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antiReviews: Paw – Home Is A Strange Place Review by Scott Vile

Paw – Home Is A Strange Place
Release Date: August 22, 2000
Label: Koch Records

Paw have actually been around for a while. They released two CDs in the mid 90s, not receiving commercial success but earning a reputation for being an aggressive yet melodic grunge band. Listening to this CD causes very obvious comparisons to Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. Paw broke up for a while but have now reemerged with “Home Is A Strange Place,” their new 7-song EP.

The first track “Ruby Red” has a cool, mellow vibe but unfortunately it’s merely a 1 ½ minute intro song. It would be good as a full track. “One Handed In The Red Room” combines grunge and thrash metal in a superb fashion, and definitely has a chance at commercial success. The next song “Blow Wind” sounds like a Dirty Looks song. I don’t know why I’m using such an obscure metal band for a reference, but the singing is just so similar to their style. It too has aggressive verses but this time has an off tempo chorus. Singer Mark Hennessy does his best Eddie Vedder impression during the chorus, this song too is a cool track. “Into the Woods” is an instrumental with an unexpected yet welcome sitar-sounding guitar. “Naiad” brings them back to their grunge style of rock, it’s a bit mellow and really catchy. The title track “Home Is A Strange Place” didn’t grip me, and the EP finishes off with “Oily Rags” which sounds distorted and a bit surreal. A good closer for the ‘Strange Place’ they created on this CD.

Paw was overlooked when the style of music they made exploded in the mid-90s, and now they are back for another go. This CD is very good, but not highly original. Paw are Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains clones, but at the time, who wasn’t? Paw are a lot more convincing than most, this CD proves that they are a cut above.

The Band:
Mark Hennessy – Vocals
Grant Fitch – Guitars, Vocals
Peter Fitch – Drums, Percussion
Dan Hines – Bass

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Your Turn, What do you think?

Fan Speak:

Posted by Tapis Entertainment:
PAW is in a class all by itself! None better, none more overlooked and absolutely none more under-appreciated. They rock in a way that has been long forgotten by most artists and offer their listeners and fans a truly personal and special introspective experience. They so effortlessly tap into the most powerful primal human emotions in their music which in my opinion is what seperates this band from all other acts. That's something to be very proud of Paw...Hold your heads up high! Hope they continue to do their thing. They are certainly my favorite band of all time. If any bandmembers read this, contact Tapis@tampabay.rr.com, I'm currently in post production of an indie film with some legs. Let me know if you are interested in providing some tracks. Or if someone knows of a way to contact the band, please email the info to Tapis @ tampabay.rr.com. Thanks, Jim

Posted by JohnnyLunchBox:
Now that I've gotten that off my chest... I hope PAW can keep making money by making music, because they are doing many a service by serving us with their universal rock and roll.

Posted by JohhnyLunchBox:
Scott Vile should stick to reviewing lunch meat. Vedder impression? Are you drunk? Your accusation that PAW are Alice and Pearl Jam clones is unimaginative at best. You probably won't read this because, thankfully you will probably have been fired by now. It is apparent that you do not check your facts and are symptomatic of the blatant creative journalism that seems all the rage nowadays. Have a nice day.

Posted by Behemoth:
It's the deep south blues flavour in Paw's music that seems to get overlooked, and they get pigeonholed with grunge. Stop for a minute and listen. The solo in Jessie is played on a slide steel guitar for God's sake...

Posted by Bats:
Totally one of the best rock bands ever! From the first time i heard paw on a free tape with kerrang "Death to Traitors" i was blown away with the intensity and beauty of this song, i immediatly looked for them in the stores, where i found dragline and death to traitors and bought both of them. i wanna thank Grant, mark and the boys for saving my soul and looking at life with a sense of humour and understanding i listened to them when i was growing up and every time i was drunk or high, Thanks, can't think what music would be without these records, home is a great record and i hope they read these notes of appreciation as their music means so much to us. Make another album we will listion! "Tell everybody i said hey"

Posted by damnwell:
I had a very rare Paw experience: During the peak of Dragline (and their career) I was in a band that actually got to play a show with them. Neat huh? WELL, after the show, we partied with Paw, and I drove Mark, Grant, and the bassist to the party, and their hotel. I will admit Grant was a huge a-hole, and Mark was pure sarcasm and not too friendly, but still... I will never forget that or them, they truly are a rare group in this world. (Plus I got my cd autographed by all 4 guys!). I hope they keep going, at least for us fans.

Posted by paw lo mejor:
simplemente genial disfruto de su musica grande paw

Posted by Wirralboy:
I grew up listening, drinking and smoking to Paw. I think they're an amazing band and am sorry they ever disappeared thanks to the record label and maybe in-band tussles. I really hope they do come back somehow because of all my cd collection, it is one of the ones that shine. Dragline et al was a diamond and I want new stuff! 25/01/04

Posted by Don (guitarist of Far From Nowhere):
Paw is by far the greatest band of all time. They have been an inspiration to me for years. If anyone has the cd that 3/4 of Paw made without Mark under the name Palomar please let me know. The title of the album was "World Without Horses". I can't find it anywhere and I even called Grant's at home trying to get it with no luck. I will pay you good for this cd or even a copy since it is not sold anywhere. Just email me at don@farfromnowhere.com and if you want to check out a band that was inspired by Paw our site is www.farfromnowhere.com

Posted by lil' P.O.D.:
PAW needs to come back to Portland. The last time they had a show here I was underage and couldn't attend. I am now 26 and still waiting faithfully for thier return.

