There aren't many bands around these days that can provide superior musicianship, catchy melodies, and a cross-pollination of genres quite as effectively as The Winery Dogs, the supergroup comprised of bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Mike Portnoy, and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen. The band have once again collaborated on another release, their third album, simply titled III for, you guessed it, Three Dog Music. Want some prog? You got it. Want some heavy rock? You got it. Want some hook laden funky R&B flavored pop? Well, you got that too. Things kick off in glorious fashion with the complex, quite heavy, and extremely catchy "Xanadu", and it doesn't let up from there, with memorable tracks like "Mad World", the hard rocking ear-worm of "Breakthrough" (why this isn't a hit single in 2023 is beyond me), the rumbling "Rise", the anthemic "The Vengeance" (what a chorus!), the gritty hard rock of "Pharaoh", the blazing shred of "Gaslight", and the fist pumping funky hard rock of "The Red Wine". Through it all, expect fat, acrobatic bass work from Sheehan, Portnoy's dynamic drumming, and those bluesy riffs and virtuoso solos from Kotzen. Richie as always proves to be a tremendous singer, but having both Sheehan & Portnoy adding lots of backing vocals give each song a rich depth that not all bands can take advantage of.
If you loved the first two albums from The Winery Dogs, you'll find the same enjoyment here. The trio have done it again, and anyone who fashions virtuoso musicianship and catchy melodies dripping in songs that stick in your head for days, this is your album.
Track Listing
01. Xanadu
02. Mad World
03. Breakthrough
04. Rise
05. Stars
06. The Vengeance
07. Pharaoh
08. Gaslight
09. Lorelei
10. The Red Wine
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