Toms River’s DownTown Mystic released “Hard Enough (Remix)” on January 23rd, the first single from the upcoming On E Street Remix EP, set to drop in April. Downtown Mystic is the project of Robert Allen, an American rocker whose passion for “old school” recording borders on obsession. The track features the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame rhythm section from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band: drummer Max Weinberg and bassist Garry Tallent. Allen remixed the tracks with Engineer Joe DeMaio at Shorefire Studios, where they were originally recorded.
When these sessions took place, Max and Garry were still recording what would become Bruce Springsteen’s biggest album, Born In The USA. Allen says, “When we cut the track for Hard Enough, Max & Garry were still recording the album with Bruce. Having the chance to play and record my songs with them at that point in time was amazing.” The single contains two tracks, including a never-heard-before instrumental TV Mix. Allen’s sound is “vintage yet modern,” rooted in American Rock’n’Roll traditions, blending storytelling songs with vintage guitars and analog recording. Think Buffalo Springfield meets Rockpile.
Musically, this is a faithful throwback to what is now affectionately referred to as “Roots Rock”. It’s like a combination of classic rock with country music. It has more twang than grit, let’s put it that way. The lyrics reflect that brightness by having a light-hearted feel as the vocalist gushes about a breathtaking woman. The song compositionally builds up into a twangy frenzy, ending with a fade-out guitar solo that drifts us off into the sunset.
Max channels Charlie Watts on drums while Garry offers a bass line reminiscent of Springsteen’s “Ramrod”. The rhythm section drives the track with that classic Rolling Stones sound. DownTown Mystic has built a reputation as one of the top sync-licensed indie artists worldwide, with songs on over 250 TV shows across NBC, CNN, A&E, MTV, ESPN, Netflix, Amazon, and more. The On E Street Remix project is pivotal in DownTown Mystic‘s history, revisiting the recordings that started Allen’s rock’n’roll quest. If “Hard Enough (Remix)” is any indication, the full EP should be worth checking out.
