ay Bennett and Edward Burch are fast becoming the hardest working music duo in America. By touring incessantly and constantly recording since Jay’s departure from Wilco, the two hit the ground running in 2001 and have not looked back since.

Friends since college, when they both attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Jay called Ed up just after leaving Wilco to say that he wanted to make a go of it full-time. They started playing at small, intimate clubs in the Chicago area, before heading out on the road, just the two of them, a couple of acoustic guitars and a huge cargo van on loan from a friend of theirs, soon after the release of their debut album, The Palace At 4 A.M. (Part 1).

Touring has taken them all over the country, with their centralized location of Chicago benefiting from a multitude of appearances. The debut album, on Undertow Records, has been through several pressings and is fast approaching 50,000 in sales since its release nine months ago.

The album is richly ornate in its instrumentation and its joyful immersion of an older style of pop music, which harkens back to acts such as The Bee Gees (pre-disco), George Harrison and Elvis Costello. Burch’s warm, inviting vocals are pleasantly at odds with Bennett’s gruff style, which is at times reminiscent of Costello, in his more crooning style. Burch’s turns vocally are highly rewarding, especially on "Drinkin’ On Your Dime", a rousing, raucous tale of a ribald night on the town and on the stunning "Venus Stopped The Train".

As for the future of the duo, Bennett and Burch have a nearly completed acoustic version of their debut, a cover album of songs by friends of theirs, a track on the upcoming George Harrison tribute album entitled "Songs From The Material World", where they do a rendition of Harrison’s "Isn’t It A Pity", (due out on February 25th), as well as the next studio album (to be entitled The Palace At 4 A.M. (Part 2)). This is in addition to the touring that continues on, Jay’s multitude of production work and guest appearances on other artist’s albums and Ed’s work as a member of the Kennett Brothers and The Viper and His Famous Orchestra as well as his occasional shows with Wilco member Leroy Bach at the Chicago club, The Hideout. Bennett and Burch prove that you can deliver smart, compelling pop-rock and have a grand ole time doing it.

Quick Facts:

Current members: Jay Bennett and Edward Burch (with Will Johnson and Scott Danborn of label mates Centro-Matic for occasional tour support).

Website: www.Bennett-Burch.com

Location: Chicago, IL

Style: 70s-style ornate pop-rock

Labels Appeared On: Undertow Records (www.undertowmusic.com) or (www.undertowco.com)

Essential: The Palace At 4 A.M. (Part 1)