Chris Castino

NEW SOLO ALBUM

brazil

Chris has logged over 1500 live performances, mostly with The Big Wu. Yet this record is designed to be in your room with you, over a nice set of headphones, on a radio station that gives a shit, while driving highways. Share this album with all those who really appreciate a good song. They’ll thank you. “I’m ready to kick this birdie out of the nest”, says Caz.

FEATURING the hymnal 3-part harmonies of “Happy Birthday, Janis: Tribute” vocalist Jill Mikelson and (The Voice finalist) Nicholas David. The rhythm section is JT Bates (Bon Iver, Dead Man Winter, Hiss) and Chad Whittaker (Annie Mack), drummer and percussionist Doug Christianson (Frogleg), and the beautiful Jimmy Rogers on bass (Bourdebela) super-talented Bettina Villamil on fiddles, the ever-romantic Gregg “Cheech” Hall on slide guitars, Jake “Killer” Ilika on guitar, and original Big Wu member Nate Eklund on Piano. Recorded by Dylan Nau who has worked with Nicholas David, Cory Wong, Dave King, Charlie Parr, Anthony Cox, JT Bates, Zacc Harris, Lady Lark, et al.

Thanks to Dylan (and his daughter Lydia) for everything including adding their own guitars, cellos, and other strings to the sound, as well. OK I think that’s everybody!

word on the street

City Pages

“Chris Castino – “Chinese Whispers” (PREMIERE)

Chris Castino is no stranger to highways. The Big Wu frontman has seen all of Minnesota in his career, and now he’s immortalized those journeys in his first solo album, Brazil. Vast and sincere, the record is suffused with the experience of the road. The video for lead single “Chinese Whispers” is stitched together from memories, a tableau of home movies that functions as a microcosm of the record. Brazil was released on March 13, so you can play it with your eyes closed from inside your lockdown, imagining the big state unfolding in the windshield before you.”