.jpg)
2026 – Gulf Coast Records
Release Date : July 31, 2026
By Phillip
Smith; July 31,
2026
Albert Castiglia never ceases to amaze me. I love his modern-day approach to the blues
and the way he loads his songs with sharp edges. They hit with a brute force and I respect every
bit of it. Recorded at the legendary Abbey
Road Studios in London, Castiglia’s thirteenth and
latest album Grits & Glory continues to push boundaries musically
and lyrically. With Castiglia on vocals and guitar, he is joined by
bassist Cliff Moore, Ray Hangen on drums, Lewis Stephens, Dave
Gross, and Bruce Bear on keys, and backing vocalist Deborah
Michels.
A churning ominous beat decorated with scorching guitar licks ushers the album in with “In My America” in which Castiglia boldly addresses the rampant fear and greed which steadily runs amok in our everyday lives. The rhythm picks up more steam and it masterfully propels the listener into “I’m Afraid to Fall Asleep”. Slathered with a hefty portion of Castiglia’s delectable slide guitar, the song cuts right to the bone every time I hear the words “If I should die before I rise, don’t let the crows pick out my eyes”. A complicated relationship tightly grabs ahold of the reins and breaks loose as Castiglia, with guitar in hand, unleashes a boiler full of pain on “Uncertainty”. It truly is an amazing listen. If the five stages of grief were used to analyze a broken relationship, “Don’t Burn Down the Bridge” would definitely demonstrate the bargaining phase. This one immediately demands my attention with its infectious and funky rhythm. It is a surefire favorite. The two covers Castiglia closes the record with are captivating. The first being a flawless performance of Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue” for an amazing instrumental. The second being “Yer Blues” from The Beatles’ 1968 self-titled “White album”. Castiglia pours himself into his vocals on this one, filling every note with emotion as he rips it up on guitar. Castiglia brings an uncanny closure to the record with this song, letting the listener know the crows were kept at bay, and the eyes were left for the eagle to pick.
The way Castiglia ties his songs together for Grits & Glory makes for a brilliant recording. This is album-oriented blues at its absolute best.
 |
| Photo by Blackham Images |
 |
| Photo by Blackham Images |
For more information about Albert
Castiglia, visit his website https://www.albertcastiglia.net
Read previous PhillyCheeze
reviews featuring Albert Castiglia : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Albert+Castiglia