Albert Castiglia’s Big Dog
Grant Britt
Posted On June 7, 2016
“All the people on the city street say booo -lookout! let the big dog eat.” That’s Albert Castiglia hollerin at ya on his latest release, and if there’s any question who the Big Dog is, he quickly dispels it with his aggressive barking and bodacious guitar attack.
The Miami native got his start as Junior Wells’ lead guitarist in his Hoodoo Man’s Band, playing with Wells from ’97 to ’98, taking over the band after Wells died in ’98, leaving in ’01 to go solo. Castiglia acknowledges his influences, the four Kings: “Freddie, B.B, Albert, and Burger.” But it doesn’t stop there. Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Hound Dog Taylor and Hendrix get tossed in the mix as well. But he’s no clone. Castiglia takes those styles and mashes em up into his own recipe, admitting that his style is “raw, unadulterated, crude and heavy.” That’s being a bit too judgmental. Eclectic, yes, but crude- naah. He’s just boisterous and raw, a hell of a lot of fun to watch and listen to.
The title cut is big fun, a woofing ode to struttin’ your stuff in the big time in the big city heat with traces of Albert Collins and Stevie Ray wafting through Castiglia’s boiling guitar.
Producer Mike Zito (Mike Zito and the Wheel) contributed “Don’t Let Em Fool Ya,” another raw, raucous rocker, Zito and Castiglia trading wiggly, blistering licks on the high strings, tossing hoarse, cautionary advice about romance back and forth.
Castiglia’s original,“Get Your Ass In the Van,” is a show-no-mercy tutorial for young musicians, paying homage to Hound Dog Taylor’s rattly, raw, distorted slide attack. “Quitcher pissin’ an moanin’/quitcher cryin’ an groanin’/get yore ass in the van/ pay some dues and hit the road,” Castiglia admonishes would-be rock stars, punctuating his remarks with Taylor’s trademark kitchen table leg slide’s metallic rattle. “This ain’t American Idol/there ain’t no more deals being make at the crossroads.” This is great stuff, capturing Taylor’s what the hell, house-rockin spirit perfectly.
Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone jumps in for some reed bendin’ harp work on “Where Did I go Wrong,” a B.B. King style slow drag blues. Sansone also provides the howlin’ background for Castiglia’s swampy composition, “Where The Devil Makes His Deals.”
Castiglia is funny enough to be a standup comedian, his live shows a steady stream of acerbic, between- song patter critiquing his own performance. “What the Hell Was I Thinking” reflects that self-deprecating sense of humor, a travelogue of drunken exploits and cross-country mayhem propelled by a Little Richard-inspired pounding piano.
It’s always a pleasure to hear what Castiglia is gonna come up with next, and as usual, he doesn’t disappoint on this one. Better put all your groceries away before you let this one in your house- this big dog works up one hell of an appetite.
