Big Mosey

Barefoot Big Mosey

Big Mosey is moseying into the LES this week––quaking guitar riffs, electrified vocals, bare feet and all. Bare feet? Yep. It’s all part of the Brooklyn-based quartet’s brand of alt-rock.

Big Mosey may have formed in 2010 (with a stint as the confusingly pronounced the Baobabs), but their sound spans the spectrum of alternative—with nods to ‘90s grunge favorite Pearl Jam and current bluesy rock bands like the Black Keys. They also have a soft spot for Tom Waits, a mutual love that brought original members Evan Hammer (bass) and Matt Jacob (guitar and vocals) together. With the addition of Nick Fokas (guitar) and Tim Lykins (drums), Big Mosey is honing their unique sound and working on a follow-up to their debut EP, “Homeward at Daybreak.” Right now, though, they’re ready to rock NYC again, on March 29. We caught up with the band for a little Q & A:

Q: What’s the meaning behind the name Big Mosey?

Matt: Well, at our best we all have a certain swagger we bring to the band. Putting “Big” in front helped unify us. I think for me it also had a symbolic meaning that represented the long journey we all endure to find our own truth.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about performing live?

Tim: Creating an atmosphere where our fans can enjoy listening and rocking out to the music. We feed off their excitement, which elevates the music and the show to another level.

Q: Where are your favorite venues to perform in New York?

Evan: Arlene’s Grocery is by far my favorite venue. Matt would call it our “home away from home.” Their sound man Gerard is brilliant, and everybody who works there is kind as hell.

Q: Evan, why do you always perform barefoot?

Evan: There were a couple of summers I spent barefoot, and since I’ve moved to the city I’ve had to give that up. I think it’s part of my futile rebellion against New York. Though sometimes I worry it’s just me being superstitious.

Q: What do you want your fans to know about Big Mosey that they may not already know?

Matt: The band is happy to barter for performing—within reason. When we visited Sjoa in Norway, we stayed at a white-water rafting camp and were booked as the first live music act to play at the only bar within 50 miles. They told us, “We can't pay you, but we'll put you up, feed you and you can go white-water rafting for free.” We gladly accepted, and not surprisingly, rafting in the Sjoa River became a highlight of our Norwegian tour.

Catch them in action at their fave LES venue, Arlene’s Grocery. Bare feet optional.

Big Mosey, March 29, Arlene’s Grocery, 95 Stanton St., bigmosey.com. Click the band for details.
- Postbox: MSN (Microsoft Service Network)

So the last weekend of January 2012 brings me to LuLus in Port Jefferson. I love this club, but we need to spread the word about what a great room this is too play. I would hate too see this club end up like so many other's in the wasteland of club's that have come and gone. If your in a band or know someone in a band turn them on to this place and book a show.
Ok onto the band at hand. Big Mosey got me to travel to LuLus tonight. I previewed their collection of songs online. Which instantly struck a nerve that needed to be addressed with a live performance. Big Mosey didn't disappoint . This band shines live. Artists such as Seven Mary Three and Tom Waits come to mind if I was asked who they remind me of. They have a gritty blues vibe with a sonic groove that comforts your soul. The lead stylings of Nick Fokas hits you emotionally. His use of delay was hauntingly beautiful and added even more texture to their sound.
Singer/guitarist Matt Jacobs did a fine job working the crowd. He was able to interact with the audience and make them feel like part of the show.
I spoke briefly with bass player Evan Hammer and Drummer Tim Lykins before the show. Evan and Tim were extremely friendly and it was nice chatting with them. I was approached by them both. Bands make a note. Its important to work the room and make contact with the people who come out to see you. Even if you have never met them before.
You can download a free song form there web site by signing there email list. The Blue Skies Are Over is a favorite of mine. Thats if you were to ask me.
You can also find Big Mosey on facebook and reverbnation. So if you like your music with soul check out Big Mosey.
- In a Crowd

The debut album of a band is the telling sign of a band's intentions. The sound could be following a trend that's came on strong as of late and be catered more towards those pop loving audiences who will love the band because they'll say, "Dude, these guys sound like (insert band here)!!!" On the other end of the spectrum, you get those bands who really could care less if they sound trendy and just care about writing the music they love. The following album falls under the latter.

