Public Access T.V.
Street Safari
Release Date: Feb 23, 2018
Genre(s): Pop/Rock
Record label: Cinematic
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Album Review: Street Safari by Public Access T.V.
Excellent, Based on 4 Critics
Based on rating 4/5
Nowhere in the world do bands sound so obviously from their city than those hailing from New York. From The Ramones to The Strokes via any group that’s tried to rip off either of the above (ie lots), there’s an unquantifiable vibe that runs throughout. On 2016 debut ‘Never Enough’, Public Access TV were happy to slot neatly into that rich legacy, but two years later they return a far broader, more unexpected and downright funkier proposition.
Based on rating 8/10
The difference between the two records is like the difference between The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day - the second is glossier, sexier and a much more attractive proposition for non-genre fans. There's that same rusty-van, busted-jeans, smoke-and-sweat authenticity - only this album feels slightly looser, slightly sexier, slightly groovier - and much, much better for it. Where debut album tracks like "Evil Disco" and "In Our Blood" featured rough(ish) guitars and punky rhythms, this album is sleek, lithe, and supple.
Based on rating 4/5
"They say the kids don't like rock'n'roll anymore," lamented New York-based quartet Public Access TV on 2016's debut, Never Enough. While those drawn to the new wave-ish quartet's drive time thrust may disagree, the follow-up offers a sprightly solution of sorts, flexing TV's melodic range to accommodate wicked grooves and stadium-rock guitars. If the distance between skinny-fit 1979 aesthetics and 1983 pop is hardly huge, Public Access TV make moonwalk-slick work of it.
Based on rating 4/5
Public Access TV might just be one of the most underrated bands of this decade. After swindling their way to a major-label deal, they quickly reneged on their contract and found freedom ahead of their 2016 debut album, 'Never Enough'. Its hook-heavy, new wave-indebted treasures might have won them a healthy amount of acclaim, but it never quite reached the wider audience it deserved.
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