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Wino Wednesday: Wino Guests on Guitar and Vocals for Solace’s “Common Cause,” 2003

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say that in more ways than one, 2003’s sophomore outing, 13, is the most pivotal of the three Solace full-lengths. Not only did Agnostic Front and Pentagram covers help define the blend that made the New Jersey doom rockers the vital, aggressive and grooving act they became throughout their own material, but the songs even a decade later remain as memorable and urgent as they are natural sounding and likely drunk. It’s a doom record for doomers, but with its roots in punk as much as stoner rock, Solace found a niche for themselves and delivered what I still consider one of the best heavy albums my beloved Garden State has ever produced.

Among the many highlights of 13 — released by MeteorCity as the follow-up to 2000’s Further debut — is the track “Common Cause,” which features a slide/lead guitar and vocal guest contribution from Scott “Wino” Weinrich. At the time, Wino was post-Spirit Caravan and making his beginning statements with The Hidden Hand while also taking on a role alongside Victor Griffin in Place of Skulls for 2003’s With Vision — an unfortunately short-lived collaboration — so it’s not as though he had nothing going on, and yet the performance stands out for both sonically alongside the other Solace tracks and for how comfortable Wino sounds in the band alongside guitarist Tommy Southard, bassist Rob Hultz and drummer John Proveaux.

The Jersey bruisers, who are more or less defunct despite popping up now and again for an appearance as they did at Days of the Doomed II last year, released two more EPs, a slew of videos and, finally, 2010’s triumphant — fucking brilliant, go put it on again — A.D. (review with ironic headline here), before their split, and even that last album, which took more than half a decade to make, was viciously energetic and seemed to portend good things to come. But some you win, some you lose, and if three brick-wall-solid full-lengths and a handful of other releases is what we get to take away while chasing down subsequent projects and waiting for reunion gigs, it could be worse.

Bottom line is whatever the circumstances, 13 remains a special moment in the band’s ever-tumultuous run, and as I’ve been holding it in my back pocket for a while, I’m glad to finally feature “Common Cause” for Wino Wednesday.

Enjoy:

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