia Tremor Control Vs. The Black Swan Network,' though the band had never wanted the record to be named as such. The band was influenced by the odd quality inherent in dreams and asked their listeners to send in tapes describing their own, examples of which can be heard in the final track of Black Foliage and the OTC-BSN collaborative LP.
The members of The Olivia Tremor Control embarked on a variety of different projects before and after the band broke up. Eric Harris released a record under the name Frosted Ambassador and later two CD-R releases under his own name on Cloud Recordings, the label founded by Fernandes and Hart in the wake of OTC's demise. Pete Erchick released two records, Individualized Shirts and Special Fanfare For Anything, under the name Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't. Bill Doss followed OTC by putting out records as The Sunshine Fix, a name he had used years before. The Sunshine Fix has evolved from a recording project to a formal working band. Hart's post-OTC project, Circulatory System, has taken a similar route. The self-titled 2001 LP continued the melding together of pop and experimental traditions the OTC had worked on and won high accolades from the press. While the follow-up is still in the works, the band continues to play live shows in Athens and occasionally elsewhere.
In 2005, the Olivia Tremor Control temporarily reunited, solely for live shows, at the behest of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival. They appeared at a UK version of the festival, preceded by warm-up shows in Athens and London; that summer, they again played Athens, at the Orange Twin Conservation Community, as well as gigs in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and L.A.
In May 2009, Will Hart said in an interview that the band had recently re-entered the recording studio: "We've got two songs for the next Olivia record, in my opinion. They're on Bill's hard drive."
In March 2011, Elf Power drummer Derek Almstead confirmed that he was engineering and playing percussion on the new record and that new material would be debuted at All Tomorrows' Parties later in the year. In addition to this, they have released a song titled "North Term Reality" under Olivia Tremor Control for AUX Vol. 2.
On August 30, 2011, the band premiered a new song, "The Game You Play is In Your Head Parts 1, 2 &3" and announced they planned to have a new album out later in 2011. Tour dates for Winter 2011 were also announced.
The death of Bill Doss was announced on July 31, 2012.
A Place We Have Been To
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
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of the world around you
cubist castle is a place we have been to
i know i have seen all mine and your friends there
when the people downtown are slowly fading
i know their stories are still being written
and in my dim reflections
when the people downtown are slowly fading
we know their stories are still being written
The Olivia Tremor Control's song "A Place We Have Been To" has an introspective quality to it that is both melancholic and strangely hopeful. The lyrics speak to a sense of disconnection that many people experience at some point in their lives. When the world around you feels overwhelming and you can't find your place in it, what do you do? The answer lies in the song's chorus: "Cubist Castle is a place we have been to."
The phrase "Cubist Castle" is likely a reference to the band's own debut album, also titled Cubist Castle. However, in the context of these lyrics, it takes on a deeper meaning. The castle represents a refuge from the chaos of everyday life, a place where you can go to find solace and clarity. The fact that the lyrics mention "all mine and your friends" suggests that this is not just a personal journey, but a communal one. The castle is a place where you can connect with others who are struggling with the same sense of displacement.
The verses expand on this theme, emphasizing the idea that even when things feel hopeless, there is always the possibility for change. "There is hope for everything for this life we're all living," the lyrics declare. The lines "when the people downtown are slowly fading / we know their stories are still being written" speak to the idea that people may be struggling, but their lives are not over yet. There is still time for them to make a difference, to write their own stories.
Line by Line Meaning
when this life it gets you down and you just can't find the sound
When life becomes overwhelming and you can't make sense of the chaos around you
of the world around you
Of the confusing environment that surrounds you
cubist castle is a place we have been to
Cubist Castle is a place we have visited in our minds, a safe haven from the chaos of reality
i know i have seen all mine and your friends there
We have imagined being with all of our friends in Cubist Castle, a utopia in our minds
there is hope for everything for this life we're all living
There is always hope for the future, no matter how tough our present circumstances may seem
and in my dim reflections
In moments of deep contemplation or introspection
when the people downtown are slowly fading
When people in the city slowly lose their vibrance and become lost in the chaos
we know their stories are still being written
We recognize that everyone has their own story, and that their struggles and achievements are still unfolding in the present
Contributed by Henry Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.