Mystery Road

 Mystery Road represented a turning point for both Drivin N Cryin and for Sullivan’s role within the band. Originally, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck—who had become a vocal champion of the band—was slated to produce the album. Buck and the band recorded demo sessions together, but Island Records rejected the arrangement and installed Scott MacPherson as producer, with Kinney and Nielsen receiving co-production credits.

The album was recorded at Soundscape Studios in Atlanta and mixed at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. This was the first album to feature the band’s “classic” four-piece lineup: Kinney, Nielsen, Sullivan, and newly added lead guitarist Buren Fowler—who had previously served as R.E.M.’s guitar technician. Sullivan’s role expanded substantially from the debut: he is credited with drums, percussion, and vocals, reflecting his growing contribution to the band’s arrangements and harmonies. 

Sullivan’s drumming on Mystery Road was described in one review as “thundering,” propelling hard-rock tracks like “Toy Never Played With” and “Malfunction Junction” while showing restraint on the fiddle-led country opener “Ain’t It Strange” and the plaintive acoustic ballad “Peacemaker.” The album’s stylistic range—from AC/DC-like hard rock to John Denver-influenced folk—demanded a drummer capable of shifting gears across genres, and Sullivan proved equal to the task.

Peter Buck, though not serving as producer, contributed electric dulcimer to the album and later invited Drivin N Cryin to open for R.E.M. on their Green world tour—a booking that significantly raised the band’s profile. Island Records, in fact, had been reluctant to fund another album until Buck’s tour invitation forced their hand, making Mystery Road a direct consequence of the band’s growing connections in the Georgia music community.

The album produced the band’s most enduring song, “Straight to Hell” which became a live staple and was later covered by country star Darius Rucker on his 2017 album When Was the Last Time, alongside Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Charles Kelley. In 2017, Paste Magazine named Mystery Road one of “The 50 Best Southern Rock Albums of All Time.” A 2017 expanded reissue on Island/UMe included eight previously unreleased Peter Buck-produced demos, offering a window into the earlier creative stages in which Sullivan participated.