Hailing from Nottinghamshire, England, The Publics’ high-octane reputation has seen them perform across their home county, headlining iconic local venues Rescue Rooms and The Bodega. Alongside these performances, the band have also been spotted at festivals like YNOT?, Splendour and Camper Calling. Comprised of Josh Porter, Elliot Stephenson, Ollie Siggee, Tom Scott and Taylor Gadsby, the five-piece entered 2024 with determination, and have not taken their foot off the accelerator since.
Now, The Publics release ‘Gaslighter’, a passionately delivered single of romantic frustration and pain. There’s a clear 2000s nostalgia across the track, but it’s supercharged with a modern ferocity and melodic focus that puts the new tune in a league of its own. ‘Gaslighter’ is filled with dynamic, gritty riffs, able to take undecaying distortion to the verses and momentous energy into each chorus. Driven by the bass and drum combinations that refuse to take them off the accelerator, we charge into an emotional vocal landscape, an anthemic grip empowered with raw performances and subtle layers of harmony. Going into the final section, the track is re-energised once again, with a brand new instrumental section and subsequent wall of sound for the last chorus, where every instrument screams its loudest possible performance.
The band adds, “Gaslighter tells the story of a young man’s transition into fatherhood as he struggles to leave behind his troublesome former life. We aimed to portray the rift in the central characters focuses through the contrast of soaring choral backing vocals and sharp guitar solos. The track is designed with festivals in mind, particularly the drum intro which not only sets the tone for the single’s energy but aims to capture the attention of new listeners. We’ve already performed the track live on numerous occasions and received some incredible feedback. We’re really excited to be putting this one out into the world!”
