The WINERY DOGS: "Hot Streak"

Rating: RRRR+
Label: earMUSIC/Loud & Proud 2015
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Holy Cow. From the opening notes of Oblivion, Hot Streak is an massive rock assault of riffs, harmonies, and just the silly amount of power-trio tracks. To quote drummer Mike Portnoy, "The mission of this band is to write catchy songs, and not have the musicianship overpower that". That's easier said than done considering the vast experience and skills of Portney, bassist Billy Sheehan (Mr Big, David Lee Roth, etc.), and vocalist/guitarist Richie Kotzen.

Kotzen, sounding better than ever and it's basically the direct insult to name drop Poison in the year of 2015, since he's so much more advanced than all of their other members put together. Easily the most gifted and accomplished player to come out of the glamsters as he almost makes his guitar talk on the record. Vocally, something out of the ordinary as he take the Soul, the R&B, as well as the Purple approach of Coverdale/Hughes, and makes his own mark.

Hot Streak is far from your ordinary rock album. The compositions are slightly different from the debut, it's all about taking chances and looking outside of the box rather than staying safe and in the middle of the road. Through it all though, there's the melody, the swagger of a proper rock album that gives it added boost and power. There's something utterly danceable about Spiral, while The Bridge sounds almost like something that Motown could have done in the past. The chemistry of the three is contagious and fit in the category of sheer class. They simply lose themselves in a swirl of emotion and bring out music from the advanced school of rock.

Final verdict: The sonic howl of the Winery Dogs and Hot Streak stands miles above most albums of the year. The funk, the soul, the rock n roll. It's all there. It's all good
TheWineryDogs.com
facebook