feature photo: Scott Lukes
The blues — and its close cousin blues-rock — are far from dead; you can tell because there remains so many practitioners of this sacred music form. But there are very few of them whose every new release I look forward to hearing than the ones by Texas-based singer and guitarist Mike Zito.
Zito does sing and play his guitar well, but what puts him at the upper echelon of the current crop of contemporary blues artists in my book is his unmistakable earnestness and authenticity. That’s so important because the blues is about confessing. Every song Zito sings is at least somewhat autobiographical because as his friend Anders Osbourne once advised him, “if you don’t believe what you’re singing, you’ll never be a good singer.”
And so that personal, honest vibe continues with Resurrection, Zito’s fourth new album in three years. This is the work of a man whose gone through things in his life, a lot of which are things the common man has struggled through, and he’s lived to tell (sing?) about it. Through eight fresh originals and three standards that speak to him, Zito delivers another end-to-end solid example of 21st century blues, given the right sonic treatment by his favorite producer, David Z (Prince, Etta James, Buddy Guy, Billy Idol).
Songwriting has always been a Zito strength but he seems to be seeking to raise the level even higher; on the title track, he not only relates his real experience of a broken relationship coming back stronger than ever, but applying the whole idea of a rebirth to the world at large. And he presents it in a triumphant, “Purple Rain” type of melody.
Ably backing Zito are Matthew Johnson (drums), Doug Byrkit (bass), Lewis Stephens (piano, organ) and son Zach Zito (acoustic guitar). The booming rumble of Johnson’s drums launch the JJ Cale number “I’ll Make Love To You” and the blend of acoustic and slide guitars nicely set up Zito’s committed vocal. Byrkit’s big-footprint bass with the brushed snare and noodly guitar set a cucumber-cool, retro character to “In My Blood.”
Even mainline rockers like “You Don’t Have Me” sound a cut above in Zito’s hands, because of the conviction he brings to both vocal and guitar. “Don’t Bring Me Down” is a satisfyingly chugging, funky blues-rock.
The small horn section (Eric Demmer, saxophone; Fernando Castillo, trumpet) on “When It Rains” add a touch of Memphis soul and despite the Al Green flavor to it, this remains Zito’s blues. And when it’s blues ballad time, boy does Zito deliver. “Damned If I Do” has a woebegone grit that not even those soul horns can gloss over, because Zito sounds like he’s nearly crying as he’s singing.
Blind Faith’s “Presence of the Lord” has a big, anthemic sound to it and a hard rockin’ bridge. Willie Dixon’s “Evil” is nothing like Howlin’ Wolf’s version, it’s more like what you might hear from fellow Texas legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Zito may have dropped his addictions long ago but his devotion to the spirit of the blues remains the drug he can’t let go. That spirit is alive and well inside him and with Resurrection, he spreads that healing feeling to anyone within earshot of his music.
Resurrection is out July 16, 2021 from Gulf Coast Records.
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