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Blood Brothers—Help Yourself—Gulf Coast Records
ASIN : B0FBX6WPKD

This is the second album from Blood Brothers - Mike Zito
and Albert Castigilla – recorded live in the studio in St.
Louis with a band of Lewis Stephens (keyboards), Scot

Sutherland (bass) and both Matt Johnson and Ray
Hangen (drums). I’m not a big fan of blues rock but I
have a soft spot for Mike Zito who I find is both a very

emotional guitarist and singer and Mr. Castigilla also
plays his part on the album as does the band. We blast
off with the title track and ‘Can’t be a Prophet’ but then ‘Alive’ slows things down,

it’s a soulful ballad with Mike’s heartfelt lead vocals and then everything steps up a
gear for the solo. ‘Soulard Serenade’ is a jazzy instrumental with the two guitarists
trading off each other and even adding some twin lead guitars à la Allman

Brothers/Wishbone Ash and there’s also some nice organ playing.

JJ Cale’s ‘Low Down’ is beefed up into a Stones-style rocker with both men singing
in unison, while ‘The Best I Can’ is bluesy funk with some nice guitar backed up with

soulful organ and Mike’s testifying vocals – standout track? Then comes ‘Prove My
Love’ – more unison guitar playing and passionate vocals from Mike before another
rocker ‘Ol’ Victrola’ which celebrates the joy of vinyl. ‘Running Out of Time’ is a bluey

rocker and Albert’s ‘Do What You Gotta’ closes the album, it’s an easy rolling rocker
with slide guitar and built on Mr. Stephens’ barrelhouse piano.

I’d say that for me this isn’t quite as good as the first album but it’s a very solid effort,

built on their touring together to promote the previous album and you can clearly
hear that everyone is totally bedded in together, with the rhythm section with its
two drummers solid as a rock.

Graham Harrison

Kara Grainger—That’s How I Got to Memphis—Red
Parlor Records ASIN : B0FPGG6TXB

Kara Grainger is Australian but has been based in the
States for a number of years, first on the West coast but
now in Nashville but this her latest album was recorded

in Memphis’s Royal Studios under the direction of Boo
Mitchell (Willie’s son).

We begin with the smouldering soul of ‘Texas Blues’ with

its restrained brass and the Hi rhythm section with
Charles Hodges (organ) and Leroy Hodges (bass) with
Kara’s vocals and subtle guitar chops. Tom T. Hall’s oft recorded title track is handled

well, it’s a restrained version with Kara’s soulful vocals supported by backup singers,
the moody original track ‘Light Your Fire’ features Kara’s electric slide guitar, while