Philadelphia’s Public Health, the alias of singer-songwriter Alex Moxam, just dropped “Painless,” a track that slaps you awake – in the greatest way imaginable. Moxam, the project’s mastermind, teams up with Matt Paparone (lead guitar/bass), and man, does that dude know how to shred. The riffs are piercing enough to cut glass, and the bassline? It’s like a live wire. Put ’em together and you’ve got this crazy mix.
Paparone isn’t just a studio gun-for-hire; he’s the lead axeman in Public Health’s live lineup, a role that clearly bleeds into the track’s restless energy. You can hear that live energy all over this track. It’s like these two guys just click, you know? Moxam’s got this thing for moody, catchy hangers – kinda like if Alex G and Neil Young’s grungier side had a baby – and when that collides with Paparone’s guitar work, it’s explosive.
“Painless” doesn’t wallow. It’s about motion, not mourning. Thematically, the whole vibe is a rejection of all that overthinking crap, with echoes of Arthur Russell‘s weird genius, but make no mistake, this is rock ‘n’ roll straight from the gut. Live, these guys are the real deal. They’ve been tearing it up live, opening for Wild Nothing and JW Francis. Seeing them on stage, you know they’re not just some studio wizards. And this new track is their “we’ve arrived” moment.
Listening to “Painless” feels like you’re tearing down an empty highway at midnight, speakers blasting, not giving a damn about tomorrow. It’s all distortion and attitude, and it’s freaking awesome. If you’re into rock that doesn’t play by the rules, you gotta give this a listen. Public Health is serving up some serious heat with this one!
Public Health Socials: Bandcamp • Soundcloud