Control Mad

Control Mad The Olivia Tremor Control: Psychedelic Music I've long been a huge fan of psychedelic rock music. The type of music that lets your imagination run wild. The type of music that has a bit m...

Control Mad

The Olivia Tremor Control: Psychedelic Music

I've long been a huge fan of psychedelic rock music. The type of music that lets your imagination run wild. The type of music that has a bit more depth to it. Music that isn't just verse, chorus, verse, chorus but that breaks free into exploratory song structures and new musical ideas. I'm not sure there is a band that more fully reaches for the ideal of truly psychedelic music than The Olivia Tremor Control.

The Olivia Tremor Control only released two albums. 1996's Music from the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle (I'll refer to it as simply Dusk at Cubist Castle from now on) and 1999's Black Foliage: Animation Music Vol. 1 (I'll refer to it as Black Foliage from now on.) They also released a compilation album called Presents: Singles and Beyond which features songs not on either album.

Despite this short discography (although each of these albums is very long) The Olivia Tremor Control have left behind quite a legacy in the world of psychedelic music.

Dusk at Cubist Castle includes 27 tracks (10 of which are titled "Green Typewriters" and is 74 minutes long. The album includes many catchy pop rock songs which seem to be influenced by The Beatles & The Beach Boys but which retain a sparkling originality. They tend to push the production tricks and the unusual song structures to the next level, even farther than The Beatles and The Beach Boys ever did. The album also includes some very experimental spaced out tracks like track #19 (the longest of the "Green Typewriters" tracks.)

This album seems like it was made for those "taking a trip" but it also works as a tool for sober people to get into another state of mind. That's what truly psychedelic music can do.

But there's a lot more to this music than merely just being "trippy for trippy's sake." These songs are filled with catchy melodies, instantly memorable riffs, and great harmonies. The wild experimentation only makes what is already great music all that much more interesting.

Black Foliage also includes 27 tracks although many of those tracks are very short. In fact five the tracks are 15 seconds or less. The album has a slightly more polished sound although it retains the same basic "lo-fi" sound. People often go on and on about the "lo-fi" nature of this music. I find that the least interesting thing about it. So, let's move on, eh?

Much like Dusk at Cubist Castle, Black Foliage is filled with brilliantly catchy songs like "Hideaway." It also includes some long experimental tracks like "The Bark And Below It" which is over 11 minutes. I hate to compare it to "Revolution #9" but I guess I just did it anyway.

If you are a newcomer to The Olivia Tremor Control it's a track from Black Foliage that I most highly recommend, "Paranormal Echoes." In this song you can get a pretty good idea of what the psychedelic madness that is this band is all about.

About the Author

Marvin J. Markus recommends reading the music by day music blog every day. He suggests joining the music forum.