covered in weeds

Last summer a James Iha and Adam Schlesinger fell victims to the buzz surrounding Chicago band, Office, as did Spin, Magnet, NPR, and a good deal of the attendees at Lolla '06. Office is guitarist Tom Smith, bassist Alissa Noonan, drummer Erica Corniel, backup singer/multi-instrumentalist Jessica Gonyea, and leader conceptual guide/vocalist Scott Masson. Their songs are built around similar themes to Masson's earlier visual work or minimalist cubicle displays of, well, stuff you might find in an office.
They've finished putting their first major release, The Ritz, which is set for release on 25 September. They're also set for a string of tourdates this fall with an intriguing open date after the gig in Dallas...hhmmm.

About the album, Masson muses, "This album has easily been the most grueling recording project I've ever been a part of, but also the most rewarding. It's not like this was setting up a band in the studio, and pressing the record button. There are tympanis, keyboards, concert percussion, electronic flourishes, machines, studio tricks, tape machines, choral vocals, and acoustic moments. It was years of revision, reworking, rethinking, subtracting, adding, and re-recording until it got to where it is now." He adds, "I feel like we live in completely surreal times, and this album is a reaction to that sensation."

mp3 shoebox
Office~The Ritz

Tracklist:
1. Oh My
2. If You Don't Know By Now
3. The Ritz
4. Company Calls
5. Wound Up
6. The Big Band Jump!
7. Plus Minus Fairytale
8. Paralyzed Prince
9. Had A Visit
10. Q&A
11. Dominoes
12. Possibilities
13. Suburban Perfume

OFFICE TOUR DATES:
August 17: Brooklyn, NY: Studio B
August 18: New York, NY: Mercury Lounge
August 25: Chicago, IL: Double Door
August 28: Los Angeles, CA: Cinespace
August 30: Los Angeles, CA: Filter's Revenge of the Sunset Strip at the Roxy

With Earlimart:
September 27: Portland, OR: Doug Fir Lounge
September 29: Vancouver, BC: Pit Pub
October 2: Milwaukee, WI: TBC
October 4: Cleveland, OH: Grog Shop
October 5: Toronto, ON: El Mocambo
October 6: Montreal, QC: La Sala Rosa
October 7: Boston, MA: Harper's Ferry
October 11: Philadelphia, PA: First Unitarian
October 12: Baltimore, MD: Ottobar
October 13: Chapel Hill: Duke Coffeehouse
October 14: Atlanta, GA: The Earl
October 15: Birmingham, AL: Bottletree
October 16: Houston, TX: Minc
October 17: Austin, TX: The Mohawk
October 18: Dallas, TX: Loft Palladium
October 20: Denver, CO: Larimer Lounge
October 22: Phoenix, AZ: Paper Heart Venue
October 23: San Diego, CA: The Casbah