Flatfoot

One of the leading bands on the Michigan alt-country scene, Flatfoot was formed in 2000 by singer and guitarist Aaron Bales, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Jason Bales, and bassist Thomas McCartan, who've been the core of the group's lineup through most of their history, in addition to the short-term presence of a number of other musicians. Based out of Lansing, Michigan, Flatfoot's sound fuses elements of traditional country, vintage country rock, punk and garage rock, and classic rhythm & blues. The band spent three years playing clubs around the state before going into the studio to cut their debut album, 2003's Down in the Cellar, which they released themselves. A year later, Flatfoot issued their second album, The Legend of Big Sid, through the independent Rexrode Records label. Following the release of 2007's Track's End, Flatfoot went through some changes -- Jason Bales relocated to North Carolina, and McCartan moved to New York City. By the time Flatfoot reconvened to record 2009's Wild Was Our Mercy, Jason made his departure permanent (though he makes a guest appearance on the album), while McCartan returned to Michigan and the group, and guitarist Justin Zeppa and drummer Dan Amori were added to the lineup. Wild Was Our Mercy was also released through a partnership between Rexrode and Los Diaper Records, a Kalamazoo-based indie who arranged to issue the album on vinyl. 2012 saw the release of Flatfoot's fifth album, Blue Water; this edition of the group found Aaron Bales, Thomas McCartan, and Dan Amori joined by two new members, Tom Green on guitar and Jeremy Rapp on pedal steel and keyboard. ~ Mark Deming