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.
Define a Transparent Dream
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Constantly showering me with decision
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream
Model portrait heads of Gertrude Stein
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream
Define a transparent dream
dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream
So it's back and forth again
Dreaming on the doorstep
The always red society
Comes to visit me
Well I'm dreamin' of a sunset
Juice and coffee in the morning
After staring at the stars all night
The always blue society
Wraps rings around the sun
Saturn too
All ni-- ght, ni-- ght, ni-- ght
The Olivia Tremor Control's "Define a Transparent Dream" is a dreamy, psychedelic tune about the power of imagination and how it can transport us to another reality. The lyrics seem to be describing the experience of someone who is lost in thought, contemplating their surroundings and letting their mind wander. They describe the feeling of being bombarded with decisions and stimuli, and wanting to define a transparent dream to escape it all.
The song has a surreal quality to it, with the lyrics encouraging the listener to "feel the atmosphere breathe with life" and to create a model portrait of Gertrude Stein. The line "So it's back and forth again, dreaming on the doorstep" suggests that the singer is in a state of limbo, indecisive about where to go next but content to dream and muse for a while longer.
The song ends on a more positive note, with the singer dreaming of a peaceful morning spent drinking juice and coffee after a night spent stargazing. The "always red society" and "always blue society" seem to represent the different moods and emotions that the singer experiences as they navigate their dream world.
Overall, "Define a Transparent Dream" is a wistful, introspective song that encourages listeners to embrace their imagination and find solace in their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Work over the surface and into the distance
Anchoring my focus and attention to the infinite possibilities of the horizon, constantly prompting me to make choices.
Constantly showering me with decision
My mind is constantly being stimulated by new information which forces me to make positive choices and reaffirms my dreams.
Define a transparent dream
An invitation to create a mental image of a clear and attainable goal.
dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream dr-dr-dr-dream
The repetition of a sound that echoes the practice of deep focus and concentration while working towards one's vision.
Feel the atmosphere breath with life
Sensing and experiencing the liveliness and energy of the space around us.
Model portrait heads of Gertrude Stein
Molding and shaping our own personal perception of reality, taking inspiration from visionary artists and critical thinkers of the past.
So it's back and forth again
The process of refining one's dreams and goals is a continuous cycle of evaluation and adjustment.
Dreaming on the doorstep
Exploring the potential of the future from the vantage point of the present.
The always red society
A metaphorical representation of the human emotions, frequently volatile, passionate and sometimes negative in nature.
Comes to visit me
Our emotions and experiences shape our worldview and influence our capacity to dream and achieve our goals.
Well I'm dreamin' of a sunset
Imagining a peaceful and serene time, reflecting on the beauty of the elements and the present moment.
Juice and coffee in the morning
Taking pleasure in everyday simple pleasures and incorporating them into our ideal version of life.
After staring at the stars all night
Gaining a sense of perspective and inspiration from celestial beings and natural wonders to fuel our creative energy.
The always blue society
A metaphorical representation of the sense of calm, serenity, and stability within us, which is essential to achieve harmony in our lives.
Wraps rings around the sun
Our sense of calm and stability enables us to stay centered and focused even in times of challenge and external pressure.
Saturn too
Our sense of calm and stability also enables us to explore our creativity and find inspiration in the vast universe.
All ni-- ght, ni-- ght, ni-- ght
A repetition of a sound that suggests the idea of a never-ending cycle of dreaming and creating.
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.