Album Review: Wild Was Our Mercy – Flatfoot

Lansing’s Flatfoot bridge that gap between hard-hitting alt-rock and the sounds of country music– not of the squeaky-clean CMT variety of country, of course, but the more rough-and-tumble rockabilly of Johnny Cash’s legacy. Not to say that Wild Was Our Mercy is ever really dangerous-sounding– despite Ghetto Recorders production, there’s a safe alt-rock radio-ready polish to all of the songs, from barn-burner “Kathleen” to the mysterious, harmonica-laden lament “Leviathan”.  On my iTunes, “Flatfoot” comes right before “Flogging Molly”, and despite repeated listens, when the accordian accompanied snarl of Flogging Molly dead ringer “Don’t Leave Queens” comes I am almost convinced the disc ended. Like kindred spirits The Orbitsuns, Flatfoot craft a contemporary take on roots rock, and Wild Was Our Mercy is for listeners interested in keeping that tradition alive.

Featured Track:
“Blueblood”