The Wallets were founded as an experimental group by accordionist Steve Kramer and managed by Bob Hest. The
Allen Toussaint-produced debut album
Take It was released in 1986, described by
Spin as urban soul and funk with "a Cajun smell to their work". The album saw the band described as "art rockers who not only want to groove but know how to groove". Kramer decided to retire the band in spring 1988, but waited until their final album,
Body Talk, was released late in the fall before announcing the split. The Wallets performed their final show at the
Guthrie Theatre in
Minneapolis on January 23, 1989. Kramer and Hest later formed an advertising agency, currently known as Hest & Kramer, Van House Weber, noted for its use of music in television ads for clients such as
Target Stores,
MTV,
Time Warner, and
Buick. Kramer died in January 2013 at age 59. ==Musical style==