Westbound

It would be easy to overlook Rebecca Ferguson and John Stoll’s solid songwriting (performing as Westbound) in the wake of Stoll’s frenetic guitar playing and stomp-box fervor and Ferguson’s electric vocals.  Behind the fury of this roots Americana inspired duo are two people winding their way down life’s whiskey roads and heartbreak hills, churning out great songs along the way.  As they write in the liner notes of their latest CD Blackjack Road: “We hope that you enjoy this journey with us, with the windows down and the music loud, and the road wide open ahead.”

With vivid lyrics of rusted road signs, muddy waters, romance and deceit, it’s not difficult to relate to the themes this ‘real-life couple’ write about.  But, as they admit, they’ve only been living and writing together for a few years and look forward to digging deeper into the corners of their hearts.  Not that any fan of Westbound should hope for anything less than domestic bliss for the two troubadours from Houston, but as Ferguson reveals in Blackjack’s title track, “the blues I got ain’t bad”.  Perhaps a line that best sums up Westbound’s love for the blues, and all it’s lyrical discontent, while maintaining an optimistic outlook on the future. 

On working together creatively in Westbound and being a couple John and Rebecca both allude to the benefits of trust that come from their romantic involvement. “It’s very much a ‘one plus one equals more than two’ approach,” says Stoll.

Live, Westbound embodies the spirit of a front porch revival from somewhere in West Virginia, delivering salvation to anyone in earshot.  Stoll’s use of either acoustic guitar, banjo or resonator guitar, along with a mic’d stomp-box and shoe tambourine give the “band” a full, driving sound. While all of the material on Blackjack Road is original, Westbound includes songs from a diverse catalog in the folk/roots/blues genre when performing live. “We look for anything we can find an emotional connection to.  Right now, we’re looking at a lot of older Appalachian folk style that we can put an edge on,” says Ferguson.

Blackjack Road was released in 2010 and contains 13 songs that encapsulate Stoll’s multi-instrument abilities more delicately than his live performances. Working in the controlled environment of a studio often challenges musicians to find a balance between capturing the energy of a live performance and accepting the sometimes-limiting parameters of recording.

For Westbound, the labor of recording (all done by Stoll and Ferguson) produced a remarkably energetic sound without the incorporation of a traditional rhythm section (bass and drums). “Translating that (stage energy) to album is difficult. I feel like the album has got great punch to it,” said Stoll.  Adds Ferguson, “We just had to take a different approach to find it.  It manifests in different ways live versus in the recording booth.”

Despite all the foot-stomping, folk-fever, some of Westbound’s strongest material can be heard in their country music-flavored ballads like The Closest Friends of Mine and Let Me Drown Or Set Me Free.  While Ferguson’s voice has a timeless quality, reminiscent of Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline, Westbound delivers their songs resisting all-too-often heard lap-steel and tear-in-my-beer melodies to create a fresh take on a traditional sound.  

Westbound is traveling the roads they write about (and not just West), at times, up to 700 miles to play a gig in a small town.  Like so many musicians today they are totally independent: writing, performing, recording and producing their own material. Unlike many acts, though, their live shows and their recoded efforts are both outstanding, yet different from each other.  See a show, buy a CD, go along for the ride – you won’t be disappointed! 

Visit www.TheWestboundBand.com for concert dates, CDs and more.  Visit www.ZachTate.com to see the video interview with John and Rebecca as well as a live performance by Westbound.