PAW

PAW
DRAGLINE (1993)
192 KBPS

I remember that at the time when Dragline came out, it was immediately labeled second-class grunge by many critics. This designation infuriated me since Paw didn't sound like Nirvana or Pearl Jam rip-offs to me. In fact, I thought these boys from Lawrence, Kansas were just as good as their more acclaimed contemporaries and that Dragline was one of the finest albums of the 90s. Okay, the follow-up Death to Traitors was a little soft and less inspired, but I'll put Dragline up against your favorite albums from the 90s, and I'm sure it will be every bit their equal.
What makes Dragline so great? Hard, melodic guitars and Mark Hennessey's gravelly voice and poignant lyrics. `Jessie' always makes me think of the beagle, Betsy, who was a great companion to me growing up - like `Jessie', Betsy was `a good dog' - she used to follow me and the Bishops to Terrace Grocery where she'd sit patiently under the pinball table while we played Tron and Dig Dug for hours. How can you not love a song like `Dragline' where the boy says to his dad, `Dairy Queen sounds good to me'? Mark Hennessy sounds like he or someone he knows has had some rather troubling relationships with women if `Lolita', `Veronica', or `One More Bottle' are any indication, but we are the beneficiaries of those tough times since he seems to have used them as inspiration for some great songs.
Paw is one of those bands you have mixed feelings about. You know they deserved a lot more success than they achieved, but would have been disappointed if mainstream popularity had spoiled them.

1. Gasoline
2. Sleeping Bag
3. Jessie
4. The Bridge
5. Couldn't Know
6. Pansy
7. Lolita
8. Dragline
9. Veronica
10. One More Bottle
11. Sugarcane
12. Hard Pig