​Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (from the album Closer to the Bone

​Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (from the album Closer to the Bone

​Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (from the album Closer to the Bone available on Alligator Records) (by Brian Rock)
Blues stalwarts, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, drop some killer Blues on their latest album, Closer to the Bone. With over a dozen albums and a pair of B.B. King Blues Entertainer of the Year awards to their credit, that’s hardly a surprise. What is surprising is that after three decades of recording, the band is stripping away their Soul, Rock, and Funk influences to get closer to their roots with an undiluted, unapologetic straight Blues album.
“Crazy Woman Blues” gets to the heart of the Blues with a strutting walking bass line, cascading piano notes, and scorching electric guitar. As always, the root of the problem is a lover. In this case, Tommy Castro moans ‘you’re a little bit crazy baby. Or even downright insane’. Testifying to his pain, Tommy makes guitar licks fall like tears. But upon further reflection, he confesses, ‘well, if you’re that kind of woman, I just might be your kind of man’. Admitting that ‘I just can’t have no woman unless she’s dangerous as a runaway train’; he proves that sometimes two wrongs can make a right – at least for a night.
“Freight Train – Let Me Ride”, “Stroll Out West”, “A Fool for You”, and “Keep Your Dog Inside” all recall the classic Delta inspired Blues of 1950’s Chess records. The exceptional guitar work, Hammond organ, piano, and harmonica flourishes add a modern spin to the sound. Exploring further sonic influences, The Painkillers add sultry Calypso rhythms to “Ain’t Worth the Heartache”. They provide swinging, Louis Jordan-tones to the Jump Blues of “Bloodshot Eyes”. Castro’s voice combines the pathos of James Cotton with the soul of Debert McClinton to add emotional punch to each song with lyrics like ‘you even cried so hard; you gave the Blues to your neighbor next door’. 
Following Route 40, The Painkillers also pay tribute to Memphis Blues. Adding a touch of Funk, Tommy Castro and his bandmates make bad luck sound so good on “Can’t Catch A Break”. Singing ‘if luck was money, I wouldn’t have a buck to spare’ Tommy Castro admits to being poor in finances. But the rousing horn section and soaring guitar prove that, as long as he has music, he is still rich in spirit. “Woke Up and Smelled the Coffee”, “She Moves Me”, and “Hole in the Wall” all work that Memphis magic to transform bad times into good feelings. Castro and company even give a tip of the hat to Texas Blues on the Stevie Ray Vaughn inspired “One More Night” and the ZZ Top-flavored “Everywhere I Go”. From Chicago to Memphis to Dallas, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers get closer to their roots on Closer to The Bone. (by Brian Rock)
Listen and buy the music of Tommy Castro & The Painkillers from AMAZON
Visit the Tommy Castro & The Painkillers website for more information