“This record is a truly timeless collection of music, a rootsy odyssey that sounds ancient and brand new at the same time. Everything from Alan Lomax field recordings to The Mystix’ own original songs are combined into a whole item that is utterly unclassifiable, other than to say it is just good music. One of the best compliments you can give a band is to say they don’t sound like anybody else, and The Mystix’ Down to the Shore has a unique vibe.”
Lead singer and main songwriter Jo Lily has a captivating voice, rich and worn like aged leather, and he has a way of drawing you into a song. The other members of the band are seasoned veterans of the Boston music scene who have played with everyone form Jerry Lee Lewis to Susan Tedeschi. Marty Richards on drums and Mary Ballou on bass always keep each tune firmly in the pocket, and guitarist Bobby Keyes and keyboardist Tom West have the perfect riff for every song.
And what songs they are! The old gospel number “We Are almost Down to the Shore” drips with world-weary soul. “Gamblin’ Man” has a broken-down, Tom Waits-like charm to it, and “Get Right” gets everything right, from the up-tempo groove to the barrelhouse piano break.
There is a lot of melancholy and longing on this record, but the music never gives into despair. Down to the Shore is the perfect soundtrack to a rainy day, or any day when you crave music with that soulful sound.