Tommy Castro: Hard Believer
 Hard Believer was produced by John Porter (B.B. King, Elvis Costello, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, The Smiths, Otis Rush, Billy Bragg, Roxy Music) and recorded in Castro's hometown of San Rafael, California. The album is anchored by Castro's soul-baring songs, filled with profound emotion and fueled by Castro's powerful vocals and propulsive rhythms. "If there's no groove there," Castro told Guitar Player, "I can't sink my teeth into it." On Hard Believer, there are plenty of satisfying grooves to bite down on. But what really drives the songs home is Castro's telepathic interaction with his band. The group operates as a single engine, firing on all cylinders, sometimes pushing the pedal to the floor, other times slowing things down for a simmering ballad.'Hard Believer' is one of the greatest songs Castro has ever written, which is saying something. Castro's plaintiff, soul dripping vocals display not only the influence of Otis but other blues/soul legends like Ray Charles, Delbert McClinton and Wilson Pickett. Castro even does an excellent job of covering one of the Wicket Pickett's songs on this album: 'Ninety-Nine and One Half.'
Castro is not just a great soul singer, he is also a great guitarist. And on songs like the up-tempo 'Definition of Insanity' and the rock/shuffle 'It is What It Is', Castro gets a chance to display his guitar. Another standout track here is 'Trimmin' Fat.' Castro shows an ability to update soul with his blistering slide which comes right out of the blues/rock idiom. His writing addresses the systematic destruction of American jobs that had taken place in recent years. This is not a nostalgia trip album. Castro sings, ''They do your job in China for 100 bucks a day. Castro wrote six of the 12 tracks on HARD BELIEVER. Besides the Pickett cover, he also includes covers of Dylan's 'Gotta Serve Somebody' as well as a brilliant fast-paced Alan Toussaint song, 'Victims of the Darkness' and 'My Babe' by the Righteous Brothers. The production here is excellent and the sound is lush. The album was produced by John Porter, who has worked with artists including Elvis Costello, Roxy Music, B.B. King and Keb Mo.
Song List | 1. | Definition of Insanity | 3:40 | | 2. | It Is What It Is | 4:12 | | 3. | Hard Believer | 4:12 | | 4. | Monkey's Paradise | 4:30 | | 5. | Ninety-Nine and One Half | 3:43 | | 6. | Backup Plan | 4:31 | | 7. | Gotta Serve Somebody | 4:56 | | 8. | Trimmin' Fat | 4:10 | | 9. | Make It Back To Memphis | 4:35 | | 10. | Victims of the Darkness | 3:40 | | 11. | My Babe | 4:08 | | 12. | The Trouble With Soul | 3:32 |
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