Big Mosey is a group out of New York that mixes in traces of alternative rock, indie rock, southern rock, and blues to create one very unique sound (of course, you know this if you read yesterday's "An Introduction To....Big Mosey"). Their debut EP is called Homeward at Daybreak, and while it only offers four songs, it acts as a fine appetizer for a band who has a very bright future ahead of them.

"Harold Called This Morning"-I can't say enough how much I really enjoyed this song. It's pretty bouncy, with that walking through the city sort of bounce to it. The vocals are so rough, I love it. This is one feature that draws me to singers like Tom Waits or Mark Lanegan, and it stands out here. Instrumentation all around is pretty impressive. One thing I love about some of the music you hear nowadays is that groove the rhythm sections is laying down, and this song has that rhythm section going for it. If you start anywhere, check this track out first.
"Rainbows Wild"-The band's influences shine a lot more here. If you visit their website, they list bands like The Black Keys, Kings of Leon, and Pearl Jam as their influences. Here we get to hear the guitar playing shine through. Like, I picture Mike McCready doing the guitar work. I'd check this track out too, if I were you.
"The Blue Skies Are Over"-This song reminds me of the first track. Not saying it's a copy, but it has the groovy, reminds me of the city kind of vibe. If this band gets recognized for anything, it's going to be the vocals. I mean, the instrumentation is great, don't get me wrong, but the vocals are ridiculously awesome. The blues influence shines through in the vocal work, at least to me. I'd check this one out, as well.
"Rocking Chair"-Within 30 seconds of this song playing, I automatically thought "this sounds like Tom Waits fronting The Black Keys." The only real complaint I have on the whole album is how brief it is. Songs like this are great, don't get me wrong, but it feels so short. Then again, I think I had this same complaint the last time I reviewed an EP. So don't hold this against the band, I'm just impatient when it comes to EP. I'd check this one out, it's pretty good.

After reading through this review, I pretty much recommended every track. So I guess it would make more sense just to recommending purchasing the whole EP. When you do that, though, write the band and tell them to make a full album and we need more. Not more cowbell, though. Don't use those references if you want them to take you seriously. - Solely The Opinion

Big Mosey is a Brooklyn based band that carries the embodiment of the raspy, alternative-rock music they create in their very essence. While the band is still up-and-coming, their music and presence is that of seasoned veterans; in that, they have the skills and talents required to perform a good show, lay down an awesome track and they are still able to be one with the music.

Big Mosey is made up of four men: Evan Hammer on bass, Matt Jacobs with lead vocals and rifting guitar skills, Nick Fokas on guitar and a new drummer called Tim Lykins. They have a sound that is reminiscent of and influenced by artists like Tom Waits, Kings of Leon and Pearl Jam.

I recently attended a Big Mosey concert at Arlene’s Grocery with a few friends for my birthday. I love going to see bands and my friends and I had met one of the guys (Evan Hammer) in the band through a mutual friend. When we met him, at a poetry reading, he had graced the stage for a few minutes to perform a song. Let’s just say we were all extremely impressed. His deep husky voice was amazing and he had the charisma and stage presence that makes for an enjoyable listening experience for the audience.

And then he told us that he was just the bassist for Big Mosey; not even the singer. We all knew we definitely had to see his real band in concert. It was a few months before we got a chance to see Big Mosey perform live but it was not a disappointment. Not only was the band energetic, infectious and mystical, they were as lost in the music as the audience was.

While the band does not have a lot of music out right now, they are working on new tracks and the songs that they do have are captivating. It is obvious that Evan and Matt have a magical chemistry that when combined and poured out, carries the listener on a journey to lands afar, emotions close, and hidden alleyways. As the music takes over your mind, the energy takes over your body and you will find yourself unable to stop the sway of your body and inevitable foot-tapping to the mesmerizing crescendos.

My favorite Big Mosey song is most probably ‘Harold Called This Morning‘ and I think that it is a big fan favorite if I read the crowds reaction correctly at the show when they performed the song. The lyrics were written by Evan Hammer and the song is a brilliant play/reaction/re-conception on the Maurice Sendak book ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. Part of the lyrics from the song read:
but his momma comes-a running in and asks,
“hey son, watcha doing on the floor in your ripped up clothes?
max they haven’t fit you since you were four years old.”
we once dreamt too, we once dreamt too, we were once read to…
please don’t read another story to put me to sleep,
i have dreams with them, when we’re older and you’ve disillusioned the ends.





