Olivia Tremor Control drops new album The Same Place

The Same Place: The Olivia Tremor Control Return with Elephant 6

When you talk about musical history, certain collections stand out as emblems of a particular era. The Olivia Tremor Control were certainly one such group, embodying the spirit of the legendary Elephant 6 collective, founded by co-founders Bill Doss and Will Cullen Hart. While the passing of Bill Doss in 2012 brought a pause to the band’s activities, their musical legacy continued to resonate, waiting for the perfect moment to emerge.

Now, that moment has arrived. In 2017, Robert Schneider of The Apples in Stereo revealed he was working on unfinished recordings from the collective, and that wait has paid off in spectacular fashion. The Olivia Tremor Control have officially announced their third and final album, The Same Place, set to be released via Elephant 6 in October 2023.

This release isn’t just a new body of work; it’s a significant sonic journey. It marks the band’s first full album in 27 years, since their earlier offering, Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1, was released back in 1999. The new album promises an exciting dose of nostalgia and fresh creativity, featuring twenty-seven brand new tracks that have remained previously unreleased.

The excitement surrounding the project was palpable even before the official launch. Two standout tracks from the upcoming album, “The Same Place” and “Garden of Light,” were released on November 29, 2024—the very day news regarding Will Cullen Hart’s passing circulated. These songs provided a poignant introduction to the mood of the new material.

The complete tracklist for The Same Place is a deep dive into the band’s distinctive sound, offering a comprehensive experience spanning sixteen tracks, from “Begin Now!” and “Advice From the Oceans” to the evocative “Path of the Parallels III- A River of White” and the reflective “Garden of Light.” It showcases the unique, meandering artistry that has defined The Olivia Tremor Control’s career.

Whether you are a longtime fan of their catalog or new to their sound, The Same Place serves up an unexpected retrospective. It is a testament to enduring musical vision and a brilliant encapsulation of the history that Bill Doss and Will Cullen Hart helped build, proving that some stories—and some music—never truly fade.