Matheos recruited Moore and Dream Theater's then-drummer Mike Portnoy to perform on what was originally planned to be a Matheos solo album. Matheos and Portnoy originally planned to produce a progressive metal album similar in style to Matheos' work in Fates Warning. Moore changed the music's direction, incorporating electronica into the original progressive metal sound. The band's debut album was released by InsideOut Music in 2003.
OSI was originally intended to be a one-off project, but Matheos and Moore found they both had gaps in their schedules so produced a follow-up. Free was released in 2006, with Portnoy returning to play drums as a session musician rather than a full band member, due to personal and musical differences between him and Moore. Blood was released in 2009, with Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison replacing Portnoy. The fourth album Fire Make Thunder was released in 2012 by Metal Blade Records, with Harrison once again on drums.
Moore has described OSI's sound as "a new approach to progressive rock", combining elements of progressive metal and electronica. Moore considers the two genres to be "almost natural enemies", and that the conflict between the two genres "keeps [the music] interesting". Matheos cites progressive rock and heavy metal bands such as Genesis, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath and UFO as influences. Moore described his influences as minimal techno, experimental, electronic musicians and "bands that play live and then chop it up".
Matheos and Moore primarily work alone, exchanging files and ideas by email. The writing process for all OSI's albums has been the same, with Matheos sending Moore an idea "from just a guitar riff to elaborate, almost completed songs", which Moore then edits and sends back to Matheos. Moore, the band's vocalist and lyricist, has described the process of writing lyrics as an "audio Rorschach test". The lyrics on Office of Strategic Influence feature political themes, but the lyrics on later releases are less political, instead being based on Moore's personal experiences. "I'll start writing a song that has a little bit of a world view or political view or something," he said, "but then by the time I'm finished the lyrics it'll be about a relationship or something like that." On Blood, Moore largely abandoned his earlier stream-of-consciousness approach to writing lyrics, in an attempt to make the lyrics more coherent. "I didn't want it to be like 'Oh, you get your own impression of the lyrics. Everybody has their own idea!' I wanted to have an idea that I wanted to communicate, and something communicable," he explained.
Moore has acknowledged the narrow range of his vocals. He considers his vocal style to "[come] from how I feel when I’m singing, when I'm in the zone of writing lyrics and recording which, a lot of times, comes as the same time. It's sort of an introspective time. A lot of the material lends itself to that kind of voice and that kind of spirit."
2. Osi is the stage name of Israeli-born jazz singer Osi Lewin (pronounced Oh-See). To date, she has only released one studio album, 'Whisper Not', in 2003. The album is a collection of multilingual songs.
Osi is best known to New York cabaret audiences for her riveting star-turn in the Dick Barclay production of PIAF, a tribute to the great French singer Edith Piaf. Osi also appeared for a year-long run at the Hampshire House (in the Plantation Room) where she honed her Brazilian repertoire. Both shows influenced this debut album, titled after the song by the great jazz composer Benny Golson. Osi’s bright voice illuminates the Weiss/Shearing standard, Lullaby of Birdland, and the Rodgers & Hammerstein ballad, Love Look Away, and melts us with the searing Piaf song, Rien De Rien.
Born in Israel, Osi was raised in Israel and for a short time in Los Angeles. She currently makes her home in New York City. Whisper Not was produced by Ray Passman and Emmanuel Mann for LML Music.
Stockholm
OSI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He huddles in the cold
And reaching for the darkness
Away from the half-light
A dark girl wanders on
She bears a wound for you
Inside a is waiting
He is calling his house
Eyes fixed at the gun
A bag is tossed on the ground
Its content's already used
The cold subsides and someone dies
There in the half-light
He is calling his house
Eyes fixed at the gun
A language she don't know
Telling her about love
She lets him in
He takes his chance
Stockholm by OSI is a song that touches on the themes of loneliness, desperation, and emotional turmoil. The opening lines describe a boy who is prematurely aged, shivering in the cold and seeking solace in the darkness away from the half-light. The reference to half-light could mean a state of confusion and uncertainty that the boy is trying to escape from. The dark girl who wanders on is depicted as carrying a wound that's meant for the listener of the song. The implication is that the wound is emotional and the girl is desperately seeking someone to heal her.
The lyrics then shift to a scene where a man is waiting inside a car, calling his house with his eyes fixed on the gun. The mention of the gun creates a sense of tension and danger, implying that the man is contemplating suicide, or worse, murder. The next line states that a bag is tossed on the ground, but the contents of the bag are already used. This line could allude to drug abuse, which often exacerbates feelings of loneliness and desperation.
The closing lines of the song describe a woman who doesn't understand the language being spoken to her, but lets the man in anyway. This scene could represent a moment of vulnerability, where the woman allows herself to be taken advantage of by a man offering false promises of love.
Overall, the song seems to present a bleak view of the world, where people are struggling to find meaning and connection in a cold and uncaring society. However, the lyrics are open to interpretation and could also be seen as an invitation to find hope and solace in the midst of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
A boy looks like an old man
The boy appears to be much older than he really is, suggesting he may have gone through a lot at a young age.
He huddles in the cold
The boy is cold and likely homeless, seeking warmth and shelter wherever he can.
And reaching for the darkness
The boy may be seeking solace in the unknown, something to escape his current situation or troubles.
Away from the half-light
He prefers the darkness, which may imply a sense of hopelessness or despair in his current circumstances.
A dark girl wanders on
The girl is also struggling and wandering aimlessly in a difficult or uncertain situation.
She bears a wound for you
The girl has been hurt in some way by someone, and continues to carry that pain with her.
A car comes to a halt
The story shifts to a car, which may represent a turning point or a significant event in the narrative.
Inside a is waiting
Someone is inside the car, hinting at a possible encounter or confrontation.
He is calling his house
The person in the car is reaching out to someone else, potentially in distress or danger.
Eyes fixed at the gun
The person is preoccupied or fearful of a gun, suggesting a possible threat or violence.
A bag is tossed on the ground
Another object is introduced in the story, which may hold significance or symbolism.
Its content's already used
Whatever was in the bag has been depleted or consumed, implying a sense of desperation or urgency.
The cold subsides and someone dies
An event occurs that results in a shift in circumstances, possibly involving violence or death.
There in the half-light
The scene is still set in a dim or uncertain light, suggesting that things are not entirely clear or resolved.
A language she don't know
Another character is introduced, who may be foreign or unfamiliar with the culture or language of the others.
Telling her about love
Despite the differences, there is a potential for a connection or relationship to form between the characters.
She lets him in
The girl decides to trust this other person and allow him into her life, which may come with both risks and rewards.
He takes his chance
The other person is willing to take a risk and pursue the potential relationship or connection, despite the challenges that may arise.
Contributed by Ellie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.