Nicholson co-wrote "Painkiller," the title cut on Castro's new CD and a song that builds to a soul-baring pitch by capitalizing on Castro's unvarnished vocals, barb-toned guitar work and a riffing horn chart. Nicholson's handiwork isn't evident elsewhere, but Castro certainly demonstrates his increasingly impressive songwriting skills when he opens the album with "Love Don't Care" or, better yet, when he unveils "Lonesome and Then Some," another stand-out track that he co-wrote. Both songs are worthy of being recorded by McClinton or Bonnie Raitt. Punctuating the new tunes are two blues salutes: a freewheeling take on Albert Collins's "A Good Fool Is Hard to Find," featuring guest Coco Montoya on guitar and vocals, and Freddie King's "If You Believe (In What You Do)," arranged as an old-fashioned soul duet for Castro and Angela Strehli.

-- Mike Joyce