Multiple Blues Music Award winner and Billboard No. 1 artist Mike Zito returns home with Outside Or The Eastside, a powerful new album recorded at Shock City Studios in St. Louis. The release marks Zito’s fourth solo album for Gulf Coast Records and stands as another defining chapters of his career.
Rooted deeply in memory, place, and renewal, Outside Or The Eastside finds Zito back on the streets of his birthplace, reconnecting with the sounds, stories, and hard lessons that shaped his signature blend of high octane, soul-driven blues and fearless storytelling. Thirteen years after Gone To Texas, this album feels like a full-circle moment—one that reflects a life with new possibility’s, a family grounded, and an artist fully present in the city where it all began.
The songs paint vivid, unfiltered snapshots of city life and personal reckoning. From late-night regret and self-awareness to raw portraits of neighbourhood survival and street-level truth, Zito’s writing is direct, cinematic, and emotionally rooted. Tracks like “Downtown At Midnight” confront the consequences of addiction and broken trust with brutal honesty, while “Grand Avenue” captures the grit, rhythm, and reality of everyday life in St. Louis—where struggle, humor, music, and resilience live side by side.
The title track draws from the pulse of the city after dark, echoing themes of temptation, escape, and choice, while reminding listeners that every night ends somewhere. Across the album, Zito balances tough reflection with compassion and hard-earned wisdom, allowing the songs to breathe with both swagger and humility and of course all the notes! “It was a different recording prosses on this album” says Zito “Normally I’d practise restraint, but when tracking my guitar takes, I found myself thinking no—I can do more!”
At its heart, Outside Or The Eastside is a celebration of second chances. Dedicated to better days, family, friendship, love, and joy found in everyday moments, the album embraces life’s unpredictable paths with warmth, humor, and a fun-loving spirit. It’s a record about choosing connection over chaos—and moving forward with gratitude, purpose, and the volume turned all the way up.
Outside Or The Eastside will be released worldwide via Gulf Coast Records in partnership with Proper Music Group, SoNo Recording, and Virgin Music. The album will be available in physical and digital formats, including a deluxe gatefold CD, electric blue double-vinyl edition, digital download, and on all major streaming platforms.
Album Tracklist
1. Outside Or The Eastside
2. Don’t Take Advantage Of Me
3. Kiss You All Over
4. Downtown At Midnight
5. Grand Avenue
6. Too Broke To Spend The Night
7. Just Like I Treat You
8. Down Don’t Bother Me
9. Do I Move You
____
Album Credits
MIKE ZITO: VOCAL & GUITAR
SCOT SUTHERLAND: BASS
LEWIS STEPHENS: KEY’S
MATTHEW R. JOHNSON: DRUMS
PRODUCER: MIKE ZITO
ARTIST MANAGEMENT: LIV OUGHELTREE & RIC WHITNEY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: GUY HALE, MIKE ZITO & OLIVER OVERTON