Optical Atlas

Over the last couple of years, perhaps the only E6 parlor game more popular than “when will that second Circulatory System album come out?” (followed rapidly by “when will that Circulatory System bonus LP come out?”) is “when will the Major Organ and the Adding Machine DVD/Expanded CD come out?”  But, honestly, the great thing about Elephant 6 is that they usually make it worth the long wait (and those gaps are filled with so many of Montreal and Robert Schneider-related releases that the wait doesn’t really matter all that much).  Anyway, at long last the Major Organ and the Adding Machine re-release has been announced, but first a history: the 2001 album was one of the flagship releases of the Athens-based Orange Twin Records label, draped in the E6 logo and featuring an all-star cast from the E6-East universe, though none of them were named on the album.  (Nonetheless, it was pretty easy to recognize that prominent members of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Music Tapes, of Montreal, and Elf Power were contributing.)  The CD drifted out of print, though the LP remained generally available.  Although initial reviews of the concept album – a harrowing mix of avant-garde sound collages and psych-rock – were mixed, with some being very harsh, over the past nine years it has deservedly developed wider admiration and the requisite cult following.  For the 2008 Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise tour, Eric Harris  (OTC, Elf Power)  would begin each evening’s program with a screening of the Major Organ and the Adding Machine short film, which he co-directed with Joey Foreman: a years-in-the-works cross between music video and experimental children’s fantasy, telling the story of Madam Truffle, a bunch of people with beards, a giant lobster, and, um, other things that happen.  (It’s all great fun.)  A DVD was announced and then postponed, and postponed, and postponed again.

Now Pitchfork has announced the real deal: on September 14, Orange Twin Records will release the deluxe Major Organ and the Adding Machine reissue, which will feature the complete album plus seven bonus tracks, bundled with a DVD of the film and bonus features such as music videos, live footage, and other E6-related projects, perhaps some of which were featured in the Eric Harris-curated E6 film program which screened last year in Athens.

Conclusion: Viva Francisco! (Thanks to Kathy with a K for the head’s-up.)

Babelgum has posted a number of videos from XX Merge, including some delicious footage of The Ladybug Transistor.  View all the videos here.

Autographed of Montreal and Olivia Tremor Control merchandise is for sale in a charity auction from this eBay seller.  Thanks to James Brown for the link.

Brian Heater has written an insightful article at New York Press on Will Cullen Hart, his MS, the reasons for the breakup and reunion of Olivia Tremor Control, and the comeback of Signal Morning.  The title, “Inside Views,” is a wink-wink reference to the Circulatory System remix CD-R that came out in 2001.  Both Will and Bill Doss are interviewed for the piece:

New York Press: Circulatory System – Inside Views

NPR.com is making available the entirety of Signal Morning, streaming now on their website.  If you can’t wait two weeks to hear it on CD, head over there now and enjoy.  Robin Hilton has also written a rave review, and talks to Will Hart, who speaks about his struggles with multiple sclerosis, working with Charlie Johnston and Nesey Gallons, and why we might be hearing a brand new Olivia Tremor Control album in the future.  Head over to NPR to check it out.  Thanks to washermootootwitsoop for the link, but not for making me type that username.

Insound asked Mike Perry to concoct designs celebrating “20 years (1977-1997) of punk, new wave, and indie rock.”  The results, which include designs for The Olivia Tremor Control and The Apples in Stereo, are being made available on American Apparel shirts and signed and numbered posters.  Check it out here.  Matt Wishnow wrote an interesting piece about why he chose OTC for this series, which you can read here.  Thanks to James for the head’s up.

The very kind DoctorSchwindel at the E6 Townhall has made available for download a rare Olivia Tremor Control cassette which he recently purchased off eBay.  (According to the eBay description, this was a one-sided demo tape sent off to U.S. clubs in advance of an early-90’s tour.)  The tracks include:

1. “Athena” 2:34
2. “The One” 1:22
3. “Fireplace” 3:11
4. “Marking Time” 4:13
5. “Black Foliage” 2:59
Total time – 14:19

You can download the tracks in MP3 or FLAC through the links in this Townhall thread, presumably for a limited time.

The Elephant 6 Townhall has assembled an album of covers of E6 songs, from of Montreal through Major Organ and the Adding Machine, Elf Power, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and more.  You can download Elephant 6 Fanfare through this thread.  Thanks to lenn9o9n for assembling the project, and everyone who contributed.

As has been widely reported, Chris Knox of New Zealand’s The Tall Dwarfs last month suffered a stroke, which has left him facing a long recovery. Knox has old ties to friends Neutral Milk Hotel and The Olivia Tremor Control–the Tall Dwarfs joined OTC’s reunion tour years back, and Cloud Recordings reissued some of the band’s classic catalogue–and now it’s been announced on the Chris Knox blog that Jeff Mangum and Olivia Tremor Control are among the artists slated to appear on a Knox tribute album (along with…David Kilgour, Will Oldham, Guided By Voices, Yo La Tengo, Superchunk, and so many others). I have confirmed with Kelly Ruberto of Elephant6.com that at least Olivia Tremor Control has said “yes” to contributing material. This will be something to watch closely and with great interest… 

Thanks to Therum for the head’s up.