After the release of their fourth LP, 2019’s brilliant Your Church On My Bonfire, PAWS slowly slipped out of sight. Following a short tour and the world amidst a global pandemic, the Scottish indie rock duo of Phillip Jon Taylor and Joshua Swinney decided to tread different paths. Phillip moved up to the Highlands to focus on his solo work, fatherhood and painting, whilst Joshua headed to London, pursuing his passion as a chef. That said, PAWS was always there in their hearts and minds.
Sometimes, space is the perfect catalyst for intense creativity. In October 2022, Josh travelled to Phillip’s home and started to work on what would become their fifth self-titled LP. Using demos they had recorded on their phones as the basis of where they wanted to go, the songs flowed, and the record came about extremely quickly, with the music done within a week and the lyrics soon followed.
The opening track, “Helen Back,” sets a tone for the album that doesn’t let up. It instantly reminds me of another Scottish artist, Frightened Rabbit. Phillip’s vocals reach a range met by Scott Hutchison as the guitars slam into a wall of sound and some serious, angry drums. “Plans” follows a similar theme, with more guitar hooks and falling over and over in love with layers of vocals. The final third of the song drifts into a bass player’s delight. It’s delicate and driven and serves as a lovely pause to the chaos built around it.
“Uncertain” is a nod to their older material, loops and distorted vocals clashing and complimenting each other; I’ve always loved the sound PAWS creates, and here I get a mix of their finest work sitting alongside another big favourite of mine, Pavement.
The duo decided to produce the record themselves this time around, something they had done on their second album, Youth Culture Forever. The DIY ethos shines on “One Nation Under DOG”, a quirky, catchy, bouncy little number which looks back and nods at their previous work and then leans forward. Power chords that drive not only this song but the album as a whole are at the forefront of the song.
“Sound Aye No Bother” is mostly instrumental, which reminds me of parts of REM’s song “Leave”, alarm ringing yet melodic and majestic; it takes you on a spiritual journey. “S.A.H.D” rolls along like the perfect soundtrack to the Scottish highlands. A five-minute joy, there’s a wonderful, gentle, beautiful feel to the song’s complexities. It drifts along quite wonderfully and leads perfectly into the driven chaos of “Disenchanted”, the lead single and final track of the record. It’s classic PAWS and closes the album in fine, fuzzy fashion.
Where PAWS go from here is anyone’s guess. I hope this record sees them tour regularly and gain the popularity they deserve. I feel that Phillip and Joshua don’t need to make music together. They do it because they have a connection beyond the sounds they create. This is a connection that makes this record an absolute joy.
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