You know what they say: Familiarity breeds creativity. Just witness the aptly named Hot Streak, the supercharged follow-up to the self-titled rabidly rocking 2013 debut o
You know what they say: Familiarity breeds creativity. Just witness the aptly named Hot Streak, the supercharged follow-up to the self-titled rabidly rocking 2013 debut of the three-piece musical dynamo known as The Winery Dogs. Hot Streak shows the powerfully pedigreed trio’s initial burst of collective chemistry was no accident, from the sturm und headbang of “Captain Love” to the propulsive uplifting vibe of “The Bridge” to the introspective acoustic harmonic convergence of “Fire.” If these three Dogs thought they captured lightning in a supper dish the first time around, Hot Streak barks ups the aural ante into exciting new territory.
On Hot Streak, The Winery Dogs have found themselves sniffing around outside their comfort zone to expand their musical horizons while staying true to their power-trio roots, as songs like the subtle whirling dervish “Spiral” and the aforementioned “Fire” easily attest. “‘Fire’ is a great example of Richie’s ability to create something that’s very poppy or very mainstream, something that you could hear Sting or Sade doing,” observes Portnoy. “It’s an unusual left-turn for us,” concurs Sheehan. “I’m glad we’re not playing it safe and just doing songs that automatically fit in the category of what we did on the first record. Some of the songs are a little different, and we definitely took chances. But you have to do that — otherwise, you don’t grow.”