Mosey West

Artist Information

Biography

Mosey West fuses psychedelic, folk and country-rock influences in a hazy cloud of distorted guitar and reverb-soaked vocals. The “raw and edgy roots rock” group is known for their live energy on stage, soaring harmonies and unique performances. The band just finished recording their third EP at the legendary Blasting Room Studios in Fort Collins, CO.

The band formed in 2011 and self-released 2 EPs in their first year together. Their 5-song debut EP, “Vaca Money” was released on September 30, 2011. The band's second EP “Merica” (named after their original moniker) was released on May 11, 2012.

Mosey West has played the Fox Theatre, the Oriental Theatre, the Mishawaka Amphitheater, the Live Oak, Lambert’s, the Prophet, the Colony and many festivals including the the Harvest Music Festival, Wakarusa Music Festival, UMS and New West Fest. The band has shared the stage with the Heartless Bastards, Futurebirds, the Moondoggies, Elliott Brood, the Band of Heathens, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Cameron McGill and What Army, Thomas Hardy of Dead Confederate, Truth & Salvage Co., Sons of Fathers and more.

"Raw and Edgy Roots Rock"
- Brian F. Johnson, Marquee Magazine

"With rich harmonies, thought provoking lyrics, and a sound that betrays influences like Drive-By Tuckers, The Band, and Neil Young, Mosey West is mature beyond their years."
- Tim Dwenger, Listen Up Denver

Instrumentation

Adam Brown - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Mike McGraw - Vocals, Bass
Matt Weitz - Drums
Cody Russell - Banjo, Pedal Steel

Discography

Vaca Money EP - released September 30, 2011
Merica EP - released May 11, 2012
- new album coming in 2013

Official Website

http://www.moseywest.com

Links

• Reverb Nation
• Facebook
• Soundcloud
• Twitter
• bandcamp
• Last.fm
• MySpace

Audio

• Hell Hounds
  Listen  
• Gone
  Listen  
• Hometown Heroes
  Listen  
• Lonesome River
  Listen  
• In Tune
  Listen  

Lyrics

• In Tune
• Gone
• Hometown Heroes
• Lonesome River
• Hell Hounds

Video

Stone by Stone 11/17/11 Hodi's Halfnote Fort Collins, CO

Photo Gallery

Press

• Oratory of Sound - Friday Night at Denver's Underground Music Showcase [+ Show ]
  

  To start, I love bands that drink the shit out of beer, play the shit out of their instruments, look...To start, I love bands that drink the shit out of beer, play the shit out of their instruments, look like they’re having the time of their lives and make no apologies that they might, in fact be drunk. Mosey West is that kind of band. These guys had the ladies dancing and the crowd clapping as the blasted through their blend of folk-tinged Americana-infused rock music. Powerful guitar playing, spot-on harmonies and a drummer who played like it was his last day on earth brought everything wonderfully together. At one point I was having so much fun I felt like smashing beer bottles on the ground and stomping all over the place. I am, however, a civilized man and I refrained.

• REVERB - Steal This Track - Mosey West [+ Show ]
  

  Mosey West is a Fort Collins-based trio who claims to have started playing music just to garner free...Mosey West is a Fort Collins-based trio who claims to have started playing music just to garner free drinks. However, the band’s 2011 debut, “Vaca Money,” and its follow-up, “Merica” — released last month — prove that guitarist Adam Brown, bassist Mike McGraw and drummer Matt Weitz can do more than throw back shots. Deftly balancing heartache and hubris, the Northern Colorado threesome has a rollicking good time exploring its own anger and angst with a richly layered sound that contrasts strikingly with its gritty lyrics

• Beat Surrender - Mosey West - Merica [+ Show ]
  

  Following on from last years 5 track debut EP Vaca Money Fort Collins CO. trio Mosey West are back w...Following on from last years 5 track debut EP Vaca Money Fort Collins CO. trio Mosey West are back with another release, Merica is a self released 7 track set that you can buy at Bandcamp, check out The Storm for a classic slice of alt-country.

• Alternate Root - Mosey West - Featured Artists of the Week 6/22/2012 [+ Show ]
  

  A layer of distorted indie and Americana chords and vocal production pulsate and fill the air on Mos...A layer of distorted indie and Americana chords and vocal production pulsate and fill the air on Mosey West songs on the band’s latest release, merica. The use of mood sound shows that merica ground walked by artists from Gram Parsons through to M. Ward. The E.P., merica, is a home grown effort. Mosey West recorded in their native Colorado (Loveland) and played a slew of hometown shows for the album’s early May due date. “In Tune” ambles in to the album quietly but with a slight tension in its edgy hushed chord pattern and echoey hum. The song builds nicely, riding the strings of the pedal steel to the surface. “The Storm” oom-pahs a walking pace for its path, “Hometown Heroes” follows the persistent beat of a rock parade for a story about the local guys who are big fish in small pools and “To Tame” partners harmonica and hollowed out chords together to stitch darkness around seductive vocals.

