Office of Strategic Influence (album)

Office of Strategic Influence is the first studio album by American progressive rock band OSI, released by Inside Out Music on February 18, 2003. The album was recorded in June 2002 and mixed in August 2002 at the Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut.

Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos originally recruited Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy to work on a progressive metal album. When keyboardist and vocalist Kevin Moore (founder of Chroma Key and former Dream Theater member) joined the project, the musical direction of the album changed to become more focused on soundscapes and composition than musicianship. Sean Malone (of Cynic and Gordian Knot) and Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree) also performed on the album.

The album is named after the Office of Strategic Influence, an organization set up after the September 11 attacks to spread misinformation and plant false news items in the media, among other functions. The Office was shut after The New York Times published a story on it; many of its operations were transferred to the Information Operations Task Force. The album's lyrics were written by Moore in reaction to the September 11 attacks.

Critical reception of the album was generally positive, praising the band's musicianship. Critics compared the band's sound to Porcupine Tree. Portnoy was ultimately dissatisfied with the experience of making the album. He performed on the second OSI album, Free, but was replaced by Gavin Harrison for Blood and Fire Make Thunder, the band's third and fourth albums respectively.

Background

Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos originally started work on Office of Strategic Influence as a side project while his bandmates took a break before starting work on their next album. Matheos decided to work with Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy because the two had wanted to work on a project together for some time.<ref name = mpfaq>Template:Cite web</ref> They originally planned to form a supergroup,<ref name = lifting>Template:Cite book</ref> envisaging the album as "straight prog metal".<ref name = PWorldInt>Template:Cite web</ref>

Matheos spent seven months writing material for the album.<ref name = mpfaq /> He then sent Kevin Moore (who was living in Costa Rica) some MP3 files of the music he had written and asked him to write some keyboard parts.<ref name=ytse>Template:Cite web</ref> Moore (known as a founding member of Dream Theater and for his solo career as Chroma Key) had previously performed on three Fates Warning albums,<ref name = PWorldInt /> and Matheos was expecting him to write keyboard parts as he had for the Fates Warning album. Instead, Moore "messed with [Matheos'] tracks and switched things around and put vocals to it and stuff like that."<ref name = ytse /> He said that he no longer considered the keyboard, bass and guitar parts separate from each other: "I don't write like that any more as much as I'm composing a whole song."<ref name = ytse /> The resulting track would become "Hello, Helicopter!"<ref name = ytse />

Moore emailed his work back to Matheos, who was "pleasantly surprised"<ref name = mundane /> to be sent something completely different from what he expected.<ref name = mundane>Template:Cite web Template:Dead link</ref> Matheos wanted to create a heavy album; before deciding to takes Moore's ideas further, Matheos and Moore wrote what would become "OSI". Moore said that after that, "[Matheos] was pretty much comfortable with whatever I wanted to do."<ref name = ytse /> This new song format was very different from what Portnoy and Matheos originally planned: the already-written long tracks were split into multiple short songs, closer to Moore's project Chroma Key than traditional progressive metal.<ref name = mpfaq /><ref name = PWorldInt /> "The Thing That Never Was", a track on the bonus disc, shows the direction Matheos and Portnoy originally planned to take the album in.<ref name = lifting />

Matheos and Portnoy initially considered having a different vocalist perform on each track; this idea was scrapped as they decided the constant change in vocalist would disrupt the flow of the album. Vocalists considered included Steve Walsh, Steve Hogarth, Steven Wilson and John Arch. Portnoy particularly pushed for Daniel Gildenlöw to sing on the album.<ref name = mpfaq /> Early on in the album's production, Gildenlöw wrote some vocal melodies and lyrics for two songs and completely wrote another song. Matheos liked Gildenlöw's ideas, but did not want to take the music in the same direction Gildenlöw did.<ref name = mpfaq /><ref name=daniel>Template:Cite web</ref> Moore ended up performing most of the vocals on the album. In order to keep the album from becoming too similar to Chroma Key, Matheos and Portnoy decided to feature a guest vocalist on one track.<ref name = PWorldInt /> Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree) wrote lyrics and performed vocals on the track "ShutDOWN". He was chosen because his music in Porcupine Tree was similar in style to the music on the album. Portnoy also credited Wilson as "a pioneer of his genre".<ref name = mpfaq />

Bassist Sean Malone (of Cynic and Gordian Knot) was only credited as a guest musician. Portnoy explained that this was because Malone's schedule did not allow him to join Matheos, Moore and Portnoy in the basic tracking sessions.<ref name = mpfaq />

Recording

Office of Strategic Influence was recorded at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, Connecticut from June 2 to 9, 2002.<ref name=recording>Template:Cite web</ref> Matheos and Moore mixed the album with Phil Magnotti (who had previously mixed for Fates Warning) in August.<ref name=mixing>Template:Cite web</ref> Portnoy pushed to get as much of the band together as possible for the main tracking sessions because of his dislike of "side projects done through mail."<ref name = mpfaq />

