Albert Castiglia – Grits & Glory
One can rarely take a vintage genre like the blues & apply enough originality & reality to it to create a compelling fresh soundscape. Miami’s Albert Castiglia applies a gutsy vocal to “In My America,” & with its gnarly guitars, predatory drumbeats & sizzling notes, Albert’s blues start to take on the presence of a young blues player’s face staring into a mirror & seeing an old one staring back, smiling.
Recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios & on to Fat Rabbit Studios in Franklin Lakes, NJ (wow, what a jump from England), Grits & Glory (Drops July 31/Gulf Coast Records/52:04) is his 13th LP as a solo artist. Produced by David Gross (guitar/Hammond organ/percussion/Challen piano/Wurlitzer/bgv). The PR states that Albert immersed himself in British-flavored blues, which is true. But these tunes don’t lend themselves entirely to the John Mayall, Duster Bennett, Long John Baldry, or Eric Burdon’s school of blues.
“Uncertainty” is a marvel, with its succulent guitar sounds; it’s closer to Georgia blues, Southern rock like Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Allman Brothers. It’s 6 minutes of dominating rock like the old days, excellently rendered. While the lead guitar often sizzles, it does ruminate along the lines of the basic blues wizard guitarists. This album’s magic is Mr. Castiglia’s voice, which is anything but the modern blues vocalists of today. His blend of blues has soulfulness (“I’m Afraid To Fall Asleep”) that is both tended by its smoothness & rawness when applied in equal measure.
His soulfulness enlivens his guitar, & the blues here becomes a cross between Long John Baldry & Garland Jeffries. On “Michigan Avenue,” this isn’t baseboard blues heat or a forced-air concoction – it’s hot, it sings like steam heat through big iron radiators. It happens again on the jazzier blues of the instrumental “Afro Blue” (a Mongo Santamaria composition). The last time I heard an instrumental in this fiery way was with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (“East/West,” 1966).
The set concludes with a cover of The Beatles’ “Yer Blues.” A little too over-the-top for this showcase. Feels out of place with the other more ambitious blues. The playing, of course, is still excellent; Albert’s vocals are a bit forced, perhaps trying to outmaneuver John Lennon. Trying to conjure a character that isn’t in his orbit. I’ll give Albert a B+ for effort. More of “Afro Blue” would have been a great close to this album.
The musicians with Albert are always superb – at least Albert’s take of the blues never sounds like rehashes of what’s been done before. I look forward to more.
Highlights – “In My America,” “I’m Afraid To Fall Asleep,” “Uncertainty,” & “Michigan Avenue,” & “Afro Blue.”
Musicians – Cliff Moore (bass), Ray Hangen (drums), Lewis Stephens (Hammond organ/piano), Bruce Bears (Wurlitzer), & Deborah Michaels (bgv).
B&W image courtesy of Rob Blackham. Color image courtesy of Albert’s website gallery. CD @ Apple & https://www.albertcastiglia.net/
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Albert Castiglia “Righteous Souls”