Flatfoot combines country, power pop into 'lively' sound

Flatfoot, a band formed in East Lansing in fall 2000, with roots in Lansing, Detroit and “Ann Arbor-ish” will releases its album “Wild Was Our Mercy” at 8 p.m. Saturday at Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing.

The band identifies its genre as rock, country and power pop. Many of the songs display an energetic country twang.

One standout track was “Peloponnesia,” which featured some great guitar playing. “Peloponnesia” also features one of my favorite lyrics: “And even the kids from Cleveland will bow their hands and pray when he showed them some infinite American decay.” I’m always a sucker for a solid Midwest reference.

The one outlier on this album was the song “Our Island Life.” While most of the songs sound fairly rockabilly, this one breaks the mold with fast-paced guitars and a lack of country rhythm.

While listening to the beginning of the song, “I’m Your Man,” it was clear to see why Flatfoot would reference Johnny Cash as an influence. The instrumental beginnings and vocals drew heavily from the man in black.

Flatfloot’s songs, like many country-influenced tunes, tell stories that seem to be rooted more in generic emotion than personal experience. Also some songs like “Big Dan,” tell folkloric tall tales. I didn’t find many of the band’s lyrics to be meaningful or have much content other than a simplistic literal interpretation. Sometimes heavy instrumentals overpowered lyrics and made them difficult to decipher. I interpret this as the band putting more emphasis on its guitars than lyrical depth.

But for Flatfoot, this may not be a problem. I can imagine that the band, which is not shy of its pop influence, would be quite appropriate in the live setting of a concert venue or a bar, where energy and dancability are more important than complex lyrics. Flatfoot should also be credited with taking some nontraditional instruments and applying them to rock-and-roll songs. “Don’t Leave Queens” features a wild accordion accompaniment.

Flatfoot’s album did not fit my personal taste. However, I do acknowledge the liveliness of their music. I might not listen to “Wild Was Our Mercy” on my iPod while headed to class, but if I were to hear it playing at a party or had the chance to see a live performance, I could enjoy it.