Downtown Mystic, aka Robert Allen, landed on my radar earlier this year thanks to an On The E Street remix of his single Hard Enough. I found myself in the depths of a story that I wanted to know more about.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Mark Maryanovich
For the single, he worked with Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent, the legendary rhythm section of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. It’s rare for the two to work without Springsteen which meant the sessions they recorded with Allen are a genuine time capsule, originally taking place in the mid ‘80s while Weinberg and Tallent were also shaping Born In The USA.
It wasn’t the only track they recorded, and now a new remix EP of On The E Street is out, featuring four songs that lean into that Springsteen energy while honouring Allen’s unique voice.
The record opens with Way To Know and we are greeted by classic rock with a meaningful message. It’s swagger with conscience which highlights Allen’s individual talent for songwriting as well as his, Weinburg’s, Tallent’s, and engineer Joe DeMaio’s keen musicianship.
A similar energy flows through the gentle and thoughtful And You Know Why before Hard Enough forms a cheeky midpoint, moving things from introspection to liveliness. When we chatted about the single previously, Allen told me the story of how it was written about a girl that both he and Weinburg had known in school. “She was that memorable. It has to be about her, which is crazy, right?” he said.
A remaster of the 1985 recording of Sometimes Wrong follows before we get TV Mix instrumental versions of And You Know Why and Way To Know rounding off a collection which beautifully captures the authentic spirit of ‘80s rock.
Though the Bruce Springsteen connection is certainly the hook for this project, I have to say the true heart of it is Allen. His charm, wit, and songwriting shine across the EP.
It’s astute of him to remix these recordings, polishing them for modern audiences and making sure they don’t get lost in the sands of time. I’m certainly grateful. These remixes are real rediscoveries. They remind us of rock’s origins to ensure its future.
If you want to keep up to date with all things Downtown Mystic, you can by heading to his website, and by following him on Facebook, X, Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, and Instagram.
On The E Street (Remix) is out now, and you can listen to it below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator
