DownTown Mystic, the roots rock project of Robert Allen, will release a new EP titled "Mystic Highway Road Trip" on July 10 via Sha-La Music and distributed by The Orchard/Sony Music. The six-track collection follows the critical success of last year's "Mystic Highway" EP and is timed for summer travel. It arrives after the "On E Street Remix" EP from April 2026, which featured E Street Band members Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent. Allen said the new EP was inspired by reviewers who described the previous release as a road trip soundtrack, prompting him to create music specifically for summer journeys.
The EP includes tracks such as "Live" featuring harmonica player Jerry Fierro and "Losing My Mind" with guitarist Lance Doss, both delivering messages of hope amid turbulent times. The rhythm section features drummer Steve Holley (Paul McCartney, Elton John) and bassist Paul Page (Ian Hunter, Dion), who also performed on "Mystic Highway." The collection includes the previously unreleased unedited version of "Somebody's Always Doin' Something 2 Somebody (Uncut Mix)," with keyboardist Jeff Levine on piano and B-3 organ. Recorded at Shorefire Studios in West Long Branch, New Jersey, with engineer Joe DeMaio, the EP was mastered by Leon Zervos (Crowded House, Maroon 5, Pink) at Studios 301 in Australia.
Allen noted that the "On E Street Remix" project, which remixed songs from the 1980s, received feedback that he is "making rock music for today." This encouraged him to release new material. "Even though the remixes were of older material, the reviewers pointed out that I'm making rock music for today," Allen said. "Thanks to them, it seemed like the perfect time to segue from the past to the present and release some new rock 'n' roll."
DownTown Mystic has been prolific, with "The Wish" and "Mystic Highway" in 2025 and two EPs in 2026. Allen is considered one of the top sync-licensed artists in rock, with music featured in over 250 TV shows and films. The new EP is available on streaming platforms via this link.
Critics continue to praise DownTown Mystic's approach. The Big Takeover called it "the sound of rock-and-roll tradition moving with the times," while JamSphere Magazine highlighted "the band's infectious unmistakable vibe, wrapped up with ace musicianship, topped with great songwriting, and delivered with powerful, heartfelt vocals." Rattler Magazine noted that the music is about "reaffirming what makes it endure: strong songwriting, human rhythm, and a refusal to overproduce the soul out of the music."
The EP will be released to U.S. college radio on July 21, with Brandon Day of Tinderbox Music handling promotion. Videos for "Superstar" and "Shadow Walk" are available on DownTown Mystic's YouTube channel.
