MIKE ZITO Source: Living Blues Magazine Date: 10/2008 Writer: Tim Holek

Eclecto Groove Records, a subsidiary of Delta Groove Music, covers “a wide spectrum of musical styles.” Calling itself “a home for music that isn’t easily categorized,” the label is perfect for singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mike Zito. Zito grew up in St. Louis and has been touring heavily since the age of 19. A lifestyle of drugs and alcohol took a toll early in his career, but with the help of friends and supporters, Zito cleaned himself up and relocated to southeast Texas. Zito was influenced by a multitude of artists—in his music, you’ll hear everything from John Mayer–style pop rock to a more rock blues sounding Walter Trout.

Well-known studio musicians James “Hutch” Hutchinson (bass), Benmont Tench (keyboards), Tony Braunagel (drums), and Michito Sanchez (percussion) were brought in to jumpstart Zito’s renewed career. Tremendous production by Grammy-winning David Z and Braunagel has created a sound that is hip, polished, and appealing to pop and triple A radio. At times, overproduction makes the music’s true feeling difficult to detect. The first three songs—Love Like This, Superman, and Holding Out For Love—are the best. The rest are ordinary. For example, the Texas blues/rock Slow It Down features a lick that sounds lifted from the songbook of Stevie Ray Vaughan.  

Love Like This is a killer lead-off song perfect to blast out of open car windows. Superman features a basic catchy groove. Here, the vocal harmony that Zito attains is sweet, but the polished guitar solo is anything but improvised. Tench’s piano rocks as much as the rhythm of Dirty Things, but the keyboard is hard to hear above the overbearing lead guitar. Acoustic guitar and percussion add a Latin feel to Blinded, where Zito enthusiastically sings about his redemption. Throughout, Zito’s vocals are gruff yet genteel. At times, the singing turns to shouting, or even screaming. Little Red Corvette—the sole cover song—is given a slow-paced, unplugged arrangement that fits well with the original songs.

Blazing guitar doesn’t make a blues song. Then again, Mike Zito doesn’t claim to be a blues artist (even though he does, oddly enough, have the word blues tattooed on his right hand). Today features youthful music for a youthful audience. Triple A radio will love this CD, which the promotional material suggests to “file under rock.”