With chops that would make Tim Reynolds take heed, Tommy Castro has swept the blues world by storm with his lightening fast fingers and raspy voice. Carlos Santana was so impressed, that he declared, “Tommy has the voice, the sound and the right intention to touch everyone?s heart.” Santana conveniently left out the part about good songwriting, because it seems to be absent from Castro?s fourth album, “Guilty of Love.”

Castro is guilty of making an album that is indistinguishable amongst the swarms of blues/rock albums. His past three albums, on Blind Pig records, have been hits in the blues world, placing him at the top of the blues revolution. This record, on 33rd Street records, has the feel of a 60s cover band playing at your local pub.

The title track, “Guilty of Love”, is very notable, not because it is good, but because it marks the last recorded performance of the late blues legend, John Lee Hooker. It is disheartening that this is the last record he will be heard on, because his “vocal” contribution sounds like he jokingly snuck into the studio and overdubbed his voice. His vocals are off beat and sometimes undistinguishable.

The album is packed with unoriginal songs that seem somewhat familiar. “Stay With Me Tonight,” sounds like a Temptations knockoff, with its ascending “na, na, na, na, na.” “Whole Lotta Soul” has Castro doing his James Brown impersonation, with squelches and grunts included. “Shakin the Hard Times Loose” sounds like something Little Richard would perform as a filler.

“Naugahyde” is the best track simply because we are spaired Castro?s unoriginal choruses and boy-band simplistic lyrics. The band, who are all excellent musicians, excel when they are able to showcase their profound instrumentation.

Castro is an amazingly gifted guitarist with an honest voice. The album is overflowing with ample proof. However, his songs act as limiting factors to his guitar mastery. It feels as if he might break loose from their confines when he is soloing, but they ultimately regain control. Until he can create music that is undeniably his own, he will be caught in a rut of uncreativity that will sideline him to a local bar band. Then he will be singing his unimpressive lyrics with a little more passion. “You need a job because you need money.”