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.
I Have Been Floated
The Olivia Tremor Control Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and thus express that each have words no one else will say
i have been floated to this thought this hour
on a series of events i cannot explain
gather yer wits, your will, your luck, yer power
that what it would effect that will not remain
the spiracle's obedience it is true (i swear (honestly)
if one claims to know the way let fashion be his bride
and more akin to welcome in to being forced inside
The Olivia Tremor Control's song I Have Been Floated is a thought-provoking piece of music. The lyrics, although cryptic, seem to suggest the value of self-expression and the importance of grasping each moment as it arises. The opening lines of "when it should learn to speak before it melts away and thus express that each have words no one else will say" can be interpreted as a call for seizing opportunities and expressing one's true self before it's too late.
The rest of the song seems to build on this idea, with the singer reflecting on their own experiences and urging listeners to harness their wits, will, luck, and power. The line "gather yer wits, your will, your luck, yer power that what it would effect that will not remain" is an especially telling one. The singer appears to be encouraging people to use their resources to effect positive change, recognizing that time is fleeting and opportunities are limited.
The song also contains some unusual imagery and metaphorical language. The line "a light shines through a little hole the hole's inside somewhere the spiracle's obedience it is true" is particularly mysterious. The references to fashion and being forced inside further contribute to the song's enigmatic quality.
Line by Line Meaning
when it should learn to speak before it melts away
One should learn to speak their mind before their opportunity passes
and thus express that each have words no one else will say
Conveying thoughts that no one else can verbalize
i have been floated to this thought this hour
The current thought is intriguing and captivating
on a series of events i cannot explain
Without personal agency, the course of events is out of one's grasp
gather yer wits, your will, your luck, yer power
Utilize personal fortitude, luck, and resources to invoke change
that what it would effect that will not remain
Taking the initiative can be transformative, but results may be temporary
a light shines through a little hole the hole's inside somewhere
Illumination can originate from an unexpected source
the spiracle's obedience it is true (i swear (honestly)
The respiratory system is faithful but not sentient
if one claims to know the way let fashion be his bride
Those who profess to have all the answers may be vain and shallow
and more akin to welcome in to being forced inside
It is preferable to embrace change instead of being coerced
Contributed by Madelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.