Punsapaya

If Dave Matthews begat John Mayer, Mayer begat Punsapaya. But where Mayer added little to Matthews' not particularly original formula, Punsapaya are a force from which Mayer -- and mature-rock artists in general -- could take notes. Prepare To Qualify showcases an ability to cover plenty of varied ground and even make it sound clean and fresh. Whether showing their chops at funk-rock, folk-pop, lush and melodic piano-rock, or just surprisingly mature and sincere sounding ballads, Punsapaya have talent to spare. Should the group continue to deliver like they have so far, it's only a matter of time before they're drawing attention away from Mayer and the like. - Jaime de'Medici

Punsapaya
Monday, November 15, 2004

Just like their namesake, a fictitious plant that's hard to describe, so is labeling Punsapaya’s expansive sound. Their debut album, Prepare To Qualify, covers so much musical ground it could easily be called a compilation disc. Prepare To Qualify is bold on gritty jazz, funk and rock, along with a crisp fusion of hooks and beats. With every genre angle well covered, if this debut effort is missing anything, its the unbiased ear of an outside producer. Punsapaya’s foundation is muscular and ready to burst - and with some studio fine-tuning and skilled direction, they could harness that power into a strong, cohesive sophomore statement. - Shane Handler

Punsapaya has become "the buzz" as Chicago's hottest rock band, building in popularity by word of mouth of their explosive, passionate and emotionally honest live performances that has fostered an ever-growing fan base, and gained respect from notable established artists. - Daily Isthmus:: Madison Show Preview

"Punsapaya has serious crossover appeal!" - Joshua Modell

“Carries on the tradition of driving beats and gargantuan riffs.” - Meredith Deitrich

“Pünsapaya’s debut album, Prepare to Qualify, surpassed qualification when the Chicago rock band took home
the prestigious award, “Rock Album of the Year” from the Chicago Music Awards”
- Kymber Berson

"If you love rock and roll, this is the band for you!" - Wicker Park Voice :: Chicago, IL

Punsapaya
Puckett 4/16/2005

"Prepare to Qualify"
2004 Sideways Eight Records
Score: 8 (of ten)

I've had several people tell me this Chicago Quartet's sound was progressive indy rock. That term is so vague. That covers everything these days. When talking about Punsapaya, the music comes down to atmosphere. Not just edgy space rock. This record has such a deep, thick, musk about it, even the lowest levels of the bands sound are etched in such explicit detail... seriously, if there weren't vocals, this would be the ultimate band to score a movie. Happiness, uneasiness, whatever atmosphere or style you need, Punsapaya can do it, and already have a demo to show you they can. You hear that Hollywood? - Pucknation.com - Puckett

Punsapaya (poon-sah-pie-yah) is one of the most promising rock bands in Chicago. Punsapaya mixes a funky roots sound with the almost electronic feel of the Killers. It's energetic and catchy, making for intense club shows.
- Des Moines Register -- Joe Lawler

Pünsapaya :: 05.27.05 :: Durty Nellie's :: Palatine, IL

Want to see a great rock band and dance your ass off? Then go see Pünsapaya (pronounced "poon-suh-pie-yah"), a rock and roll quartet from Chicago that knows how to blend killer riffs and catchy melodies with funky dance beats and flat-out grooves. Pünsapaya's live shows are non-stop energy from instrumentation we haven't seen in a while: two guitars, drums, and bass. This isn't emo, this isn't metal, this isn't prog. This is straight-up dance rock, and it's not to be missed. - Chris Newton :: Jambase.com