Big Mosey is currently trying to build up their Facebook fanpage presence, so you should check out their music and if you enjoy their deep, husky sound you should add them. I’m pretty sure you will love them! - Like It I Do

This cool group delivers four songs worth of pleasingly jangly’n’snappy straight-up rock’n’roll. The vocals are raspy, yet lively and passionate, the arrangements peppy and tuneful, the springy guitars, equally elastic basslines, and hoppin’ drums supply a steady succession of speedy tempos and constant jumpin’ beats. The songs alternate between go-for-it bluesy barn burners (the gloriously raw’n’ragged “Rocking Chair”) and more subdued and melodic reflective numbers (the beautifully moody “Rainbows Wild”). What’s not to like? - Jersey Beat - THE WORLD ACCORDING TO WAWRZYNIAK

It is quite rare for me to write about an act that is unsigned. If I do, then I feel it must be an act that I must share with you. This is Big Mosey.

Conceived in Brooklyn, New York, this pairing of “delirious and victorious” alternative rockers have a vibe which I feel is best matched to Stiltskin, singers of the ’94 Levi’s Jeans commercial with their one hit wonder ‘Inside’. With Big Mosey having influences like Pearl Jam, The Black Keys and Kings Of Leon, we already have an idea of what their musical sound resembles.

This four track release ‘Homeward At Daybreak’ is pure raucous energy. ‘Harold Called This Morning’ has a 40 a day smoker vibe with the gravelly textured vocals with great musical vibrancy with a rumbling yet jovial bass composed by Evan Hammer as well as snappy and choppy guitar chords telling the story of Harold’s disillusions.

‘Rainbows Wild’ is most delightful and is where my Levi’s comparison comes from. The gritty bellowing of Matt Jacobs‘ voice after his subtle masculine whisperings when the chorus is unleashed creates the levitation of your soul. This must be an awesome record to hear live. I can envisage their dedicated followers signing as backing vocalists to this when the muscle is vented.

Their third track ‘The Blues Skies Are Over’ is a blues tinged, grungey serenade and their fourth ‘Rocking Chair’ is further blues based rock. The pace is reduced and the tone is more aggressive but rather than hatred and anger it is more pain and suffering sung with great passion.

‘Homeward At Daybreak’ by Big Mosey is available from their website right HERE with ‘Rainbows’ a free download HERE and ‘Harold’ a free download available HERE.

Get yourself signed, Big Mosey because I want more of the same please. - TheTrueJoe90

Homeward At Daybreak is an EP of modern rock with an influence of Southern American music. It contains four songs bringing strong emotions, not only by the music but by the lyrics.

Big Mosey is made up of Matt Jacob, (vocals/guitar/songwriter), Evan Hammer (bass/songwriter), Tom Grise (lead guitar/harmonies), and David Bucci (drums) from Brooklyn, NY. With influences from Robert Johnson, The Doors, Pearl Jam and the Allman Brothers, the band captures the essence of their heroes with their own modern spin.

The album starts off with ‘Harold Called This Morning,’ which includes a few different tunes that flows together making it a fantastical story of creativity and loss of innocence. The song references three stories: Harold and the Purple Crayon (we are creators of our own life experience), Where the Wild Things Are (balancing the seesaw of fear and comfort), and the song, Puff the Magic Dragon (the hardships of growing older).

‘Rainbows Wild,’ shows influence of Pearl Jam while telling us to just enjoy nature as simple as the sun. In an interview with the Staten Island Band Guy, co-songwriter, Matt Jacob, states that “living in a major city for an extended period of time changes a person. It’s made us want to do what we can to wake people up from the monotonies most of us experience in daily routine and realize that there are daisies to sniff everywhere if you can find the flowers.” Complete with a nice guitar solo, this song really captures that sentiment.

‘The Blue Skies Are Over’ gives an effect of the change in the world, as if it’s changed from blue to red, like how air pollution changes the colour of the sky at sunset. The song gives kind of a haunting feeling of the world’s end but is not completely hopeless. It has a strong connection to the home and its importance.

