Public Practice

After the breakup of angular punks WALL and dreamy indie rockers Beverly, the New York band Public Practice emerged with traces of those earlier projects yet quickly steered into fresh sonic territory. The group draped post-punk rhythms in a new wave sheen and first surfaced during the spring of 2018 with a series of local performances. Following an initial demo and a 2018 EP, they issued their debut full-length, Gentle Grip, in 2020.

Public Practice comprises Samantha York, formerly WALL’s lead singer, alongside guitarist Vince McClelland, and Drew Citron and Scott Rosenthal, both formerly of Beverly. Setting aside certain tendencies from their prior bands, the quartet’s early work drew on post-punk’s taut rhythms and meditative grooves reminiscent of Talking Heads. Throughout their first months, they appeared frequently in New York alongside peers such as Pill, Bodega, and Tough Age. Their debut four-song EP, Distance Is a Mirror, surfaced on Wharf Cat Records in October of 2018. Concentrating on live shows and further recordings throughout the ensuing year, the band returned in May of 2020 with Gentle Grip, again via Wharf Cat.