MIKE ZITO Source: Blues Revue Date: 08/2008 Writer: Hal Horowitz

Sometimes you can tell a musician’s worth by the company he keeps. Guitarist/singer/songwriter Mike Zito’s first nationally distributed album features support from bassist Hutch Hutchison (Bonnie Raitt, the Neville Brothers), drummer/co-producer Tony Braunagel (Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon), and keyboardist Benmont Tench (the Heartbreakers), among others. While that’s no guarantee of quality, it does provide a sturdy foundation.

In this case, Zito is prepared for the challenge of playing with established veterans. His bluesy Americana vibe finds an impressively restrained balance between melody and musicianship. With a raw, raspy voice reminiscent of John Fogerty’s, Zito tears into a set of predominantly original music. A lifetime of rock ‘n’ roll addictions nearly killed him, but now that he’s on the other side, Zito’s though-provoking lyrics reveal and upbeat yet somewhat world-weary view. On the slow-burning rocker “Universe”, he reflects on seeking answers internally and delivers a guitar solo that sizzles like a lit fuse. He shifts into a modified soul/Santana mode for “Blinded,” a look back at his troubled past driven by acoustic strumming and taut lead lines. On the slow blues of “Slow It Down”, Zito attempts to “examine all my bad ways” and declares that he now lives for forgiveness.
           
The subject matter easily could slip into clichéd self-pity, but Zito’s songwriting is so crafty and inventive, and his singing so clearly propelled by his excised demons, that the effect is riveting. His material isn’t built on the typical blues-rock platitudes, and the songs feel authentically tempered by his life lessons. The disc’s only cover, Prince’s “Little Red Corvette,” is an unusual choice but Zito interprets it as a ballad, turning the song inside out. Horns appear on three tracks, underpinning and emphasizing the rugged R&B at the base of “Deep Down in Love” and the funky “Hollywood.”