The EP ends with ‘Rocking Chair,’ which gives off another almost fantasy-like feeling. The song has the most blues influence out of all four, partially due to the riff and solo. It tells us of a rocking chair, dirty floor, and leaky roof in a sorrowful way, as if dreams and childhood are lost.

Co-songwriter, Evan Hammer explains the reasoning for the name of the album, Homeward At Daybreak, in his interview with the Staten Island Band Guy:

“Sometimes a man can get carried away, journeying across people and terrain, and maybe one evening he finds himself out on the Canadian tundra with a single depressing mantra, fuelling a night spun into weeks of delirium; but after stumbling and faltering through the incessant darkness, he is given back that splendid silent sun, with all its beams full-dazzling; now this man might be a long way from home, or he might not be, but the point is that once again he orients himself in her direction.”

Given that there is a bond to home (Harold Called This Morning, The Blue Skies Are Over and Rocking Chair) and a relation to nature (Rainbows Wild, The Blue Skies Are Over and Rocking Chair) this album illustrates how you can find yourself home.

Overall, the music is quite impressive and the recording has captured the energy of the band. Big Mosey would be fantastic to see live. - From My Headphones

So I dug Brooklyn rockers Big Mosey‘s new EP “Homeward at Daybreak” at soon as I heard the first song. But something about it was familiar. I mean, yeah, sure, there was the obvious (Kings of Leon/Tom Waits), but what else? Then I figured it out. Big Head Todd and the Monsters. That’s a band I’m totally wild about, but nobody seems to know.

Kinda like these dudes.

The hard, bluesy quartet hail from Brooklyn. And you most definitely need to check ‘em out. If for no other reason than the final guitar solo/jam in “Rainbows Wild” will literally melt your earsockets. I’m not gay, but it totally made me want to blow these guys.

You can get it at Bandcamp or for $3.75 at CD Baby.

Check out this tune:

Rainbows Wild - Berkeley Place

Big Mosey

Homeward at Daybreak

Self-produced with Jeremy Sklarksy 2011

Big Mosey is band that exudes 90’s rock. Some cross between the likes of Tom Waits and Nick Cave mixed with 90’s grunge guitar driven riffs, with Homeward at Daybreak they’ve reintroduced the Brooklyn scene to great technical Southern rock. While their previous online presence showed off more of Big Mosey’s love of Southern music, this album features a lot more of their appreciation of sensitive machismo greats, like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. And it shows through all their Southern flare.

The EP opens with Harold Called This Morning which sports the best traits of Big Mosey’s music from this release. Tom Grise’s virtuoso lead provides great ornamentation for every track, spanning from bluesy trills to 90’s wah-wah-ed squelches. Matt Jacob’s vocals are a mix of Tom Wait’s rasp and your Scott Weiland or Layne Staley (the singer dude from Alice in Chains). During the bridge, the song breaks into a bouncy bridge, with a danceable beat and soulful background vocals, the full effect of which feels like Station to Station Bowie. They pull this trick off again in the album’s third track The Blue Skies Are Over.

The second and third tracks, Rainbows Wild and The Blue Skies Are Over are the standouts from the EP. Rainbows Wild plays out a pretty lead over a distorted rhythm guitar line, with a certain 90’s rock sensitivity to the guitar playing akin to Crush off of the Smashing Pumpkins debut, Gish. The Blue Skies Are Over begins with bouncy Southern two-step bass beat, sounding like a Cramps song, except these guys are tighter performers (I say that with love, Cramps fans. No one could compare to who they were), and the song has a real danceability to it, that comes in teases through the guitar line. It comes in and out of the verse until sticking so gratifyingly throughout the chorus.

Rocking Chair closes out the EP, and is probably the weakest track on Homeward at Daybreak, but is not without its reprieves. Again Tom Grise’s guitar playing is spotless. Grungy yes, but flawless in delivery. The slow build of the song can try your patience a bit, but once the solos kick in after each chorus, they’ve trapped you in their blues-squelch-gold. But the complaints about Rocking Chair are the same complaints you can make about the album. Sometimes Big Mosey is a little trapped in their Southern fascinations to catch your imagination. But they’ve made great progress with this release, and I’m really waiting to hear what they put out next. Check ‘em out. They’re awesome performers.

