Mystic Journey is an album by the American folk rock musician Arlo Guthrie, released in 1996.[2][3] It was Guthrie's first album of mostly new material in a decade.[4]
Mystic Journey | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1996 | |||
Studio | Derek Studios | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Label | Rising Son Records[1] | |||
Producer | Arlo Guthrie, Abe Guthrie | |||
Arlo Guthrie chronology | ||||
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The album is dedicated to Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, Guthrie's Hindu guru.[5]
The album was produced by Guthrie and his son, Abe.[6][7] Cyril Pahinui played on the album.[8]
The songs were in part inspired by Guthrie's work as a hospice volunteer.[9] Many were written three to four years before the recording sessions.[10] "Moon Song" was originally written for The Byrds of Paradise, on which Guthrie starred.[11]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Washington Post wrote that "derivative as they are, these tunes nonetheless possess a charm of their own, and Guthrie slides into them as if they were an old pair of slippers."[15] The Wisconsin State Journal called Mystic Journey "an intimate, acoustic album about love, family and spiritualism."[16]
The Independent deemed "Doors to Heaven" "a well-meaning but horribly 'Imagine'-esque piece of whimsy."[17] The Toronto Star stated that "Arlo continues his life mission of slyly confounding fans and foes alike ... This time around, it's done by recording a rootsy, folk rocking set of tunes, a long haul from the gently paced acoustic album most fans likely expected."[18] The Gazette determined that the album "contains relatively innocuous love songs for the Prairie Home Companion set."[19]
AllMusic wrote that "the lyrics also had a Dylanish twinge in their highly poetic, sometimes obscure language, though Guthrie commented on a variety of contemporary issues."[12] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide considered the album "a richly crafted and introspective record that shows he's hardly played out."[14]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Moon Song" | |
2. | "Face of Time" | |
3. | "The Mystic Journey" | |
4. | "Under Cover of Night" | |
5. | "You Are the Song" | |
6. | "Doors to Heaven" | |
7. | "Wake Up Dead" | |
8. | "When a Soldier Makes It Home" | |
9. | "Stairs" | |
10. | "All This Stuff Takes Time" | |
11. | "I'll Be with You Tonight" |