Nothing can be more thrilling than the return of our all-time favorite and the ultimate treasure of rock music, DownTown Mystic, the musical avatar of renowned American rock musician Robert Allen. He is truly a pure breed in his profession, devoted to the “old school” method of writing and producing songs that not only admire the past of rock music but make it sublime. Coming off the huge success of the Mystic Highway album, the irresistible allure of the smash hit “Hard Enough,” and the phenomenal “On E Street (Remix)” EP that featured an unbeatable partnership from none other than the stars of the E Street Band Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent, he went ahead and released a six-track magnum opus by the name of Mystic Highway Road Trip. The stage is set, the keys are in hand, and it’s time to explore the greatness of this album.

The tune starts with an instantly theatrical and vaudevillian rhythm created by the rolling and syncopated tap of the drums before the piano takes center stage with its brilliant cascading melody. As far as lyrics go, “Superstar – To Sir Elton with Love Mix” is a very introspective piece about this character who is reminding us that times are tough, but we can trust that they will be here for you. In terms of musicality, the vocal performance is delivered with a soaring, velvet-toned bravado that balances arena-sized grandiosity with intimate confession. The instrumentation leans heavily on rich, rolling keyboard chords and shimmering guitar lines that evoke classic 1970s British pop-rock, building layer upon layer until it crests into a brilliant, high-register guitar solo. Its impact on the listener is cinematic; it wraps you in an aura of vintage glamour while simultaneously making you ponder the solitary nature of chasing greatness.

Where other songs tend to ease into themselves with ambient sounds or fading in, “Live” begins with a very aggressive, pulsing country infused electric guitar melody accompanied by a harsh snare sound, making the listener react physically right away. The lyrical content revolves around rejecting comfort in favor of doing something bold and embracing the feeling of being alive instead of stagnant, telling a story of someone willing to tear down everything he built just to live a more exciting life. This character is the embodiment of YOLO(you only live once) and has decided to throw caution to the wind and live life to the fullest. The music comes across clearly in the rough, earthy voice performance that works well with its gravelly edges, and all the gritty heartland authenticity that comes along with it. The music is grounded in the rhythmic interplay of the dusty, roots-rock guitar lines and the stinging harmonica licks that sound bluesy and soulful. This piece of music serves as a psychological wake-up call for anyone who listens to it; it clears the mind and makes you want to run away from everything and anywhere.

The track starts abruptly with the sound of a rapid-fire tempo of rhythm guitar chords clashing with a very hard-driving punk rhythm beat that allows no hesitation. The lyrics of “Losing my Mind – Re Mix” deal with the stress of burnout, economic stress, and psychological breakdown that happens when one tries to survive in an increasingly disordered modern world. It is an honest look at the breaking point that has been reached after a long time of tolerating frustrations. This character has been let down so many times and feels like he or she is losing his or her mind because it seems like everyone around him or her is not fairly treating him or her. It seems that initially this character went with the flow but has now reached a breaking point. In terms of musicality, the tension created in this track is very cleverly done by matching these intense and hurried themes with a very uplifting tempo. The vocal performance goes from one that is very frantic to one that is triumphantly melodic in nature, all set against the backdrop of distorted rhythm sections and sharp percussion. This track’s effect is very cathartic; instead of bringing the listener to a place of despair, it uses collective fatigue as an outlet for release.

Breaking free from the rapid momentum of the track, “Shadow Walk” starts with something that sounds like a tambourine and an isolated country-infused acoustic guitar riff that cycles slowly in time to a trance-like beat before any percussion even comes into play. Thematically speaking, the song goes to some dark corners to delve into the inner workings of nighttime thoughts, examining the process of bargaining with yourself about all of your insecurities when walking through the night by yourself. Musicality is the essence of the most perfect atmosphere of blues-rock, where the vocalist performs with a raspy, soft, and emotional voice. The instrumental section involves many empty spots with a slowly burning, weeping bends of electric guitar and a drum beat that is like a heartbeat. Such music has a very grounding influence and creates a moody atmosphere, being an excellent companion for deep nights when everything else is asleep around you.

“Fly – Buddy Holly Mix” starts with an acoustic guitar strumming sound along with a sharp snap of a rimshot, which is able to evoke instantly the naive nostalgia of the early era of rock and roll music. In terms of its lyrics, “Fly – Buddy Holly Mix” speaks about the burning desire of youth for complete freedom, overcoming all kinds of obstacles, and the urgent need to fly away from the dullness of real life. The character in the song uses flying as a metaphor for freedom, and he yearns for it deeply. Musically, the delivery is effortless, breezy, and incredibly infectious, flowing easily with the beat and doing so with a happy, 1950s-style swing to it. Instrumentally, the composition combines elements of 1950s pop-rock simplicity with a polished sound, utilizing hand claps, bouncing bass tones, and twinkling treble sounds. From the listener’s point of view, this song is nothing but an absolute high from start to finish.

The final piece is “Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something To Somebody,” and it is a masterful ending of an epoch. From the first second on, the song grabs your attention with its catchy and highly skillful electric guitar playing that sounds like a red carpet welcoming you to the sonic pocket and making you want more of it. As for the lyrics, they are a superb example of observation of the human condition, a witty and a little cynical look at the endless theatre of human relations and interpersonal clashes. In terms of music, this monster of a song proudly returns to the roots of classic rock with its massive grooves that won’t allow your feet to stop. However, the real magic is in the stunning master class of top-tier session musicians playing fluid notes using old-school Moog synthesizers and beautiful sounds of B-3 organ. The whole combination works together perfectly with the tight rhythm section, forming a powerful wall of sound. It’s daring, it’s cool as hell, and it ends the EP with a bang.

The EP “Mystic Highway Road Trip” is a six-song lesson on modern roots rock that is brimming with the unstoppable positive spirit and high-octane energy that has rightfully established itself as the very foundation of DownTown Mystic’s unique sound. Songs such as Live (with the powerful harmonica work of Jerry Fierro) and Losing My Mind – Re Mix (complete with the scorching guitar work of the maestro Lance Doss) offer more than just music; they offer hope. The whole album is built on the foundation provided by the world-renowned rhythm section responsible for the Mystic Highway EP released last year: the legendary drummer Steve Holley, who is a master of rhythmics after such greats as Paul McCartney and Elton John, joined by the great bassist Paul Page, known for playing with Ian Hunter and Dion. The treasure list is complemented by the exclusive, never-before-heard version of the Somebody’s Always Doin’ Something track, where keyboard virtuoso Jeff Levine demonstrates his amazing skills on the piano and B-3 organ. There is absolutely nothing surprising about the fact that once again DownTown Mystic have put together an album that sounds simply perfect all the way through. Over and over again, this band demonstrates their true mastery and just gets better and better with each of their releases. It might seem to be extremely greedy to say this about an album that has so much treasure in it, but the fact is that I am already eagerly waiting for the next one.

Stream the “Mystic Highway Road Trip” EP on Spotify

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