The Chamber Strings Month of Sundays (Bobsled Records)      The sophomore release from the Windy City’s biggest secret, the Chamber Strings, Month of Sundays is a rich, textural album not too unlike the histrionic sounds of Pulp, sans the sexual depravity.  Leader Kevin Junior takes the wheel on this lilting, almost loungey excursion, fraught with focused songwriting and sharply executed arrangements that recall the heyday of American Wall of Sound pop excess.      This group is a walking indie contradiction.  Whereas most bands on independent labels don’t experiment with instruments any weirder than a keyboard, The Chamber Strings go the whole hog on lush atmospherics, like strings, brass, vibes, a banjo, and even tubular bells.  However, their secret weapon is pianist Carolyn Engelmann, who adds both jaunty, rhythmic parts and delicate melodies to the Chamber stew.      Mesmerizing, symphonic tunes like “The Road Below” and the aching “For the Happy Endings,” verge on brilliance, overflowing with gorgeous vocals and heartfelt earnestness.  However, the album’s centerpiece, the strangely soulful “It’s No Wonder” takes the cake, combining a stuttering, piano-laden rhythm with a chorus as sweeping as it is infectious.      Month of Sundays is too sophisticated and dreamy to be true, and thus it is destined to be one of the most egregiously overlooked pop records of 2001.  Get it now and say you knew them way back when! By Casey Lombardo Long Beach Union Originally printed 5.7.01 Back