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.
Another Set Of Bees In The Museum
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the bark, below it, and the ants and snails having orange parties
the bark, below it, can we go?
we will find a way to travel beyond density and sky
how can we liberate the world of sound
the flags, above them can we go?
The Olivia Tremor Control's song "Another Set Of Bees In The Museum" is a kaleidoscopic and enigmatic tune that poses a series of existential questions about the nature of reality, perception, and consciousness. The lyrics describe a quest to access the hidden sources of sound and meaning that underlie the surface of everyday life, as if the band were on a journey of exploration into the deep layers of the subconscious where the secrets of the universe are hidden from view. The song blends surreal imagery with mystical undertones, suggesting that the world of appearances can be deceptive and that only by transcending it can we discover the truth beyond.
Throughout the song, the band employs a variety of obscure metaphors and allegories that defy easy interpretation. The references to "the bark below it" and "the ants and snails having orange parties" suggest a microcosmic world beneath our feet where the secrets of life reside, while the refrain of "the flags, above them can we go?" invokes a sense of longing for the transcendental realm beyond the limits of the physical world. The overall effect of the song is dreamlike and disorienting, as if the band were taking the listener on a journey through a mysterious landscape that exists only in the mind's eye.
Line by Line Meaning
we will find a way to where they make the sounds we hear the sound
We will discover a route to the source of the sounds we hear
the bark, below it, and the ants and snails having orange parties
Beneath the tree bark, ants and snails are enjoying their environment
the bark, below it, can we go?
Can we explore what lies beneath the tree bark?
we will find a way to travel beyond density and sky
We will discover a means to surpass physical barriers such as density and sky
how can we liberate the world of sound
How can we free the world of sound from any limitations?
the bark, below it is the ground
The ground is just underneath the bark of trees
the flags, above them can we go?
Can we reach the areas above flags?
Contributed by Isabella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.