Since their inception Public Practice have built a reputation for their invigorating live performances. York’s stage presence casts a spell like a young Debbie Harry, or Gudrun Gut circa Malaria! Together, the foursome strikes a nimble balance between sharp punk, avant-garde flourishes, and traditional pop structures, creating bold, slinky rhythms and groove-filled hooks that get under your skin and into your dancing shoes. The musicians’ unique chemistry and approach to songwriting is part of what makes their world so intriguing. Magnetic singer and lyricist Sam York and guitarist and principal sonic architect Vince McClelland, who were creative music partners for years prior to Public Practice’s formation, come to the table with an anarchic perspective that intentionally challenges the very idea of what a song can be. Meanwhile Drew Citron, on bass/vocals/synth, and drummer/producer Scott Rosenthal are influenced by a more classic pop sensibility. Instead of clashing, these contrasting styles challenge and complement one another, resulting in an album full of spiraling tensions.
Inspired by influential New York bands like Liquid Liquid, and ESG the foursome are inclined toward music that sounds rough-hewn. “We were thinking about classic New York dance albums, and the thing that stuck out is that many sounded like they were recorded in less-than-ideal situations,” McClelland says. “There was always something about them that felt somewhat home-cooked.” McClelland has spent the past few years constructing a home studio with carefully chosen and occasionally hand-made equipment in an effort to recreate that “cobbled together” sound. Three quarters of Public Practice are engineers as well as instrumentalists, so their collection of gear combined with the recording rig McClelland built allowed the band to record Gentle Grip largely at their own hybrid practice space/studio in Brooklyn. “Having a space and setup that is unique, you're always going to have more of a signature sound,” McClelland explains. They spent the better part of 2019 playing with sounds, riffing on McClelland’s demos, and recording a number of songs live to tape. Although a handful of sessions occurred in traditional recording studios, the band’s autonomy and ability to record themselves imbues their music with a sense of freedom and gives it a distinct character. Their setup and recording process led to a home-cooked sound; a record that is purely Public Practice.
York - who pens virtually of the lyrics - explores ideas about navigating the act of creating, relationships, and capitalism. Gentle Grip is a record, ultimately, about the truth of self.
Public Practice have a knack not only for curious, catchy song writing but also for old school New York drama, and a sound and presence that’s classic and fresh all at once.
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