THE WINERY DOGS RELEASE NEW SONG AND VIDEO, “XANADU,” FROM NEW ALBUM, “III” OUT FEBRUARY 3RD

Following a seven-year break from the studio, The Winery Dogs are back in full force with their aptly named third album III, which is set for release on February 3rd, on the band’s Three Dog Music label (via Burnside Distribution/The Orchard). Following in the footsteps of their first two albums, III was once again self-produced by The Winery Dogs and mixed by longtime band associate Jay Ruston.

Yesterday, the first song to be released from III, Xanadu, made its world premiere during Eddie Trunk’s Trunk Nation show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. It’s now available on digital formats here (and below). Fans wanting to pre-order the album and enter to win a custom Fender Richie Kotzen Telecaster guitar can go here. A vinyl edition of III will also be forthcoming in just a few months.

While the all-out smokin’ opening track and lead single Xanadu, title might evoke different imagery in more progressive-leaning listening circles, Kotzen’s zen-seeking, hard-rocking ruminations on Xanadu once again shine a light on the eternal power of good collaboration. “Coming out of the gates, that’s a barnburner,” acknowledges [drummer Mike] Portnoy. “It’s one of the fiercest tracks on the album.” Incidentally, eagle ears will also delight in picking up on how definitively Portnoy drops his drumsticks right as the song concludes. “At the end there, you’re hearing me toss my sticks — not in frustration, but very much in satisfaction of what we had just done,” he clarifies with a laugh.

Here’s the complete track listing for III:

1. Xanadu

2. Mad World

3. Breakthrough

4. Rise

5. Stars

6. The Vengeance

7. Pharaoh

8. Gaslight

9. Lorelei

10. The Red Wine

In addition to the new music, fans will also be excited to hear that the trio is hitting the worldwide concert trail starting February 15th in Greensburg, PA at the Palace Theatre for their 202III World Tour. Ticket and VIP package info can be found on the band’s official website.

February:

15 Greensburg, PA Palace Theatre

16 Jim Thorpe, PA Penn’s Peak

17 Glenside, PA The Keswick Theatre

18 Patchogue, NY Patchogue Theatre

21 New York, NY Sony Hall

22 Annapolis, MD Rams Head Live!

23 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom

25 Ridgefield, CT The Ridgefield Playhouse

26 Derry, NH Tupelo Music Hall

March:

1 Columbus, OH King of Clubs

2 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre

5 Green Bay, WI Epic Event Center

6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Café

9 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater

10 St. Charles, IL The Arcada Theatre

11 Westland, MI The Token Lounge

13 Grand Rapids, MI DeVos Hall

14 Harrison, OH Blue Note

17 Dallas, TX Amplified Live

18 Cedar Park, TX The Haute Spot

19 Houston, TX Warehouse Live Ballroom

21 New Orleans, LA House of Blues

22 Birmingham, AL Iron City

24 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Live

25 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room

26 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live

30 Virginia Beach, VA Elevation 27

31 Hopewell, VA Hopewell Theatre

April:

1 Leesburg, VA Tally Ho Theatre

2 Charlotte, NC The Underground

4 Ashville, NC  Orange Peel

5 Knoxville, TN The Mill & Mine

6 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl

Brazil:

April:

3 São Paulo, Brazil Summer Breeze Festival 

27 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Vivo Rio (with Stone Temple Pilots)

28 Curitiba, Brazil Tork n Roll (with Skid Row)

June:

2  Hamburg, Germany  Markthalle

13 Zoetermeer, Netherlands  Boerderij

15 Dessel, Belgium  Graspop Festival

16 Wolverhampton, England  KK’s Steelmill

17 Nottingham, England  Rock City

18 London, England  Shepherds Bush Empire

20 Cologne, Germany  Kantine

21 Frankfurt, Germany  Batschkapp

22 Milan, Italy  Alcatrazz

25 Cartagena, Spain  Rock Imperium Festival

27 La Rochelle, France  Crossroads

Follow the Dogs online at: TheWineryDogs.com, facebook, twitter, instagram and youtube.

9 Responses

  1. These guys are absolutely positively off the scales when it comes to their musicianship. Some of the best in the world. And this song is quite catchy. But it’s also too “busy” for me at the same time. I don’t know how to explain it without coming across as being disrespectful but there are musicians (Vai/Yngvie for example) and there are rockers (Kiss/AC/DC) and there are musicians who rock (Zakk Wylde/Metallica). We could debate all day but I am definitely in the rockers/musicians who rock camp. Typically Musicians bore me. I cannot sit through an entire Steve Vai album but he’s one of the greatest guitarists on earth and I love his work with Whitesnake. I don’t know maybe I’m weird haha. I was also pleasantly surprised that Billy on Bass didn’t have his own bass solo in the middle of a song for once.

    1. Thank you Dana for the great suggestions. Captain Love is great. It reminds me of something Van Hagar would have done around the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album mixed with an AC/DC riff in the chorus. I could do without the Billy on bass solo in the middle though. That guy, geez. I’m gonna learn how to play that song on n guitar now so thank you Dana! I will definitely be checking out Ugly Kid Joe as well. Happy Holidays!

    2. Okay, keep me posted and let me know what you think of UKJ.

      As for Captain Love, glad you liked it, I love it, I play it a lot.

      Happy holidays to you, too.

  2. The song is definitely tight and a bit busy. Kotzen sounds more and more like Chris Cornell. As much as he runs his hands through his hair I thought I was watching a Pantene commercial spot ’til I turned on the sound. Glad to see them put out another album.

    Let us not forget about Xanadu form the greatest Canadian Trio their ever was, RUSH

    1. I just listened to Xanadu by Rush the other day. Always an amazing listen. I’m convinced Alex Lifeson is the master of the arpeggio.

Leave a Reply