• Denver Westword - Mosey West - Merica CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  With the release of Mosey West's five-song debut EP, Vaca Money, the Fort Collins-based trio establi...With the release of Mosey West's five-song debut EP, Vaca Money, the Fort Collins-based trio established itself as one of the better alt-country acts to come out of the area in the past few years. But while Vaca Money was a strong effort, the band's seven-song follow-up EP, Merica, outdoes its predecessor. ("Merica" was the band's original moniker.) On it, Mosey West opts for a heartfelt, no-frills approach to alt-country that owes more to Uncle Tupelo than to Wilco and is built on the vocals of bassist Mike McGraw and guitarist Adam Brown. The two trade off lead vocals throughout the disc and harmonize quite well with one another, particularly on tracks like the outstanding opener, "In Tune," and "Gone."

• Marquee Magazine - Mosey West - Merica CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  4 out of 5 stars They may still be a relatively new band, but the writing prowess of Fort Collins...4 out of 5 stars
  
  They may still be a relatively new band, but the writing prowess of Fort Collins-based Mosey West makes it feel like they’ve been doing this for eons.
  
  It also feels like they’re doing all of this writing in another time. With nods to country-rock legends like Uncle Tupelo, Gram Parsons and Neil Young, the band has a sound that is relaxed and perfect for a front porch. Lots of other acts have that sound too, but Mosey West’s magic is their phrasing, which keeps the material engaging throughout and eschews the chance of the album becoming background music. Phrasing comes in the form of poetic lines like, “Don’t get me wrong, my dear, plenty men round here would like to call your name,” off the track “Gone.” And it shows up again on the EP’s strongest track, “Bad Actors,” which has a direct Neil Young vibe.
  
  Merica is Mosey West’s second EP in as many years and with that relatively modest output they’ve already landed a spot at the Wakarusa Music Festival. Not bad, gents. Keep it up.

• Scene Magazine - Mosey West - Merica CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  In the true spirit of Americana music, Mosey West’s sophomore album, Merica, feels like a back yard ...In the true spirit of Americana music, Mosey West’s sophomore album, Merica, feels like a back yard barbecue or a summer road trip. The raspy harmonies of Mike McGraw and Adam Brown tug at your heartstrings while singing about passing the bottle, the hard times had, how hometown heroes don’t give a damn and moving on. The three-man band, including Matt Weitz, is laid back but strong in passion—kind of Neil Youngish, bluegrass and country—a true treat for the ears. The album drifts from now to then, here to there, in and out of love, basking in glory and defeat along the way. “In Tune” captures the dilemma of being a situation that’s never going to change but savoring the comfort of it’s familiarity and dysfunction—well all this talking ‘sgot me tired, tired of listening to the heartbreak, its all long and drawn out, how many years now…‘Sgot me walking to the discount liquor store where I pay a lot of visits—the song ends with a story of a bar fight, breaking bottles, wailing sirens—I’m smiling big now, it’s the same sort of pleasure… This is an album that everyone can relate to. You can find solace in your own troubled paths in life while smiling and tapping your feet.

• Listen Up Denver! - 20 Questions with Mosey West [+ Show ]
  

  Mosey West, it’s a great name for a band from Colorado isn’t it? The name imparts the feeling of th...Mosey West, it’s a great name for a band from Colorado isn’t it? The name imparts the feeling of the easy going, laid back kind of lifestyle that Colorado is famous for. The kind of life where things matter, but nothing except friends, family, music, and maybe an afternoon nap, matter too much. These three guys create music that echoes the images their name conjures up. With rich harmonies, thought provoking lyrics, and a sound that betrays influences like Drive-By Truckers, The Band, and Neil Young, Mosey West is mature beyond their years. So, sit back, click play on their new single that is streaming below (and download it if you like what you hear) and learn a little about Mosey West before you mosey on about the rest of your day.

• Marquee Magazine - The 10 Best Local Releases of 2011 [+ Show ]
  

  A great debut EP from the solid Fort Collins Americana band Mosey West comes off like a collection o...A great debut EP from the solid Fort Collins Americana band Mosey West comes off like a collection of Uncle Tupelo songs, and the disc’s standout track “Cold Prediction” sounds like a lost Neil Young song.

• Scene Magazine - Rockin’ Til the Cows Come Home: 20th Annual Battle of the Bands Goes Off without a Hitch [+ Show ]
  

  The two vocalists add their own touch to each song, creating a balancing dynamic while keeping the l...The two vocalists add their own touch to each song, creating a balancing dynamic while keeping the listener engrossed.

