Track Listing

1. Definition of Insanity
2. It Is What It Is
3. Hard Believer
4. Monkey's Paradise
5. Ninety-Nine and One Half
6. Backup Plan
7. Gotta Serve Somebody
8. Trimmin' Fat
9. Make It Back To Memphis
10. Victims of the Darkness
11. My Babe
12. The Trouble With Soul

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3045 in Music
• Brand: CASTRO,TOMMY
• Released on: 2009-08-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Album Description
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.

Review
Tommy Castro's first release for the Alligator label might just be the best yet from this veteran Bay Area blues artist. Castro has long been known for his mixture of blues, soul and rock. His world-wide touring earned him a 2008 Blues Music Award as Entertainer of the Year. But HARD BELIEVER showcases Castro's soulful voice, searing guitar and excellent song writing ability as it reaches new heights. Castro pays homage on this CD to the Memphis sound while not being afraid to update it for a new century.


Listen to the title cut, close your eyes and you will be convinced that you are listening to Otis Redding singing in 1967. '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.'


Soul music was not just great emotional singing, however. Where would Stax Records be without the horn section? And HARD BELIEVER is filled with tremendous horn work from Keith Crossan and Tom Poole. And just as with the legends of soul, Castro knows how to use the horns as perfect counterpoint to the vocals, not so much as a 'call and response' of classic gospel/blues, but as a way of underlining the feeling of the song. The horns fill the spaces within the songs and grab at your heart.


Another classic element of soul music was that at a time of political turmoil when American cities burned each long hot summer, the Memphis sound was a sound of hope. On 'Hard Believer' Castro sings, ''Lost my faith in miracles, but here I go believing again.'' This is songwriting that fits today's world.


But 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. You better come down and get your last week's pay. Now I did not lose my job. I know where it's at. Everybody's trimmin' fat.'' This is timely topical blues for the first decade of the 21st century. The song fades out with Castro asking, ''What about my 401 K? How bout that boss man? We could give him a little less money and that would make a nice big job for me.'' Tell that to the banksters and crooks at Citibank and Goldman Sachs. Castro probably won't be invited to play that protest song at any well paying corporate gigs.


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.


After 20 years as a solo artist and 13 albums, Tommy Castro is just hitting his stride. He is one of the greatest blues guitarists, songwriters and entertainers in the world today. HARD BELIEVER shows us why and gives a hint of the great work he is about to produce with Alligator. --Blurt (8/17/09)

Blues Revue
He can do no wrong...soulful, heartfelt vocals and exquisite, stellar guitar. An inspired blend of blues, R&B, soul and roadhouse rock

Customer Reviews

He is what he is.........Baby
A change in record labels has certainly not done much to change the Tommy Castro band. Not a bad thing mind you. Coming on the heels of the excellent 2007 Painkiller, this disc does a terrific job of capturing the band's energetic live sound. A phenomenal cover of Allen Toussaint's Victims of the Darkness is the highlight of arguably the bands best disc in years. The not so hidden treasure is the incomparable sax man Keith Crossen, who's work is brilliant throughout. Castro's lead guitar work is tight and economical, no wasted notes here. At times John Porter's production smooths out the rough edges of this potent brew of soul infused blues, but be it the slow shuffle of the title track or the funky reading of Dylan's Gotta Serve Somebody, the band is in top form from beginning to end. The BB King entertainers of the year for 2008 have put the party on cd. Let the fun begin.

Hard Believer Delivers Over and Over
Tommy Castro delivers a great combination of originals and uniquely arranged covers on "Hard Believer". If you like the blues or soul or R&B or rock&roll, you will like this CD. Tommy's guitar riffs, his soulful vocals, and the horn arrangements come together beautifully to provide a number of tracks that you will want to listen to over and over. Tommy has risen to the occassion to pen some really good songs for this CD with "Definition of Insanity","Monkey's Paradise", and "Trimmin' Fat" standouts in my mind. Throw in a rocking blue eyed cover of a Wilson Pickett classic, a moving version of an Allen Toussaint number, and a fresh approach to Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody" and you've got a CD that covers all the bases. Best of all, I am so glad Tommy put "It Is What It Is" on this CD. What a fitting tribute to the late guitar legend and inspiration to many, Stephen Bruton.

You can't just rip one or two/
You don't want to rip one or two songs, you want to listen to all of it. One of Tommy's best yet.