Music has to evolve and move with the times; of course, it must. But that doesn’t mean every artist has to work at the cutting edge; not every music maker has to be looking for the next big sound or a new genre. A lot of musical styles found their perfect forms a long time ago, so it is enough for an artist to choose to stick with what they are great at, what they know, what they revel in, and just aim to do it better than much of what has gone before. After all, that is evolution too.
And so what DownTown Mystic continues to do is take the sound of bluesy, riffy and roaring rock ‘n’ roll, and do it better! Revel in an established style. Remind us why rock and roll has endured. And whilst his sound is familiar, the traditions sleeve-worn and unabashed, there is a freshness and relevance to the songwriting, a new energy to the sound, a modernity to the music. Music that balances the sound of a new wave of rock and roll whilst adhering to the old adage, If it ain’t broke…
With so many reviewers picking up on the fact that DownTown Mystic always sounded like the ultimate soundtrack to an epic road trip, Mystic Highway Road Trip is exactly that: music of the open roads, the stereo cranked and the destination distant, music that encapsulates the idea that it is better to travel well, than to arrive.
“Superstar – To Sir Elton John With Love Mix” kicks us off and perfectly displays the infectiousness of Mr Mystic’s signature low-slung rock and roll – chugging rhythms, staccato salvos of guitar, fist-in-the-air singalongability, crashing piano chords, and infectious ohh-ohhs – perfect!
“Live” is slightly slower, no less punchy, and soaked in train-whistle harmonica. “Losing My Mind” delivers a poignant message – namely how can people believe in the idea of the land of the free when for many, the “American Dream” is deliberately kept out of reach – whilst not breaking its rock and roll stride.
And just as the opener is rendered into a style that Elton John’s seventies live band would have appreciated, “Fly – Buddy Holly Mix” is the sound that perhaps that rock and roll pioneer might have gone on to make had his life not been cut so tragically short, formative rock and roll with added tone and texture, muscle and melody.
The songs are cleverer than merely road trip music, much cleverer, but if you do need the perfect soundtrack to hours spent in great company driving long open roads into the sunset, this should be your first sonic port of call. This and then all his other records!
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