Member Since: 21/03/2006
Band Website: http://www.the-whistlestop.info
Band Members: Rob Watson, Mike Roy, PeeWee Watson, Kevin Boxell and Jim Crew and Scotty Miller as often as possible.
Influences: The Originator, Sam Cooke, Roger Miller, Soul Junk, Danielson Smith, J Roddy Walston, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Mungo Jerry, Doc Watson, Townes Van Zandt
Sounds Like: ***The Year in Music 2008 - Independent Weekly
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A272231
Preaching The Word is tricky business. You want to save some souls—that's the whole point— but if you browbeat or belittle, your flock will likely head elsewhere. For a blueprint of how to do it the right way, follow the lead of Mike Roy, Rob Watson and company. "If you're gonna sing, sing for your room and board/ If you're gonna play, you got to get yourself a chord," Roy testifies. "If you're gonna dance, you got to get up on the floor/ But if you're gonna praise, you better praise the Lord." And if you're gonna preach, he might have added, preach with a gradual-burn approach culminating in a grand bonfire. Preach with the spontaneity of a first-take recording. Preach with sweat-flying intensity. And preach with a mountain of country, blues, gospel and rock 'n' roll built behind you.
—Rick Cornell
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A272231
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RICK CORNELL - Independent Weekly
Purity of faith is a holy aspiration that's celebrated at various points throughout the self-titled debut from Apex quartet The Whistlestop. On the other hand, music that's willing to mix things up—not to dilute, but to expand—has divine power all its own. That, more than anything, defines The Whistlestop's roll call.
"Will Henry," for instance, rolls out a genuine bar-band crunch, big Stonesy guitars and Ian McLagan piano staring down last call with bloodshot eyes. But this isn't a rock 'n' roll record. The rangy voice of co-leader Rob Watson (who's joined by fellow founder and songwriter Mike Roy, veteran guitarist PeeWee Watson and drummer Kevin Boxell) can convey ache at either end of the spectrum. Just check "Come Home Baby Now," a lament for an old metal-body National guitar and a trombone. But this isn't the blues.
The pedal steel of guest Allyn Love haunts a couple songs, while the autobiographical "Fifty Fingers" sounds visited by the ghost of Roger Miller. But this isn't country. Several songs—most notably "The Money's Tight," which could have been written in the Great Depression's shadow—are the aural equivalents of the sepia-toned packaging and the vintage postcard included with the record. Though you could call it old-fashioned—say, in the spirit of Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer—it's certainly not an old-time record. The spiritual messages on this album are presented directly ("We're doing the best we can when we call on the Son of Man," the jaunty opener "Originator" declares repeatedly). Occasional Sunday morning harmonies gather in sweet refrains. But the ever-present piano, courtesy of Jim Crew, is often more saloon style than Methodist pew-side. Although it's mighty close, this isn't a gospel record.
At the core is "You Better Praise," a five-minute sermon on a mount of sincerity, not an ironic wink in sight, just swirling organ suitable for the church or Stax. It rides a gradual build, stopping short of too-high drama and instead hitting just the right note of hallelujah: It's old-time rock 'n' roll and blues and country and gospel, but none of those entirely. Pure blessed impurity, if you will.
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A261739
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BY DAVID MENCONI, Staff Writer - News & Observer
So much music sounds so tortured, but not "The Whistlestop" (Apex Records), self-titled debut from the local country-rock supergroup featuring Rob Watson, Scott Miller and PKM bassist Peewee Watson. The album's 12 songs glide along as smoothly as a well-tuned locomotive humming on down the track, with sweet harmonies and an overall amiability to go with virtuoso execution. It sounds like that perfect beer-drinking moment of good-cheer equilibrium, before sloppiness sets in. Even the Old Testament fervor of "You Better Praise" and the cutting "Hobo Love Song" ("I hope you're broke and drunk and lonely, too") sound more good-natured than nasty. Whistlestop marks the album's release with a Saturday night show at Raleigh's Pour House.
http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1161390.html
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Fri Sept 12, 2008 - Slim's—At first blush, the pairing of the rather hyper J. Roddy Waltson & the Business from out of Baltimore with the comparatively tame Triangle outfit The Whistlestop seems a little off. But scratch below the surface and you'll find kindred spirits with no interest in easy categorization, two bands that would have been much happier making a run at the radio in the anything-goes '70s. The piano-pounding Waltson is from the Leon Russell/ Harry Nilsson mode, while The Whistlestop relocates Rob Watson's Stevie Wonderish soul-pop skills to a rustic setting. The bonding begins at 10 p.m.
—Rick Cornell
Record Label: Southren Brethren
Type of Label: Indie