4 outta 5.

by Michael Lara - Go Folk Yourself

For all the electro-pop and chill-wave stuff that I spin on this site, you might never know that there are times when I crave nothing more than down and dirty blues rock and whiskey shots. You just can't picture it, can you? Well, it's the truth. That's why the new EP from Big Mosey (Evan Hammer & Matt Jacobs) comes with such high praise. It's gritty. It's loud. It might make your granny scream to "turn that down", but it's just what my ragged heart was longing for. The gravelly voice of singer Matt Jacobs would make Janis Joplin very proud. - A Media Mindset

Big Mosey perks ears with its bluesy alternative rock sound and front-man Matt Jacob's peculiarly deep and gritty vocals. The band has a solid live show driven by a strong (and loud) rhythm section. You can see them live at at Arlene's Grocery on July 17. - The Deli Magazine

Big Mosey is getting noticed for their raw unique sound in NYC. These Brooklyn born boys are channeling the sounds of the south with their soulful gritty southern rock sound. They recently released their debut ep, Homeward at Daybreak at Arlene's Grocery.


The four song ep is packed with the guttural vibrato of Jacobs powerful vocals and storytelling flow. The music transitions quite a bit and moves smoothly through from track to track. The music is kind of reminiscent to early Modest Mouse, and vocals could be compared to blues/jazz legends. It is really cool to listen to the blends of style, and hear the emotion and genuine passion in the songwriting.


If you're into old school straight up rock at it's purest, Big Mosey is the shot in the arm you're needing.


For a free download off the new album go to http://bigmosey.com/downloads/rainbows


Matt Jacob - vocals/rhythm guitar
Evan Hammer - Bass
Nick Fokas - Lead Guitar
Chepe Beltranena - Drums


Where'd the name Big Mosey come from?
That’s something we’ve been wondering ourselves. Although the decision to adopt the name “Big Mosey” came out of a discussion Matt and I had last summer, we didn’t exactly force it into existence. If my memory serves me well, Tom Waits said that sometimes a song tells you she’s ready for you to hear her and sometimes she doesn’t. In turn, once “Big Mosey” made himself known to us, Matt and I naturally gravitated toward the moniker’s pleading implications.–Evan


Being located from out of the Brooklyn area, how did you come up with the bluesy/southern rock sound?
A great deal of what drives Evan and I to write are the influences found in the story teller tradition of U.S. music history. The foundations of modern rock music stem from blues greats like Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf, which makes it impossible to separate the South from what we now refer to as rock music in almost any form. Our song writing is also currently very environmental, and living in a major city for an extended period of time changes a person. It’s made us want to do what we can to wake people up from the monotonies most of us experience in daily routine, and realize that there are daisies to sniff everywhere if you can find the flowers. We strive, lyrically and sonically, to usher common emotion to create a collective experience. I’ve never lived in the deep south, but I have spent a considerable time below the Dixie Line in both Maryland and Florida. Less than three hours from NYC, in Baltimore the younger generation still refers respectfully to adults by their salutation and first name instead of last. That always stuck with me, as well as many of the customs that differ in the South. That’s the great part about the East Coast though, in actuality, the South isn’t all that far from us, and I’ve always kept southern music by my heart. –Matt


Who are your influences and what inspires your music?
Matt and I actually have a lot of similar influences, which I think he mentioned: Tom Waits, Pearl Jam, Howlin’ Wolf, The Doors, The White Stripes... I don’t know if that has shaped our styles in a similar direction but it definitely helps with the communication. Last weekend, I was singing a new song that was getting aggressive after having been locked up in my room for a couple of weeks, and Matt said, “That part sounds a bit like ‘The Spy’ by the Doors.” Although this worried me (of course), it also meant that we were on the same page about how the song should be conveyed. I guess those bands capture the attitudes of men who are both commanding and emotionally exposed, preferably at the same time, old generals who glow as they story-tell the evening away, giving out all of their guts, regrets, and wants. -Evan