Posted by Max the Load:
I found this site that has Keep the Last Bullet for Yourself and some great live Paw shows. http://www.geocities.com/eviloutsider/

Posted by pawfan:
i came across paw when i was in college at ku, 1990. my friend doug turned me on to them, and have since passed the favor along, creating my own string of long-time die hard fans. from my first live show at the bottleneck, to the inarguably best live show ever performed by any band, the granada, lawrence, ks., 1996(?), i crave the next chance to see them perform like the addict i am. never has a band equaled the unique style, moving lyrics, and powerful sounds of this amazing band, as evidenced by "jack knife" and a live version of "hard pig" with hennessy's ad-lib rap closer. Home is a strange place is evidence of the fan presence that still persists after years of abscence. that alone stands far and above any current band being barraged over todays airwaves.

Posted by the girl with the jesus blue eyes:
just wondering where you are now- how you're doing? it's been a million years

Posted by mista:
Listen to "Jessie" from Dragline and try to deny that it's lyrically one of the best rock songs - ever. (you actually know what the f' Mark is singin' about...try that with "stairway to heaven". anyway, they manage to pack more emotion into that one song than most bands pack into...erll, they never pack any emotion, other than stupid anger or horniness, into all of their songs combined. If the Kansas krew reads this, hope u guys are well. If Paw is no more, at least take pride that u guys meants something to more than a few guys..especially me on my birthday when u played maxwell's in jersey.

Posted by beavis:
Paw's music captures where a lot of people's minds are. The imagery is so vivid- I just slip out of my life and somewhere else when I listen to albums like Death to Traitors. I was amazed to see Home released and hoping more surface. They are truly one of the most unrecognized talents in american rock music. No stylish music videos, no Korn-esque bouncing and pounding, no trendy whoring, just amazingly simple and INTENSE music that stays in my head for days at a time.

Posted by eviloutsider:
Paw is one of my favorite bands. I remember when I first heard "dragline". I couldn't get enough of this. Then came "death to traitors" and my chance to see them live. These guy are even more incredible live and you can see the passion they have for their music. I didn't know they got back together until I saw "home is a strange place" in the stores. I picked it up immediately. Paw is one of my all time favorite bands. If anybody has any live bootlegs they want to trade, please come by http://www.geocites.com/eviloutsider

Posted by buffalojames:
I am a paw fan living in the u.k....up until june this year i had no idea they had reformed. within a week of hearing the news i'd got myself a copy of 'home' & i have to say that, as a true beliver in the power of hennesey and fitch, hearing the e.p. is like throwing open the gates of heaven and dancing with god...i just hope they can keep it together long enough to release a shed-load more stuff. after a five year wait seven tracks is not nearly enough.

Posted by Mr. Furious:
Had a chance to hang with Grant Fitch a couple of years ago in Virginia Beach on their Death to Traitors tour. It sucks that such a talented band gets overlooked while the airwaves are flooded with all the pop crap that comes out. I've been a fan since Dragline and have been waiting for the new material. I hope something good comes out of their hard work.

Carlos Garces
Paw is one of those bands that i cant get enough of, Dragline, in my opinion, is one of the best albums I have ever heard in my life, Death to traitors was not as good, but had a n attitude, and the new ep is great! I think Paw is so much more real than these 90's bands. I think Paw sounds so awosme cause there not that famous, i think that when bands reach a certain level, they start to sound like garbage, when there not hungry anymore, they strat putting out mediocre albums, i hope paw dosent fall into that mistake, Paw is one of the best bands i have heard.

Pete
I cannot see the similarity between Mark Hennessy's voice and Eddie Vedder's. In my opinion Mark Hennessy has one of the best voices for rock n' roll. It has a natural angry emotion to it. There is no need to compare them to Pearl Jam or AIC, or call them PJ and AIC "clones", just because they are a hard rock band who emerged in the early 90's. That is an insult. Don't back them into that corner. Paw is so much more unique. They have the ability to combine their hard rock with country. That is evident in both their music and lyrics. Paw could be that band to save rock n' roll, real rock n' roll, if they were ever given the chance. Thanks for the review Scott, even though I can hardly agree with it. It's nice to see somebody out there recognize their work. God knows their label doesn't.

Scott Vile
Hey thanks for the input everyone. Growing up hating the mid 90's music scene, I was really surprised that I could get into Paw as much as I did. The music still seems very similar to me as to who I compared them to (and I don't claim to be an expert on this genre), but they are also highly melodic and I think that's why the songs stuck. I hope the CD opens some doors for them.

BEER BONGIN BRYAN
Cmon you got to be kidding comparing PAW to anyone. Pearl Jam or Alice in Chains please give me a break.Scott please go back with approx. 9 cold Rolling Rocks and listen to Dragline, Death to Traitors and maybe even Keep the LAst Bullet For Yourself then you might realize you were incorrect. Thanks again for a least reviewing the album so others can check out another gem in the PAW collection.

Brian
Comparing Mark Hennessy to that whiny singer from Pearl Jam is completely off. They sound nothing alike. Mark's lyrics and voice have much more emotion. Nothing against (early) Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, but calling them clones is anything but true. I think Paw gets grouped with that whole "grunge" scene only because of the time in which they first emerged, not because of their style. Thanks for providing the review!

art
i think calling them pearl jam and alice clones is way off.to me it sounds like grunge with a taste of skynyrd or some other southern band, but a great mixture of both. they are highly original due to the fact that this is their sound, this is the way they feel their music should be, they are not trying to sound like pearl jam or any other grunge band. stp came out trying to be grunge, these guys are grunge with a little spice thrown in. i think if grunge didn't happen they would still sound the same. the record label on the other hand tried to capitalise on grunge and pigeon holed bands like paw and anything else that had an element of grunge. this is a good album and band. people should hear it for what it is and not try and associate it with any previos movement the way all other music should be listened to... nice insightful review though, i got my two cents out of it.

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