Office

In 2001 the Chicago outfit Office took shape as new wave enthusiasts who chose a name seemingly calculated to frustrate online searches, since queries reliably surface countless results for the sitcom starring Ricky Gervais and Steve Carell. Singer-songwriter Scott Masson launched the project after spending a year in Great Britain as a visual artist; the conceptual leanings he acquired at art school, reminiscent of cerebral rock acts such as XTC, Talking Heads, and Game Theory, shaped the band’s direction and extended to the polished graphic design that graces every release. Drawing from the office-supply sculptures he had constructed in London, Masson produced an entirely solo debut album titled Office. Two years later came the follow-up, the equally self-contained The Ice Tea Boys and the Lemonade Girls.

After quitting his position as an office manager, Masson retreated to his Wisconsin hometown for focused practice, then returned to Chicago carrying a set of demos and a blueprint for a complete ensemble. He recruited guitarist Tom Smith, bassist Alissa Noonan, and drummer Erica Corniel; together they tracked and independently issued the first full-band effort, Q&A, in 2005. The record earned favorable notices and generated live momentum, prompting former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha’s Scratchie Records to sign the group in summer 2006. While preparing their label debut, Office expanded its lineup with keyboardist and percussionist Jessica Gonyea. A Night at the Ritz appeared the following year.