Matheos and Moore created the basic song ideas in Pro Tools. Songs in the progressive metal vein were almost entirely written by Matheos, while Moore had more influence on the more vocal-driven tracks. Portnoy noted that they were ultimately "Jim's songs",<ref name = mpfaq /> but that Moore was very involved with arrangements, post-production, melodies and lyrics. Portnoy considered himself as "just a drummer":<ref name = mpfaq /> he made minor arrangement suggestions but did not have a part in the actual writing. Malone and Wilson contributed their parts after the songs had been arranged. Matheos saved any unused ideas for the next Fates Warning album.<ref name = mpfaq />

Sean Malone said that he enjoyed playing on the album, but that "it would have been nice to work out parts with Mike as they were being recorded rather than after the fact".<ref name = sean /> He took a "session approach"<ref name = sean /> to the album, "trying as much as possible to create parts that fit what Jim et al had created, versus trying to impose anything upon it".<ref name = sean /> He was sent MIDI bass parts for each song which served as a guideline. For the particularly sparse and texture-heavy tracks, Malone did much doubletracking to create "a natural kind of chorusing"<ref name = sean /> he prefers to any digital effects.<ref name = sean />

Before the recording of Office of Strategic Influence, the last time Moore and Portnoy worked together was on Dream Theater's Awake in 1994. Matheos was initially concerned about how Moore and Portnoy would feel about working together for the first time in eight years. Moore noted that he and Portnoy were not on bad terms, but "just weren't in touch."<ref name = ytse /> The two both described the experience as initially "awkward".<ref name = mpfaq /><ref name = mundane /> When recording the album Portnoy had to take directions from others; he found this difficult as he was used to taking the creative lead.<ref name = mundane /> Moore noted that there was tension when recording the same drum part for a song more than once (in order to give Moore choice later on): "He's used to just playing the stroke once, the way he wants to,"<ref name = ytse /> he said.

In a 2009 interview, Portnoy blamed his frustration with the project on Moore:<ref name = lifting /> Template:Cquote Portnoy performed as a session musician on the second OSI album, Free, but was replaced by Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison for the third album, Blood.<ref name = lifting />

Music

Template:Listen Moore described the music on Office of Strategic Influence as "a new approach to progressive rock",<ref name=revelationz>Template:Cite web</ref> stating that he could use his musical roots in progressive music but "was far enough away from it to play with it."<ref name = mundane /> He said that "progressive rock has been around for so long and we have to stop taking it so seriously and really have fun with it."<ref name = mundane /> Portnoy described the album as "more soundscapish"<ref name = mpfaq /> than his work in Dream Theater, focusing more on composition and sounds than musicianship. He noted the style "would never work in Dream Theater."<ref name = mpfaq />

Moore wrote lyrics for the album by "mumbling along to the song and then deciphering what I'm saying."<ref name = mundane /> The lyrics feature political themes ("Hello, Helicopter!" is about the US supplying military arsenals to other countries to protect its own national interests),<ref name = revelationz /> although Matheos stated that the album was not political in nature. Moore said that he writes lyrics based on personal experiences, and that much of the album's lyrical content stems from how the September 11 attacks affected him. Moore's brother was a firefighter who worked at the World Trade Center after the attacks, "and I was totally apolitical before this, politically naïve and I still am," Moore stated. "I was like, 'Whoa, what the fuck is going on in the world?'"<ref name = mundane />

Office of Strategic Influence features Moore's signature use of spoken word samples. He collected samples first and then tried to match them with the song's tempo.<ref name = mundane /> Moore said that the samples relate directly to the song's lyrics.<ref name = revelationz />

Matheos listed his influences as progressive rock bands such as Genesis, Jethro Tull and Emerson, Lake & Palmer and heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, UFO and Uriah Heep.<ref name = PWorldInt /> Moore described his influences as minimal techno, experimental electronic musicians and "bands that play live and then chop it up".<ref name = ytse /> He specifically named Pole, The Gordons and Acid Undertones as influences.<ref name = ytse /> Malone cited Mick Karn as an influence.<ref name=sean>Template:Cite web</ref>

Release and promotion

Moore chose the album's name from a list of band, album and song names he kept.<ref name = ytse /><ref name = revelationz /> The Office of Strategic Influence was a highly secret organization set up three weeks after the September 11 attacks. Part of its mission was to spread misinformation and plant false news items in the media in order to "influence the hearts and minds of the opposition."<ref name = rolling /><ref name=cnn>Template:Cite news</ref> After The New York Times ran a story on the Office in February 2002, it was forced to shut, although many of its operations were later transferred to the Information Operations Task Force.<ref name=rolling>Template:Cite web</ref> "The funny thing about it was the government and administration was saying it's so embarrassing that they had to name it the 'Office of Strategic Influence,' we couldn't just put it in a room in the Pentagon and name it whatever the room number is," Moore said. "Someone decided to be really creative about it and name it what it really is."<ref name = ytse />

