Castor: Scars, Scrapes & Bruises

I received this CD to review, with no promotional materials, and there was little information available online about the band. The first thing that popped up was an Illinois-based emo band from the 1990s with the same name. This was clearly something else. It’s a three-piece consisting of Chris Castor on guitars and vocals, Greg McClellan on bass and keys, and Mark Lange on drums and percussion. They hail from Seattle. As far as I can tell, this is their first release. The album features six original tracks, plus two covers: “In a Dream� by Badlands and “Hot to Trot� by 10cc.

I always want to like an album I receive to review. One, I get the enjoyment of the music. Two, it’s simply unpleasant to pan something that people have put effort into making. Unfortunately, I can’t say much that is good about Scars, Scraps & Bruises. It’s generic hard rock at best, with the originals featuring uninspired lyrics about women, the dangers of impersonal technology, and the various angsts of life. The vocals reminded me of a combination of Vince Neil and Bret Michaels, with words you might imagine either of them singing. I did find “47 Trips� a bit catchy. And if you’re into late 80s hair metal, you might like “Let Loose My Soul.�

As for the covers, I don’t know why they chose “In a Dream.� It’s a ballad that not even Ray Gillen could make interesting, but at least he sang it with genuine emotion. As for “Hot to Trot,� Castor really makes a mess of it. I like the original tune; it’s catchy art rock. But I couldn’t even finish this cover of it.

I don’t think I’ve ever given an album just one star, but this one came close. “47 Trips� bumped it to 1.5. Sorry, guys, I really did want to like your CD.

Track Listing
1. Dirt Nap
2. I Love You Anyway
3. 47 Trips
4. Feed the Fire
5. Too Much Information
6. Let Loose My Soul
7. In a Dream
8. Hot to Trot

Added: January 10th 2026
Reviewer: Aaron Steelman
Score:
Related Link: More Information
Hits: 35
Language: english

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