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.
Hilltop Procession
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're having parties
Beyond those roots
Find a tree house symphony there
Step lightly into my daydream
After the yawning
Don't worry about what's on TV
Mystified and unified we know
Half empty but positive we know
There are no explanations
To the things you see
In your mystery
So don't look to me
To validate your dreams
Hilltop procession, momentum gaining
Take me away from this food chain link
Bauble among the bone
And streams woke up
The Olivia Tremor Control's "Hilltop Procession" is a song that is filled with cryptic lyrics and psychedelic soundscapes that transport the listener to another realm. The song's opening lines, "Above the clouds and below the bark, they're having parties beyond those roots, find a tree house symphony there" set the tone for the rest of the song. These lines describe a mystical world that exists above and below our mundane lives where parties and revelries occur. The idea of a "tree house symphony" suggests that music is the driving force behind this otherworldly existence.
The second verse of the song continues this theme of escapism with the lines, "Step lightly into my daydream after the yawning, don't worry about what's on TV, it'll just be boring." This verse urges the listener to enter a dreamlike state where they can escape the banality of everyday life. The song's chorus, "Mystified and unified we know, half empty but positive we know" reinforces the idea that despite the chaos and confusion of our world, there is still reason to remain optimistic and unified.
The final lines of the song, "Hilltop procession, momentum gaining, take me away from this food chain link, bauble among the bone, and streams woke up" suggest that the song's speaker wants to break away from the constraints of society and join a "hilltop procession" in a world where they can truly be free.
Line by Line Meaning
Above the clouds and below the bark
We are surrounded by nature, above us the sky, below us trees.
They're having parties
Animals and nature have their own lives and activities, regardless of humans.
Beyond those roots, find a tree house symphony there
Explore the world beyond what you know, discover new things and experiences, and perhaps find something beautiful and musical in unexpected places.
Step lightly into my daydream
Join me in my imaginative world, without disrupting or destroying it with harshness or negativity.
After the yawning
After waking up from a long, deep sleep, when the mind and body are still transitioning back to wakefulness.
Don't worry about what's on TV, it'll just be boring
Don't waste your time on mindless, passive entertainment that adds nothing to your life.
Mystified and unified we know
Despite the mysteries of the universe and how vast and diverse it is, we are all connected, united in some way within the grand scheme of things.
Half empty but positive we know
Even though we may have our doubts, fears, and struggles in life, we still choose to stay optimistic and hopeful about the world and our place in it.
There are no explanations to the things you see in your mystery
There are many things in life and the world that are simply inexplicable, and that's okay. It's the mystery that makes life interesting and worth exploring.
So don't look to me to validate your dreams
You are the captain of your own ship, and your dreams and aspirations are your own. Don't look to me or anyone else for validation or approval.
Hilltop procession, momentum gaining
Something big and significant is happening, gathering speed and power atop a hill or mountain, perhaps symbolizing the climb towards success or achievement.
Take me away from this food chain link
Escape the brutal cycle of life and death, where every creature feeds on another to survive, and find a more peaceful or meaningful existence.
Bauble among the bone
A small, insignificant object or person among a larger, powerful, and perhaps frightening environment.
And streams woke up
Nature has a way of coming alive, especially in the morning when everything is fresh and new. Streams, in particular, are symbols of flowing life and energy.
Contributed by Ellie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.