The limited edition bonus CD features three bonus tracks on it. There are two cover songs: a cover of the Pink Floyd song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" performed by Moore and Portnoy,<ref name=bonus>Template:Cite web</ref> chosen because they both "love Pink Floyd",<ref name = mpfaq /> according to Portnoy, and a cover of the Neil Young song "New Mama" performed by Moore. The third track, entitled "The Thing That Never Was", is a seventeen-minute instrumental performed by Matheos and Portnoy, showing the original direction they intended to take the album in.<ref name = lifting /> The CD contains a 19-minute multimedia section, including two documentary-style videos shot during the album's recording, and a music video for the track "Horseshoes and B-52s" directed by Moore.<ref name = bonus />

Matheos suggested using an altered version of the United States passport for the album's cover art. The differences are that the arrows are double-headed, the olive branch is wilted, and the eagle's wings have been clipped.<ref name = revelationz /> Matheos, Moore and Portnoy decided against sending out promotional copies of the album before its release date in order to prevent an early Internet leak of it.<ref name = mpfaq /> The album was released in Europe on February 17, 2003.<ref name=insideout>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

Template:Album ratings Office of Strategic Influence was critically well received.<ref name = allmusic /><ref name = prog4u /><ref name = progworld /> Keith Gordon of AllMusic praised the album as "offering both power and pomp."<ref name = allmusic /> Tommy Hash of Prog4you.com described the music as "catchy, complete with great melodies and musicianship that does not overdo it."<ref name = prog4u /> He described the album as "almost in complete contrast to the parent bands' other related side projects," such as Liquid Tension Experiment and Transatlantic.<ref name = prog4u /> John Bollenberg of ProgressiveWorld.net praised Matheos, Moore and Portnoy for "[starting] from scratch without copying their past in order to deliver something fresh, new and exciting."<ref name = progworld />

Hash described the album as having "the atmosphere of some of the mid-90s to the latter era Fates Warning fused with industrial sounding elements and sound effects that create an ambient effect."<ref name = prog4u /> Gordon described the music as similar to Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Max Vague.<ref name = allmusic /> Bollenberg noted "the material on Office Of Strategic Influence gets closer to Moore's very own Chroma Key mixed with dashes of latterday Porcupine Tree... there are bits and bobs all over the album that could easily have fit on In Absentia."<ref name = progworld />

Gordon described the performances on the album as "crackling with electricity and passion".<ref name = allmusic /> He lauded Matheos' performance on the album: "In any other subgenre of rock, Matheos would be a guitar hero on the order of Steve Vai or Eddie Van Halen, the Fates Warning frontman capable of both classically styled acoustic craftsmanship and chaotic metallic riffing, often in the context of the same song."<ref name = allmusic /> He praised Malone and Portnoy for "[holding] down the bottom line with rock-solid rhythms".<ref name = allmusic />

Gordon praised Moore for "providing an instrumental counterpoint to Matheos' raging guitar. Moore's imaginative style and natural skill coax a myriad of sounds from his instrument to challenge Matheos in the mix."<ref name = allmusic /> Sander noted Moore's contribution, saying that "at times there's more technology and electronics than in the average house release". Bollenberg noted that Moore's keyboards added "textures flirting with semi-industrial patches and often being closer to Nine Inch Nails than 'vintage' melodic prog."<ref name = progworld /> Hash praised Moore's vocals, noting they "fit in well with all of the instrumental textures".<ref name = prog4u /> In contrast, Sander criticized Moore's voice as "dull": "the many added distortion and echo effects cannot always make it more interesting. His voice is okay for one or two tracks... but it's too flat to keep you tied to the speakers for much longer". He cited Moore's vocals as the main weakness of some tracks.

Bollenberg listed his favorite track as "Hello, Helicopter!": "it once again gets so very close to authentic Porcupine Tree with Portnoy introducing some tribal rhythms that go ever so well with the rest of the material. I simply melt once that superb sound of the Fender Rhodes enters, taking turns with synthesizer tweaks."<ref name = progworld /> Gordon described the instrumental parts of the album as "powerful and purposeful: an integral part of each composition rather than an excuse to merely 'jam'".<ref name = allmusic />

Personnel

• Jim Matheos – guitars, keyboards, programming, producer, engineering
• Kevin Moore – vocals, keyboards, programming, producer
• Sean Malone – bass guitar, Chapman stick
• Mike Portnoy – drums
• Steven Wilson – vocals on "ShutDOWN"
• Produced by Jim Matheos and Kevin Moore
• Mixed by Phil Magnotti
• Engineered by Phil Magnotti, Steven Wilson, Sean Malone and Jim Matheos

Chart positions

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Billboard Independent Albums<ref name = billboard>Template:Cite web</ref>	31
French charts<ref name="FRA">Template:Cite web</ref>	149

External links

• Photos of Matheos, Portnoy and Moore recording the album