• Beat Surrender - Vaca Money CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  Fort Collins Co. three piece Mosey West have self-released their debut offering to the world in the ...Fort Collins Co. three piece Mosey West have self-released their debut offering to the world in the form of a five-track EP called Vaca Money, Mike McGraw (bass, vocals), Adam Brown (guitar, vocals) and Matt Weitz (drums, vocals) plough a furrow of classic alt-country.

• Denver Westword - Mosey West Vaca Money Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  While there have been some fine alt-country acts to come out of Fort Collins (namely Drag the River ...While there have been some fine alt-country acts to come out of Fort Collins (namely Drag the River and Arliss Nancy), there hasn't been a whole lot of fresh talent working in the genre as of late. But Mosey West, which has been together for almost a year, might give those earlier acts a run with its five-song debut, Vaca Money — even if the outfit isn't quite as edgy. On Vaca, the group starts off on a fairly tame note with the acoustic-based "Lonesome River" before kicking things up a notch with the electrified country rock of "Hell Hounds." The other three tracks are rooted in alt-county yet have distinctly different feels, showing that Mosey West is equally as adept at playing foot-stomping tunes as it is offering up more heartfelt cuts like "Crystal Fire."

• Marquee Magazine - Mosey West Vaca Money Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  Independent 4 out of 5 stars For a band barely old enough to have a name, let alone a release,...Independent
  
  4 out of 5 stars
  
  For a band barely old enough to have a name, let alone a release, Mosey?West has put out one hell of a debut EP. The Fort Collins-based Americana group has dropped five songs that sound like early Uncle Tupelo, with a mix of solid playing and raspy vocals that seem as if they came pouring out of a cool dive bar in the Midwest.
  
  “Cold Prediction”?— the song that captured a win for the band in the The Fresh?Cuts Challenge through The Marquee and United Interest Studios, the prize of which was recording this EP —?is clearly the standout track, but there are four others that compliment it damn well. — Brian F. Johnson

• Roots & Branches - Rock & Americana [+ Show ]
  

  Our first of two FoCo artists, the alt.country trio Mosey West was granted studio time and an EP rel...Our first of two FoCo artists, the alt.country trio Mosey West was granted studio time and an EP release as victors of a contest sponsored by Marquee Magazine. Especially for a group that hasn’t played together for all too long, Vaca Money is a fine first effort. There is unexpected depth in the lyrics and arrangement of the five songs featured here. Between the whiskey-rough vocals, the buzzing electric guitars and the pedal steel, this is classic sounding stuff. Mosey West will present a CD release party on October 15 at Road 34.
  Produced by: Mosey West & Evan Reeves
  Label: Self
  File Under: Americana / Local

• Marquee Magazine - Mosey West wraps up work on debut EP after winning The Fresh Cuts Challenge [+ Show ]
  

  By Andrea Wojcik The members of Mosey West unknowingly put their lives into fast-forward when the...By Andrea Wojcik
  
  The members of Mosey West unknowingly put their lives into fast-forward when they entered The Fresh Cuts Challenge last February. Since winning the challenge with their single “Cold Prediction,” the 10-month-old, three man band from Fort Collins has spent hours in the studio claiming their victory prize — a no-money-down EP compliments of the contest’s sponsors, United Interest (UI) Sound Studios in Boulder and The Marquee. Months of hard work and one name change later, Mosey West — formerly called The Living Rooms when they entered the contest — prepares to proudly release their five song EP Vaca Money next month.
  
  “Winning the contest was like a big speed boost,” said drummer Matt Weitz in a recent group interview with The Marquee. “It’s like what we would have done over a year.”
  
  “Or two years, really,” part-time lead vocalist and guitarist Adam Brown added. “We have all these songs, but we don’t have money to record them.”
  
  In fact, they have about 30 original songs between two songwriters. Brown and bassist Mike McGraw share both the pen and the microphone. “We started from the get-go playing no cover songs,” Brown said. “We just taught ourselves songs we had already written. From there, we are writing songs more together and in our own style.”
  
  While winning the Fresh Cuts Challenge unexpectedly sped up Mosey West’s career, the chance to record a handful of their originals at no cost has, not shockingly, been a welcomed luxury.
  
  The Fresh Cuts Challenge was a two-step process. First, bands had to submit a demo single to The Marquee and UI Sound Studios. Only three singles were chosen out of the close to 100 entries to be professionally recorded. After the singles were recorded, the final three bands were at the mercy of online voting.
  
  “I remember being stoked about ‘Cold Prediction,’” said McGraw. “I was like, ‘This song is going to win.’ I was saying we were going to win the whole time.”
  