Talk about your recently released ep, and is there a focus behind it?
There was a definite focus to our debut EP, Homeward At Daybreak. I think, first and foremost, there was the importance of capturing the raw emotion and energy that we’ve developed playing live shows throughout the Northeast. We wanted to step away with something that had a breath and subtlety to it (which was why we were drawn to the skills of Jeremy Sklarsky who did the Freelance Whales’ Weathervanes album). Further, we really wanted the EP to sound, for lack of a better term, human; full of expression. Finally, it was quite important to us to maintain an organic texture in the recording that was close to the feel of actually being in the room with us. We wanted the listener to feel intimate with the songs we created and also feel the energy we thrive on that ignites us to perform. –Matt

You had your cd release show April 14th. How was that show, and will you guys be touring to support the album?
We had our album release on April 14th at Arlene’s Grocery here in New York. As this show was the band’s first album release, I think we were all a little bit unsure about what to expect. But the evening ended up being glorious. We had a full house and the crowd that came out to see us was excited for the music and we were thankful to share the album and a couple of new tunes with them. And now we are getting ready for shows around the Northeast (Boston, Philly, Connecticut, DC). The schedule will be announced soon. –Evan

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Certainly within the next five years we would like to be touring, recording albums, and writing music with most of our time. Our plan is to keep on playing in the same cities to build an audience that can pack some of the bigger venues around. We would also love to be working with other artists whose music we admire - perhaps hearing Matt’s voice on a future Edward Sharpe album, or having Ida Maria sit in for a show. Our biggest concern is about building a following and community that not only supports us, but each other too, and letting that desire lead us where it may. –Matt


There's two of you listed in the band. Who are your live musicians if any, and what's the band dynamic like?
Matt and I put this project together last year. Both of us are spending our days writing music and we’ve taken those songs as focal point for the band. On the album we were joined by Tom Grise on guitar and David Bucci on drums, and we were thankful to have them explore and arrange the songs with us. Currently the lineup includes Nick Fokas on guitar and Chepe Beltranena on drums. Up until now our focus was on actualizing our shared visions for the band, but looking forward, Matt and I want Big Mosey to be made up of folks who are equally interested in exploring our musical bellies. -Evan


What's the song writing process like for Big Mosey?
Our process goes something like this. Evan spends a weekend on a bender locked up in his apartment, howling at the moon, playing a chord progression he’s drummed out, and pencils in what really sticks. Matt looks through books of poetry he’s written over the past decade; he tries to find where the meter’s really centered and what chords best reflect the meaning behind the words. We each pound out the best skeleton of a song we can, and then sit down with various instruments to really ingest the song. Finally, we bring the structure of the song to Nick and Chepe and try to find multiple ways to capture how the song should feel. Once we’ve got it and, like scientists, we can prove we can duplicate a fully realized new song, we rehearse until someone passes out. -Matt


Anything else you want to add?
The one thing that hasn’t been mentioned so far is the EP name, Homeward At Daybreak. Although we don’t want to claim ownership over interpretation, I will tell a short story. Sometimes a man can get carried away, journeying across people and terrain, and maybe one evening he finds himself out on the Canadian tundra with a single depressing mantra, fueling a night spun into weeks of delirium; but after stumbling and faltering through the incessant darkness, he is given back that splendid silent sun, with all its beams full-dazzling; now this man might be a long way from home, or he might not be, but the point is that once again he orients himself in her direction. -Evan - Broken Records Magazine

“When an onlooker to a true live rock performance has a hard time stopping the replay button in their mind after seeing an incredible show, one has to ask himself... 'When the hell can I see them again???' I was privileged to experience this lingering affect when Matt Jacob from Big Mosey put on a spectacle that truly left its mark on Seaside Tavern – from his ability to engage a crowd like Elvis, his strength to resurrect the soul of Jim Morrison, and having the voice that is comparable to Sully Erna of Godsmack.”

-Timothy Guzda (Art Director for Stamford Advocate/Greenwich Time)
- Testimonial from Tim Guzda (SA/GT)

From time to time, we all need to take a long walk to clear our heads.

So goes the thinking behind Brooklyn's Big Mosey, a band that trudges through the muck of personal and societal entropy on its new EP, "Homeward at Daybreak."

"For us, the name Big Mosey refers to . . . an exodus of sorts, from the destructive aspects of society's constructs," said singer/guitarist Matt Jacob, a Stamford native.

