#97 the olivia tremor control – the opera house

i can’t believe the elephant 6 holiday surprise reunion tour is underway, and as always, i can’t be there at the party for obvious geographical reasons. as reported in pitchfork, the whole gang – members of the olivia tremor control, the music tapes, and yes even the elusive recluse jeff magnum was present, shouting their way through old favorites like otc’s “the opera house”. “the opera house” is one of my favorite otc songs, an stomping opener to their debut dusk at cubist castle album from more than ten years ago. sometimes, otc likes to let their experimentation take the lead (see explanations or “green typewriters”), meandering and free-flowing as it fancies. but in songs like these, that experimentation is encased perfectly in a simple pop structure which makes every bleep and bloop count for something. but what i like best is how malleable “the opera house” is. i remember how the early live versions of the song easily extend to about ten minutes, the duration through which you basically watch the pop genius of the song deconstructed into a primal stomp-along. that’s why they’re one of my favorite bands of all time.

mp3: the olivia tremor control – the opera house