West Water Outlaws: a Teton triple play

(this piece was published by Planet JH Weekly)From playing local house parties to racking up thousands of miles in a van that they are still paying off, Boulder’s West Water Outlaws bring the heavy, tight, gritty rock and roll of The Black Keys mashed with inflections of the Alabama Shakes and Iron Maiden. The band’s aggressive groove has caught on in the front range, selling out the Fox Theatre multiple times before making their first stamp in the Tetons at the Trap Bar last New Year’s Eve.Even with the momentum they’ve mounted, the quartet won’t release their debut, self-titled LP until next month. The album follows two EPs in which the band overdubbed much of the tracking. The difference this time around is that they all played in one room, simultaneously to capture the energetic vibe and the band’s quirkiness.Three chances to catch the band on either side of the Tetons this week. West Water Outlaws, 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Mangy Moose in Teton Village ($6), and 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at The Trap Bar at Grand Targhee ($10). MangyMoose.com, GrandTarghee.com.