Downtown Mystic-Standing Still Review
Title: Standing Still
Genre: Rock-Americana
Label: Sha-La-Music, Inc.
Music serves many purposes but mainly it is a good mood changer or suitable for creating a specific atmosphere. With all of that considered, when was the last time you threw a CD into the stereo and knew right from the start that the music you were hearing was going to make you smile and be a truckload of fun? Well I have just the right prescription from the rock 'n' roll doctor, the name is Downtown Mystic.
Standing Still is the third and likely the best recording to date for the band. The band consists mainly of Robert Allen (vocals, lead & rhythm guitar, acoustic, electric 12 string & piano), Steve Holley (drums & percussion) and Paul Paige (bass). The Downtown Mystic sound is created with vintage guitars and analog recording that draw from a foundation of rock, blues and country to formulate a distinctive Rock-Americana sound that is played with lots of heart and energy.
As the musical door opens we go right out the "Backdoor", which serves as an endless stream of old fashioned rock 'n' roll energy. The track puts you right in the middle of some shanty town bar with people dancing and laughter everywhere. The story may not have a happy ending but the music makes up for that situation with incredible bursts of rockin' guitars supported by a solid layer of rhythm. Then when you hear "Modern Ways" kick up its heels with an intro that would fit the sound of a Chuck Berry hit, you know this band means business when they tell their stories. Every track serves up a heaping helping of the same and it raises the roof without sacrificing the overall production values, you hear every instrument precisely. The mix is not muddy at all; it's crisp and clear with vocals that are gritty yet totally understandable. For this listener this is the kind of recording that has all the elements to satisfy my musical tastes with plenty of juice to keep me going long after it's all over.
Standing Still is a great listen and anyone interested in hearing some good rock with influences from county and blues (which essentially is Americana) will be quite pleased with this CD. You get 13 tracks of unpretentious spirited music with personality and an endless flow of energy that is simply irresistible.
4.5/5 Stars
Key Tracks: Backdoor, Sometimes Wrong, Rise And Fall
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
June 13, 2010
For Questions Or Comments About This Review Send An Email To info@muzikreviews.com
Tracks:
01. Backdoor
02. Believe
03. Better Day
04. Standing Still
05. Modern Ways
06. Sometimes Wrong
07. Too Many Times
08. Rise And Fall
09. Shade of White
10. History
11. New Friend
12. Rise and Fall #2
13. Shade of White Bluegrass
Published by Keith H.
Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck and the staff of MuzikReviews.com conducts interviews, writes reviews, biographies, press releases and articles for Independent and Major artists Worldwide. Articles are dispersed... View profile
- The Rise and Fall of WCWCheck out this slamming review of one of the most anticipated releases in WWE history!
- Gas Prices: How They Affect Us, and What Causes their Rise and FallWhile some families may be struggling to make ends meet, Exxon Mobile oil company reported $11.68 billion in earnings in quarter 2.
- The Rise and Fall of a Pop Princess: Britney SpearsThis is a research paper about Britney Spears I wrote for my english class.
- DVD Review: ROME: Rise and Fall of an Empire (History Channel)An entertaining examination of the history of the empire that is the basis of today's Western civilization.
- DownTown Mystic - "Standing Still"
- Americana by The Offspring
- The Coffee Houses in Danville, Virginia
- The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Grant Hill
- The Rise and Fall of Mahagonny by Bertolt Brecht
- A Review of Vilfredo Pareto's The Rise and Fall of Elites
- Track by Track Album Review: David Bowie's Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, The Ma...