Roots rocking indie hit-maker DownTown Mystic is back with a brand new collection of timeless pop and blues-infused guitar-driven rock & roll. The band is the creative vehicle of veteran singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Robert Allen. Since the 1960’s, the New Jersey rocker has been carving his own niche in the music world, creating a successful career as an independent musician long before the term ‘indie’ even existed.
The Static Dive readers have followed Robert’s journey for the past four years. In that time the prolific producer has released five albums and two dozen singles & EPs. He has become one of the top sync-licensed artists in the world with placements in over 230 TV shows and films. A song from the new album, “No Exceptions” has already been placed on Fox’s popular show, 9-1-1: Lone Star starring Rob Lowe.
AmeriKarma is the brand new album from DownTown Mystic, released worldwide via all major streaming services on April 7, 2023. The eleven-song set is a collection of tracks Allen wrote during and after the COVID pandemic. Like the rest of us, Robert watched the worldwide drama unfold from protected isolation. He recorded what he saw in song.
The record opens on the Petty/Byrds escape fantasy “Fly”, setting the scene for DownTown Mystic’s radio-ready, melodic roots rock vibe. “Day of Reckoning” follows with a catchy acoustic sing-along about life, death and judgment day. That yin/yang of joy and pain is a theme that runs through the album.
We see it played out in the pairing of tracks like the bluesy romp “Live” and the heartbreaking letter to a lost friend, “When the Angels Sing”. The Elton John tribute “Superstar” has a classic DTM backbeat groove and guitar punch. Then the band slows things down for the bluesy psychedelic meditation “Shadow Walk”.
The second half of AmeriKarma includes remixes and alternate takes of some recent DownTown Mystic hits. “Losing My Mind (remix)” is an upbeat pop/rock nugget about a crazy world making us all crazy. On “No Exceptions (Leon Zervos Remaster 2023)”, the band lays down a fabulously swampy Delta blues jam. The record closes with two acoustic bonus tracks, including a fresh look at DTM’s 2019 single “Better Day“.
AmeriKarma was recorded at Shorefire Studios in Long Branch, NJ by audio engineer and guitarit Joe DeMaio, and mastered by Leon Zervos (Crowded House, Maroon 5, Pink, Rihanna) at Studios 301 in Australia. Listen to the album on your favorite streaming service. Check out the “Fly” lyric video below. You can also hear the song on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. Follow the links below to connect with DownTown Mystic.
