A View From the Sears Tower's Ledge
Illinois Is Getting Fatter
Mayor Blames Violent Holiday Weekend On Booze, Heat
Kuma's Pats Itself On Back With Block Party
Chicagoan Involved In Mount Rushmore Ruckus
OFFICE's much-anticipated follow-up to A Night At The Ritz has seemed a long time coming. Frontman Scott Masson (and only current member?) reconfigured the band earlier last year and hinted that a free download of the album would be available over the summer. Alas, it never hit public ears. We were lucky enough to get a copy though and the album became a staple on our playlist through the fall and winter months.
That new album, Mecca, continues Ritz's pop leaning while injecting a healthy dose of rock and/or roll and pairing them with deeply personal lyrics to create the band's most solid effort yet. Our primary critique of Ritz was that it was cobbled together as a greatest hits of sorts, and with Mecca OFFICE proves they can write an enthralling album from beginning to end.
The opening trio of "Sticky Dew," "Mirror Lake," and "Nobody Knows You" are just the sort of gummy glam that will burrow in your ears and refuse to let go, and they're canny openers since they'll keep old fans happy while drawing in new ones. A listen to the lyrics will reveal something deeper and darker at work though, particularly the reflective tone of "Nobody Knows You" as it explores remaining relevant in any given "scene" while retaining any sort of personal respectability.
And then, the band switches tactics with the genre-hopping "Ridiculous Plans," allowing the remainder of the album to meander between styles as they fit the songs' moods and subject matter. The band incorporates some of the more daring tendencies of their earlier work without sacrificing the melodies of their later compositions. The band finally comes together to work out its competing inclinations allowing those tendencies to work in concert with each other instead of pulling the songs apart.
And now you can enjoy what we've been digging since everyone finally has a chance to listen in to the band as they reach another peak.
DOWNLOAD OR STREAM: OFFICE - Mecca
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
Why would they not put it out for sale? I am sure plenty of people would have purchased the album and allowed the band members some sort of monetary reward for their work. It is only time before we see more good things from those who have been involved with the band.
This album as it was presented yesterday was not Mecca in it's full form, and was not authorized for download by all musicians on the record. And for the record, the "enthralling album" was not written beginning to end by Mr. Masson. Three of the compositions on the record are my own, including the aforementioned "Mirror Lake," which were excluded in yesterday's download, compromising the album's integrity.
To answer Dr. Dave's question, the record is not for sale because of many factors, from the economic to the personal. In today's economy, no one wants to make a risky investment, and what could be riskier than sinking money into an outfit led by someone prone to self-sabotage? And on the same coin, why should anyone involved in the project invest energy only to see their efforts under-appreciated and undermined by absurd, megalomaniacal behavior?
The fact that this was released without prior consent further reinforces my decision to leave the band after five years of collaboration. The record, at the surface, is a new peak, but the band itself has reached it's nadir.
Wow, I am sorry to hear that the band as it has existed for the last few years has apparently come to an end. Office was one of my favorite bands. The residency at Schubas back in October was great. I always enjoyed seeing them live and all the talents brought by everyone in the group.
well, shit.
Aww, man... I want the good old days back:
An Office Party At Biograph
They were fun!