WINO ‘Forever Gone’ LP Review.

Words El Jefe.

So here we have Scott “Wino” Weinrich’s third solo LP, the poignantly titled Forever Gone and another addition to his acoustic work from recent years. With a great interpretation of the Joy Division track ‘Isolation’ released a couple of months back as a “teaser” for the new record, it wasn’t hard to see this was gonna be another commanding album.

The move to acoustic material after decades of bulldozing doom and stoner rock may have come as a surprise to some, although something that immediately came to mind was reading of the Birthday Party, after relocating to England and having limited access to equipment, writing their darkest and most menacing material on acoustic guitars while delving into lounge music. An excellent example of how the discrepancies between influences and style in any creative medium don’t necessarily determine the output.

With the title track, ‘Forever Gone’ shows some amazing lyrical depth and has a swooping chorus that carries the song well.

‘The Song’s at the Bottom of the Bottle’ may be an alcoholic’s lament, coupled with passing on hard-learned wisdom, and was one of the songs that stuck most in my mind.

‘You’re So Fine’ is a groovy love song with an upbeat alt-country feel.

Forever Gone wraps up with the aforementioned cover of Isolation (Review HERE)

Throughout Forever Gone, Wino’s gritty acoustic playing drives some powerfully soulful and evocative tunes, and never falters and slides into a maudlin pool of sorrow but never the less layers the album with a gentle dusting of sadness. Wino’s crusty, roadworn pipes and their instantly recognizable tones add to the deeply personal vibe as well. The songs and playing are great, and I reckon Wino could almost be credited with creating a new genre with his dark acoustic tunes.

Wino’s full-length LP, Forever Gone, out now through Ripple Music HERE.