Album Notes

The Pundits are a Minneapolis-based indie rock quintet who have intrigued listeners and critics alike with their distinctive synthesis of melodic rock and angular powerpop.

Critics have had continued difficulty pigeonholing this band. In fact, the reviews have continually focused on their distinctive sound. “What’s this? A local band that doesn't fit in with any camp or try to sound like anyone else? Believe it,” wrote Jim Walsh, calling their debut “one of the most rewarding homegrown debuts I’ve heard it ages” and praising their “adventurous mélange of soft rock and hard jazz,” in apparent reference to the band’s penchant for grafting harmonically rich jazz chords onto a noisy indie rock framework. The Pundits’ headturning performance in Toronto at the NXNE Festival was aptly described as "noisy and definitely on the unique side: a single obvious reference band does not pop into my head,” noting their “unusual chords and abrupt, angular timing changes," finding the band “promising and intriguing” (Gary Smith, Umbrella Music).

The Pundits play the songs of lead singer/guitarist SvenErik Olsen. Tackling both the personal and the political, Olsen has the keen eye of a nervy, world-weary detached observer. His lyrics range from the cryptic to the caustic, inviting comparisons to the likes of Elvis Costello and Ray Davies. Musically, Olsen’s songs are transformed by chanteuse Bethany Hummel, bassist Steve Brezenoff and drummer Ryan Bonner into songs that run the gamut stylistically from the danceable new wave strains of “Locate Me” to the postpunk menace of “The Man That Got Away”, from the power pop riffage of “Take Another Look at Your Man” to the riveting dynamics of the infectious “Bye and Bye the Stars Do Shine.” If you listen intently, it is possible to hear traces of XTC, Big Star and Wire.

For their debut full-length ECHO CHAMBER, the Pundits turned to engineer Bob Weston, whose work with Sebadoh and Shiner has always impressed the band, for the initial sessions. They entered Darren Jackson's Shortman Studios in Minneapolis for the remaining sessions.