AMG Review of Mystic Journey

William Ruhlmann
All Music Guide

On his first studio album of new original material in a decade, Arlo Guthrie turned out a recording to fit in well with his existing catalog. His chief musical influences continued to be Bob Dylan and the Beatles, circa 1966, as he made melodic folk-rock anchored by his acoustic guitar and augmented by a rock rhythm section, other stringed instruments, and keyboards, frequently played by his son and co-producer Abe Guthrie. The lyrics also had a Dylanish twinge in their highly poetic, sometimes obscure language, though Guthrie commented on a variety of contemporary issues including the experiences of veterans ("When a Soldier Makes It Home"), child and spouse abuse, and gentrification. Just as often, however, singing in his resonant, half-spoken voice, which had begun to be reminiscent of Willie Nelson, Guthrie adopted an elegiac, fatalistic tone, expressing spiritual concerns in nearly apocalyptic terms. That too had long been a feature of his music, but on Mystic Journey, unleavened by humor, it was the dominant theme.