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. ~ William Ruhlmann