THE MYSTIX are proud to announce the release of their 8th album, TruVine. Produced by the legendary drummer, Marco Giovino, the album is infused with Marco’s visionary eclectic style, fitting seamlessly with the band’s unique energy and nonconformist approach.
TruVine consists of covers from such American icons as Robert Johnson, Dock Boggs, Ola Belle Reed, JJ Cale as well as five original Mystix tracks that have been re-imagined, all cut with everything happening in the moment at Woolly Mammoth Studios, an atmosphere inspiring a creative energy that helped limit overdubbing to a minimum.
Welcome to the strange, eclectic and passionate search for the Main Taproot where chaos and form meet in the TruVine.
Produced by: Marco Giovino
Engineered by: Tim Phillips and Dave Westner
Featuring: Stu Kimball, Duke Levine, Doug Lancio, Asa Brosious, Sonny Barbato, Paul Brown, Neal Pawley. Steve Jankowski, Joe Who, Billy Earheart, and Tom West.
The Mystix ® 2022
Track Descriptions
1) Satisfy You ‘22 (3:30)
Jo wrote Satisfy You and Marco Giovino (Producer and Drummer) rearranged the song by coming up with a driving treatment along with a distinct vocal approach. The results are very ‘satisfying’!
2) Lifetime Worth Of Blues ’22 (3:40)
LifetimeWorth Of Blues was written by Jo and Bobby. Marco offered up a Mambo served New Orleans style. Passionate, fiery and pleading. A great recipe for The Mystix!
3) Up Jumped The Devil (4:46)
Up Jumped the Devil was written by Robert Johnson and originally titled “Preaching the Blues/Up Jumped The Devil”. The Mystix aggressive and rowdy interpretation of this song is driven by three guitars and Marco’s outstanding drumming.
4) I Guess I Lose (3:29)
Originally written by JJ Cale, Guess I Lose was played in Cale’s typical loping upbeat style. However, The Mystix translated it into a slower melancholy ballad.
5) Midnight in Mississippi ’22 (3:59)
Jo wrote this song many years back while living down south. Marco wanted to recut it with a deep groove. He brought back Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars (who previously recorded with The Mystix), to add the special sauce with his signature slide playing.
6) Sugar Baby (4:53)
Sugar Baby comes directly from the high hills of Virginia where Dock Boggs, a lifelong coal miner and songster, first recorded it in the 1920’s. Jo and Bobby learned it in Boggs original form and then Marco “Mysticized” it in the studio with the help of Stu Kimball and Doug Lancio (Both guitarists for Bob Dylan) as well as Duke Levine on banjo to add to the gumbo that is Sugar Baby.
6) Sugar Baby (4:53)
Sugar Baby comes directly from the high hills of Virginia where Dock Boggs, a lifelong coal miner and songster, first recorded it in the 1920’s. Jo and Bobby learned it in Boggs original form and then Marco “Mysticized” it in the studio with the help of Stu Kimball and Doug Lancio (Both guitarists for Bob Dylan) as well as Duke Levine on banjo to add to the gumbo that is Sugar Baby.
7) Change my Mind ’22 (2:53)
Another original from Jo, this track features the great Jerry Portnoy (Muddy Waters,Eric Clapton). Neil Pawley (South Side Johnny’s Band) sat in as the 3rd guitarist. Marco’s upbeat production makes for a jaunty, playful track that shows off Jerry’s crafted Harp playing and compliments the lighter side to The Mystix.
8) Which Side Of Heartache ’22 (3:40)
Another Jo original. For this recording, Marco chose a very stripped down production style. (Traditional country with a Celtic flair). This one is all about the story telling and gut-level emotional delivery.
9) I’ll Do It For You (3:39)
This was originally written and produced as a ballad by the Louisiana artist Toussaint McCall. Marco suggested a more rhythmic approach and. Bobby’s experience working with Rick Hall in Muscle Shoals really came into production as he layered tracks with precision and groove!
10) Devil Try To Steal My Joy (4:10)
Producer Marco Giovino chose to get rowdy and a little sinister in his approach on this traditional gospel theme. The Mystix were joined again by Neil Pawley (Southside Johnny’s Crew) who brought uber mojo to join Bobby in creating a dark groove.
11) My Epitaph (5:02)
Epitaph was written by the prolific bluegrass genius, Ola Belle Reed. The artist was recommended to Marco by Robert Plant. The production evolved into a 1st line New Orleans funeral treatment with the help of a number of special musicians, including Spooner Oldham on the tack piano. Once again Neil Pawley joined in by writing the horn arrangement as well as leading the session on Trombone.