Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Public Four is a local group with a much more conventional take on romance: "My heart is a radio/and it plays for me every day," the group declares on "Mockingbird," one of the four strong tracks on its debut EP, "Animal Grammar." The quartet owes a clear debt to Britpop and shoegazer bands such as Blur, Supergrass and My Bloody Valentine, but it's never overly derivative, and its smart and hook-laden songwriting marks it as a band to watch. Public Four will play a record release party at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, on a bill with Central Standard that starts at 9:30 pm on July 20th.
- Jim DeRogatis, Music Critic
Discography
The Animal Grammar EP, self-released on July 1st, 2006. Currently in the studio recording our full length record. Each song is streamed on our MySpace page, with airplay received on national features TheTripwire.com (podcast show#13) and BreakThroughRadio.com (aired from NYC), 88.7 WLUW Radio Chicago, 89.1 WONC Naperville, WRSE 88.7 Elmhurst College, 93 XRT Radio Chicago, Mac and Slater Fearless Radio (internet) college stations in Madison/ Milwaukee, WI, etc.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
In less than a year after teaming up as
a solid unit, Chicago’s Public Four has
become a band to be seen and heard in
the city’s competitive scene. Just eight
months old as one of the newest efforts
in town, they’ve stormed out the gates,
gained considerable fan base momentum,
and are already playing the city’s top
local venues and college radio stations
while scheduled to share festival and club
bills with fellow buzz darlings Bound
Stems, This Is Me Smiling, Office, Walter
Meego, and The 1900s.
Portland-bred singer/ lyricist Henry Brown
and veteran Chicago drummer Shawn
Rios (Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Cracklin
Moth, Alison Breitman, etc.) had a
chance meeting in the spring of 2005 and
the connection was made to start playing
together immediately. Some months had
passed as the pair shared a love for music’s
more dramatic aspects, working to
create a well-rounded sound, slightly lofty
and artistic while still remaining substantial
and accessible to different tastes.
Recently joined by synth-scientist/ pianist
Jake Fish and completed by bass guitarist/
vocalist Johnny O’Brien and dynamic
lead guitarist Cyril Nigg (who moved from
Boulder, CO to join the group), the fivepiece
has a slightly schizophrenic sound
at times, which works well for them– leaning
in toward the grandiose charm of Pink
Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon one minute
and brushing up against an early Beatles
meets Strokes-era type of sound the next,
then throwing in the high-staccato, guitar-burning
rave of ‘70s arena rock contrasted
with the more modern risks of Radiohead.
Rock with dance, pop with conviction, full
of momentum. Their sights are set not on
retro gimmicks, but on innovation. Something
much needed these days.
While already being passed around in the
blog world and featured in online and print
publications such as The Tripwire, NYC's BreakThrough Radio, The Chicago Sun-Times, The
Onion, and Something Glorious, the group
works to invent songs with gorgeous layered
vocals and harmonies, melodic and
rhythmic hooks with excellent songwriting
to back them up, and one of the tightest
rhythm sections around right now. Currently
in the studio with an intense recording
agenda ahead of them, Public Four’s anticipated
self-produced "Animal Grammar EP," recorded
earlier this year, is available now.
-Ari Bendersky, Associated Press
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