The band will corral listeners to join that exodus when it celebrates the release of its new EP at Stamford's Seaside Tavern on Friday, Feb. 25, at 9 p.m.

But don't mistake the band's long march for quiet surrender. Jacob and crew meet those travails -- from the pressures of day-to-day existence to the fragmented nature of modern society -- head on. Flanked by Jacob's gravelly baritone, the group churns out gritty, feverish alt-rock stabs that summon backwoods Southern blues and dense slogging funk.

"We're really into bringing out the emotion of each song," said bassist Evan Hammer, of Brooklyn, N.Y. "We want to capture that raw sense of expression."

Risen from the ashes of New York City bands the Bourbon Shakes and Bury Me A Lion, Big Mosey has drawn comparisons to Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam and Tom Waits, for whom Jacob and Hammer share a mutual admiration. (Fans often have compared Jacob's voice to that of the legendary singer/songwriter Waits.)

The musicians, who met on Craigslist, also were brought together by a similar worldview.

"It was apparent we had that synergy," Jacob said.

Within a year, the duo had penned a stack of songs, four of which were recorded for the EP (lead guitarist Tom Grise, also a former Stamford resident, rounds out the core line-up). The album was co-produced by Jeremy Sklarsky, known for his work with the Queens, N.Y., indie rock band, Freelance Whales.

A rigorous touring band, Big Mosey has performed at various festivals, including Figment, the Utica Music & Arts Festival and Make Music New York. They are currently planning a tour of the East Coast and western Europe.

While Jacob is making a name for himself in the Big Apple, he traces his roots to the Gold Coast. A graduate of Stamford's

Westhill High School, Jacob played with several cover bands as a teen ("I think one of them was called Visual Purple," he joked). He recalled frequenting the Seaside Tavern, "a neighborhood bar that was a cool place to see original music."

After graduation in 1997, Jacob took on a string of jobs across the country, finally landing in Burlington, Vt. It was there that he wrote "Rocking Chair," a whiskey-drenched blues ballad that recalls a period of destitution in Jacob's life. "Rocking chair, rocking chair you're way too still over there / Remind me of times when the cupboard had food to bare," he croons on the EPs closer, "Rocking Chair."

"It was a cold, hellish winter," Jacob recalled. "My girlfriend had left me. I was lonely. It was just me and my guitar."

In 2007, he moved to Brooklyn and formed the Bourbon Shakes. The band independently released its debut EP, "Hold Out Your Cup," before disbanding two years later.

A graduate of Brown University, Hammer played string bass in New York's All-State Orchestra and bass guitar in New York City rock and jazz bands. He released an EP with Bury Me A Lion and a solo record, "Bright Day for a Frog's Rebellion," in 2008.

His contributions to "Homeward at Daybreak" include the opening track, "Harold Called This Morning." In the song, Hammer conjures classic children's stories -- "Harold and the Purple Crayon," among others -- to lament the adulthood neglect of childhood dreams.

"After college, I was feeling disappointed in the people I grew up with," he said. "They had these interesting fantasies and then they lost them."

Driven by their desire to share these experiences, the band is eager to draw more people to their music. They also hope to enlist companions in their proverbial long walk -- a journey that will take Jacob right back to his native city.

"I still have a ton of friends and family living in and around Stamford," said Jacob, whose real last name is Meyer. "There's an eagerness to share something I'm very proud of with the community that brought me up." - Scott Gargan, Stamford Advocate/Greenwich Times

“Really dig the visceral-ality of it all! Feels like they’ve lived their music and authenticity is great in the new world of superficial pop music.”

-Oliver Hartman (writer for Broke-ass Stuart) - quote from Oliver Hartman (writer for Broke-Ass Stuart)

'Take a jigger of Soul, add a hefty portion of originality, mixed with a more than ample dose of Blues and you have Big Mosey.

While defying a genre label, Big Mosey brings a great compilation of styles and influences to the ears with their debut EP release 'Homeward at Daybreak'. Indeed they will take you to the back door of the speakeasy and the only secret knock you need for access to this smoldering stew of soulful music is the love of the unique, independent musician. "Rocking Chair" oozes the smokey sound of that venue that you keep a secret and only take your best of friends to see. The soul filled vocals of Matt Jacob are the gossimer stitching.' - songplanet.com