My first taste of The Olivia Tremor Control came only earlier this year. I rode in the passenger seat of my friend's station wagon, bound for another banal lunch. "This is that band I was telling you about," he said, turning his head only slightly, "the Beatles-sounding one." I said nothing back. I listened intently to every detail so as to draw the most accurate parallels between the two: the joyful vocal patterns and harmonies, the grooving bass lines, the fuzzy guitars, the reverberated drums. I was not to commit myself to a judgment upon mere first listen, but O how fitting my friend's shallow description seemed. They had lent their ears so wholly to a style of music that, at its core, seemed utterly irreproducible. As we pulled into a driveway and proceeded to park the car, I realized that of the songs that had played (as I would later find out, this was the bulk of Dusk at Cubist Castle's first half), all had in some way reminded me of an elusive aesthetic quality of The Beatles, and even The Beach Boys.
And, for better or worse, this is a feeling that is likely to reside in the hearts of most listeners of Music for the Unrealized Film Scrip, Dusk at Cubist Castle, The Olivia Tremolo Control's first and most successful album.
Though far from wholly unoriginal, a variety of aspects of the album unabashedly draw from obvious sources. The jovial, repeated vocal rhythm in "Define a Transparent Dream" brings to mind Bowie's, "Changes." "Memories of Jacqueline 1906" contains a brilliantly spontaneous fall-apart that is, ironically, only hindered by its own insipidness, for it so blatantly recalls the fall-apart in "A Day In the Life." But in spite of this, or perhaps because of this, the album often comes across flawlessly. Its mark lies not in inventiveness or experimentation (which is not to say it lacks any), but in its ability to strike a dear balance between the temptation of emulating the artists so highly revered, and the exigency and essential need to forge a new sound. Because as easy as it is to liken The Olivia Tremor Control to The Beatles or The Beach Boys or whatever else you may, to dismiss such infantile, trifling attributes and indulge in the pure-pop ingenuity of this record is far more rewarding (I did, after all, say my friend's description was shallow, did I not?).
The entire first half of the album -- that is, the portion proceeding the, "Green Typewriters" series -- is filled with genial, yet artfully crafted songs. The album opener, "The Opera House," is perhaps the biggest rocker, highlighted by crafty guitar interplay and clever lines such as, "We feel okay/ which is how we feel most of the time." The songs that follow rely primarily on contagious harmonies and hooks. They shift effortlessly from one facet of pop to another, and, like the songs from which they draw inspiration, exemplify the possibilities which can exist within the realm of pop. Never is this portrayed better than in "Holiday Surprise, wherein midway through the song turns on its placidity and takes on an aggressive, driving mood. The "Green Typewriters" series (a series of ten tracks all bearing the same title) marks the only abrupt and peculiar change in pace.
The first several tracks sound not much different than what preceded them, while tracks six and seven of the series take a 180 degree turn. The latter is a minimalist 9-minute plus affair that has as its only accentuating points water drops, the fading in and out of cars driving by, and, at its closure, helicopters whirrs. The words that follow in the eighth installment are fitting to say the least: "How much longer can I wait?" Thereafter, the album shifts back to what it does best. "Spring Summers" is one of the most effective songs on the album, augmented by a subtle yet moving bass line, a backwards tambourine, horns, and another effortless midway change of pace; while "N.Y.C. -25" is a fitting closer to say the least.
An utmost engaging listen, Dusk At Cubist Castle succeeds on so many levels that to focus on its resemblance to other artists alone is to miss the point of the album entirely. Some bands find an odd sense of pride in crafting their work out of solely their own methods, even if what results is nothing but dirt, and will not stand to take cue from anyone. This considered; it's lucky The Olivia Tremor Control did no such thing.
1. The Opera House
2. Frosted Ambassador
3. Jumping Fences
4. Define a Transparent Dream
5. No Growing (Exegesis)
6. Holiday Surprise
7. Courtyard
8. Memories of Jacqueline 1906
9. Tropical Bells
10. Can You Come Down With Us?
11. Marking Time
12. Green Typewriters
13. Green Typewriters
14. Green Typewriters
15. Green Typewriters
16. Green Typewriters
17. Green Typewriters
18. Green Typewritres
19. Green Typewriters
20. Green Typewriters
21. Green Typewriters
22. Spring Succeeds
23. Theme for a Very Delicious Grand Piano
24. I Can Smell The Leaves
25. Dusk at Cubist Castle
26. The Gravity Car
27. NYC -25
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