Biography

Public Practice is art rock created by Sam York, Vince McClelland, Drew Citron and Scott Rosenthal. Based in Brooklyn, NY. On their debut full length, Gentle Grip (out 15th May on Wharf Cat Records), the group reanimate the spirit of late ‘70s New York with their playfully angular yet thoughtful brand of no wave-meets-funk and dark disco. Magnetic singer and lyricist Sam York and guitarist and principal sonic architect Vince McClelland (who previously played together as members of the meteoric yet short-lived NYC post-punk outfit WALL) come to the table with an anarchic perspective that aims to eradicate creative barriers by challenging the very idea of what a song can be. Paradoxically, Drew Citron, on bass/vocals/synth, and drummer/producer Scott Rosenthal (both previously of Brooklyn indie-pop favorites Beverly) are uncannily adept at working within the framework of classic pop structures. But instead of clashing, these contrasting styles challenge and complement one another, resulting in an album full of spiralling tensions and unexpected turns. Whether they are poking holes in commonly held ideas centered around relationships, creativity, or capitalism, Public Practice never lose sight of the fact that they want to have fun, and they want you to have fun too. After all, who wants to stand on top of a soapbox when there’s a dark, sweaty dancefloor out there with room on it for all of us?