  McGraw’s confidence, however, did not stop the band from shamelessly — in the words of Weitz — “hustling” anyone within reasonable range of a computer. Their hard work clearly paid off because at the end of April, Mosey West was informed that they had captured the majority of the nearly 2,000 votes that were cast. “I guess we do have something going for us,” Brown said. “We do have a sound, or someone else likes it besides our girlfriends or our moms.” Shortly afterwards, Brown, McGraw and Weitz found themselves working closely with UI Sound Studios Producer Evan Reeves and Engineer Ben Romsdahl in order to capture their unique and developing sound.
  
  “Mosey West’s music is raw energy that you do your best to harness,” said Reeves. “Sometimes the sound struck like unpredictable lightning; but on those special occasions that you hear on the album tracks, it was thermionic emission.” The band plays a little bit of rock and roll, folk and blues mixed with alternative country, but all of their music has roots in traditional Americana.
  
  Mosey West’s sound on the upcoming EP Vaca Money was also partly affected by the vintage equipment used in the recording. Brown found heaven in the studio while he played a ’69 Telecaster and sang into a plethora of vintage microphones. McGraw was more excited about a recently repaired ’67 bass he found broken in the trash as a kid, and Weitz played an 1800’s cocktail piano for one track.
  
  “I think we got more of an old school, early ’70s vibe than we would have gotten using our own gear,” said Brown about the sound. “Some of the songs took about four takes that we cut pretty much live and then pieced together,” he added. “So a few of the songs have a really live feeling to them.”
  
  After many late nights, or early mornings rather, Mosey West has a finished product. Months in the studio has left the band’s songs relatively unchanged,
  
  compared to the original arrangements. In fact, the band was more affected by the experience than their music — a good sign. “We are producing ourselves more,” Brown said, but McGraw pretty much summed everything up: “I’m going to be proud of it.”
  
  :: Bar SS :: September 17 ::
  
  :: CD Release Parties
  
  :: Larimer Lounge :: October 1 ::
  
  :: Road 34 :: October 15 ::
  
  
  
  Recommended if you Like:
  
  • Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
  
  • Buffalo Spingfield
  
  • Dr. Dog
  

• UI Sound - Mosey West is the Best [+ Show ]
  

  After winning the Fresh Cuts Challenge, a joint-contest by the Marquee Magazine and UI Sound Studios...After winning the Fresh Cuts Challenge, a joint-contest by the Marquee Magazine and UI Sound Studios, Mosey West hit the studio and knocked out their debut 5 song EP.
  
  “Mosey West’s music is raw energy that you do your best to harness. Sometimes the sound struck like unpredictable lightning; but on those special occasions that you hear on the album tracks, it was thermionic emission.”
  
  The EP release is set, so check out Mosey West. You won’t be disappointed!
  

• Marquee Magazine - The Fresh Cuts Challenge
  

  Raw and Edgy Roots Rock

• Scene Magazine - Mosey West Vaca Money Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  The cover of Mosey West’s first release, Vaca Money, is a giant Mason jar filled with milk. And it i...The cover of Mosey West’s first release, Vaca Money, is a giant Mason jar filled with milk. And it is a perfect representation of the album: cloudy, smooth and refreshing. The band has an amazing songwriting ability, capturing a slight alt-country sound along with catchy hooks and some deep lyricism. All of the members play a huge role in Vaca Money: The trio is well-balanced, and no song overstays its welcome.
  The album opens up strong with “Lonesome River.” A harmonica drives the melody along, and the track moseys on by like the river of its namesake. It is a fitting opener, and reveals some of the tricks up the band’s sleeves, but they throw you for a loop with “Cold Prediction,” a more emotional song that pulls its punches with an almost tortured vocal delivery and a straight blues feel.
  “Stone by Stone” shuffles along as a distinctly bluegrass influenced track which is contrasted by the final track “Crystal Fire,” a song which starts out very folksy and closes with a punk-influenced build up; a strong and fitting close to a varied album.
  Though Vaca Money is brief, and ends too soon, Mosey West’s ability to completely change their style between songs while still sounding unique is impressive. With Adam Brown and Mike McGraw sharing vocal as well as songwriting work on the album, different tastes and influences reveal themselves. It is the inherent equality of the band members that makes Vaca Money a success. It is a breath of fresh air from the convoluted genre of “alt-country.”

• Marquee Magazine - The 10 Best Local Releases of 2012 [+ Show ]
  

  Their debut in 2011 almost seemed like a fluke it was so good, but the writing prowess of country-ro...Their debut in 2011 almost seemed like a fluke it was so good, but the writing prowess of country-rockers Mosey West show that they were just getting warmed up; this sophomore release is even better than their first. They’re writing for another time, but it effortlessly fits the here and now.

Setlist

Every show is different. bro.

Basic Requirements

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