#773 > Blood Brothers - Help Yourself~ (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2025 – Gulf Coast Records
 
By Phillip Smith; September 27, 2025
 
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

It has almost been a couple of years since Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia aka The Blood Brothers released their extraordinary debut album on Zito’s Gulf Coast Record label. Help Yourself, their new album is another brilliant recording. Steeped in old-school southern rock, blues, and soul, this record quickly draws me in. With Zito and Castiglia both standing front and center on vocals and guitars, their band is comprised of Scot Sutherland on bass guitar, Lewis Stephens on piano/organ, Matt Johnson on drums/vocals, and Roy Hangen on drums/percussion.

Title-track “Help Yourself” fiercely kicks in the door as it lays down a rocking infectious riff coated with a thick layer of fuzz. Words of wisdom that ring so very true are delivered through a wall of searing guitar on “Can’t Be A Prophet (In Your Home Town)”. I love their instrumental “Soulard Serenade”. It hits like a classic Allman Brothers song with its intoxicating slide on dual guitars, and swirling keys. It is a magnificent six-minute-plus jam which I can listen to over and over again. J.J. Cale’s “Low Down”, the only cover song on the album, is played with a scorching finesse. I can’t help but fall for “Ol’ Victrola”, written by Castiglia as an homage to vintage vinyl, turn-tables, and man-caves.  I dig the Chuck Berry spirit that song is soaked in. The intensity of being on the run makes for a cookin’ track in “Running Out of Time”. Zito seems take a classic Bob Seger approach to the story-telling which keeps me glued to the song.

From start to finish, The Blood Brothers’ “Help Yourself” flows with a rocking, bluesy swagger. It’s a fantastic album.

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For more info on Blood Brothers, visit the website at https://www.bloodbrothersband.com/