Public
…And in the End, Release
Independent, 2009
By Jake Shenker
I’ll admit that I hadn’t heard of Public until a promo copy of their EP popped into my inbox, but I’m happy to have been informed of their existence. Although their recently released EP, …And in the End, Release, is immediately familiar — it bears resemblance to some of those carbon-copied bands with names like The Somethings — this five-track EP features a surprisingly fresh bunch of songs with a wide range of influences. While album opener “Walk Away” could be straight off a Franz Ferdinand album, tracks like “Traffic” and “Now and Again” would find themselves more at home on Radiohead’s In Rainbows. What stands out most on this short EP is that these five catchy-as-hell tunes have few clichéd radio hooks — these are simply five well-written songs with climactic choruses and smart instrumentation. And so while this genre’s pedigree has typically focused on hyperactive singalongs, Public has instead focused on proper songwriting.
Public will be at Toronto’s Mod Club this Saturday night, and are definitely a band to check out. Drop by the gig, pick up a copy of this wonderfully succinct EP, and groove your ass off. In the meantime, check out their myspace to hear some tunes.
