Lincoln Journal Star

Record Review: Tommy Castro, 'Painkiller'

By L. KENT WOLGAMOTT / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Feb 16, 2007 - 12:06:28 am CST 

Tommy Castro serves up some tasty roadhouse sounds on "Painkiller," an album

that lives up to its title.

Coming down in the same territory staked out by Delbert McClinton, Castro

combines soul, blues and some rock into an irresistible mixture on songs

like "I'm Not Broken," "I Roll When I Rock" and "Goin' Down South." Castro's

biting guitar shows up plenty. But horns, Tony Stead's keyboards (including

an always cool Hammond B3 organ) and, in particular, his soulful singing are

front and center on the easy-flowing record.

With horns dominating, the title cut takes a trip to Memphis for its soul,

while "Big Sister's Radio," one of the three songs on the disc that Castro

didn't write, gives a nod to the transistor radio with a smooth Sam Cooke

sound.

In the same vein, Castro pays tribute to a pair of blues legends, recruiting

Coco Montoya for a version of Albert Collins' "A Good Fool Is Hard to Find"

and then duetting with Angeli Strehli on Freddie King's "If You Believe (In

What You Do)."

Castro's a regular visitor to The Zoo Bar, and I can't wait to hear these

songs live. Until then, you can put on "Painkiller" and let it ease your

pain with its sweet soul music.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars