Along the banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio comes the sixth record from those blues based, booze induced hard rockers known as FIVE HORSE JOHNSON. Formed in 1995, these road warriors have played over 800 shows all over the world. Sharing the stage with the likes of Raging Slab, Big Sugar, Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nebula, Robin Trower, Cheap Trick, Johnny Winter, Iggy Pop, Atomic Bitchwax, Bad Company, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nashville Pussy, Monster Magnet, Alabama Thunderpussy and Clutch. Speaking of Clutch, 5HJ has added Clutch’s drummer J.P. Gaster to the mix, along with the original core of bassist Steve Smith, guitarist/vocals Brad Coffin and lead singer Eric Oblander, who by the way blows a mean ass harp.’ Mystery Spot’ was produced by Roadsaw vocalist and Quitter drummer Craig Riggs. The CD is filled with powerful blues laced songs that are as tight as a brand new pack of Marlboros. The title track “Mystery Spot” is down right dirty and is drinking music at its finest. But the CD literally explodes, going off like “Ten Cent Dynamite” on the second track. It’s a song about traveling on the Hard Road of life. Steve Smith’s heavy bass drives “Call Me Down” and leads us into the acoustic slide intro to “...Of Ditch and Drowning Men”, that kicks into overdrive like Blackfoot of old. The backing vocals give this a spiritual/gospel feel. More bass and drums kick off “Gin Clear”, a bruising slab of concrete blues rock. It’s not a coincidence that “Rolling Thunder” starts with a drum roll, then crashes like thunder in a storm of harp filled chaos. Theres a few songs about trains and a fast paced ballad called, “The Ballad Of Sister Ruth”. You can hear the Howling Wolf influence on “I Can’t Shake It”. The closer is “Drag You There”, a slow, dragged out harp infested down home blues song that is served up like breakfast after a night of heavy drinking. There is harp and damn good musicianship all over this CD. If Toledo, Ohio is the mystery spot, then get your asses out there to catch these guys or buy the CD and wait till these guys pass through your town like a powerful runaway freight train. Give it up for Five Horse Johnson.