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.
Green Typewriters I
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the night sky fades
perception is an ocean
your days are like eternity
hey, it's been so long
i'm out on the lawn
watching a hundred typewriters soaked
when you wake me up in a world of blue
and the stars are sinking low
and the sunshine is in view
The Olivia Tremor Control's song Green Typewriters I contains metaphorical language that creates a vivid image of million ribbons and floating stars that disappear slowly as the night sky fades. Here, the band is pointing out that time waits for no one and how fleeting our experiences can be. The line "perception is an ocean" suggests that perception is vast and multi-dimensional, like an ocean, and can be difficult to navigate. The song further suggests that our days seem to last forever, but when we finally look back, we realize it was only a fleeting moment.
Furthermore, the line "watching a hundred typewriters soaked in green paint" can be interpreted as a metaphor for creative expression. The green paint could represent creativity and the typewriters could be seen as the tools used to create art. Olivia Tremor Control seems to be observing the artistic process as it goes on, noting its vastness and the multitude of options for artistic expression and possibility. Finally, the last set of lyrics "when you wake me up in a world of blue and the stars are sinking low and the sunshine is in view" can be interpreted as waking up to a new opportunity or a brighter tomorrow. The blue world may indicate sadness or negativity, but the sinking stars suggest a new opportunity is on the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
million ribbons and floating stars
Countless ribbons and stars are drifting aimlessly in the vast expanse
the night sky fades
The deep darkness of the sky slowly gives way to the first light of dawn
perception is an ocean
Our interpretation of reality is as vast as the sea
your days are like eternity
The never-ending nature of your life feels like an endless succession of days
hey, it's been so long
It has been a considerable amount of time since our last encounter
i'm out on the lawn
I'm standing on the grassy area in front of the house
watching a hundred typewriters soaked
Observing numerous typewriters that have been drenched in green paint
in green paint
Coated in the color green
when you wake me up in a world of blue
When you rouse me in a place where everything is blue
and the stars are sinking low
As the stars gradually descend from the sky
and the sunshine is in view
And sunlight is beginning to emerge
Contributed by Declan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@McQueen-rj8nh
Million ribbons and floating stars
The night sky fades
Perception is an ocean
Your days are like eternity
Hey, it's been so long
I'm out on the lawn
Watching a hundred typewriters soaked
In green paint
When you wake me up in a world of blue
And the stars are sinking low
And the sunshine is in view
-------
The stillness of a sunday
And life seems like a cathedral
Sidewalks slowly crack
Memories of downtown fade
The stillness of a sunday
The exchange of conversation
We are now confused
But we cannot go back in time
-------
Wake up
Feeling like you want to be down
Well, don't be
There's a time for everything
Just look around
I don't want to die inside anymore
I don't want to hear that song anymore
Wake up
It's what the world should do and look around
Slow down
There's time for everything
Just look around
-------
What i need is space
And lots of it
Tons and tons of rooms
And lots of them
I'll paint them green and red
And thirty six colors to custom mix
A collection of rugs with tons of tiny tassles
Sharp lines decorative designs
A place to harmonize away from conventional life
A place to radiate
A place to be just me
Return again and again to the giant day inside of my head
Tons and tons of ideas that never take off
It causes the untime
It's all on a different level
And there's so many
The stages are set
Everything is ready
Let the future come
Let the future linger on
-------
How much longer can i wait?
-------
When you're ready to come back down
I'll be waiting here
All your friends will be around
I promise i'll wait forever
@chrismetzler8049
Nobody ever listens to 23 minutes of music at a time anymore. Which is a shame, because this is just wonderful.
@REALwoombath
Untrue, it's much rarer now cause prog rock is not as popular anymore but longer tracks that turn out quite well recieved are still getting released: Cassandra Gemini, Dripping Tap, latest Tool album...
@Big_Bag_of_Pus
@@REALwoombathListing a bunch of obscurities doesn't really address the point.
@iamdamosuzuki_
How much longer.... can I wait.
@chrismetzler8049
That moment feels like an apotheosis.
@emojazz
@@chrismetzler8049 truly, the whole typewriters section almost feels like a thing of its own
@nneevveerrmmoorree
really good tunage........this stuff has a throwback motif which appeals to some of us 80s era guys.
@alexrubin1941
I'll never understand how E6 was able to pack so many layer into 4 track recordings. Absolute wizardry
@visdrew
Masterful, isn't it? I remember when they were younger Robert, Jeff and Bill would use double cassette boom boxes to fake multitrack recordings. I tried it myself at home it was brilliant. They were outside of their time, that's for sure.
@Z-eb
@@visdrew the whole of "Dusk" were first recorded on a 4 track, then transferred to an 8 track, so they could colour it more, there is a demo version pre the 8 track around, also fun to listen to !