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Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys: The sounds of authentic American music

A review of the American traditional folk band Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys and their debut album "A Different Tune."
Underwriting support from:

Jammies information

When: February 14, 2011

Doors open at 5:30

Awards start at 6:00

Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys perform at 6:55 p.m.

Where: The Intersection

133 Grandville Ave SW Grand Rapids 49503

The show is FREE.

/Jason Whalen

If America ever needs a soundtrack, it should strongly consider “A Different Tune” by Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys.

The Michigan band captures the sweet sounds of American traditional music in a five-member band. While other artists discover auto-tune and synthesizers in these times of remixed songs and party music, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys stay true to a humble sound of acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo and a string bass. Simple-sounding instruments make the best kind of music.

“A Different Tune” is a foot-tapping album that will bring square dancing to the Great Lakes State. Lindsay Lou’s voice is easy on the ears, the harmonies are spot on. Add the twang of the banjo and mandolin and you get an album perfect for a relaxing day. They sing songs about bank-robbing aunts, singing birds in Ecuador, a childhood farm house where moonshine was made, and a lullaby to her nephew. Each song sounds different, each sound has its own emotion, and you won’t find yourself skipping over any track because they all capture the soul of American music.

Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys prove that good music is not dead; it’s just buried somewhere beneath some banjos, mandolins, dobros and soft melodic singing.

“A Different Tune” is the band’s debut album, released in September 2010. Since then, the The Lansing State Journal nominated the album for the best local album in 2011. They have also collaborated with Grammy-winning harmonica player Peter Ruth on an unreleased track called “Querida Tierra” that is featured on their website.

The band is made up of Lindsay Lou, lead vocals and guitar, Joshua Rilko on vocals and mandolin, Spencer Cain on bass, Keith Billik on banjo and Mark Lavengood on the dobro.

Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys are nominated for two Jammie Awards—Best Americana Album and Outstanding Female Vocals for Lindsay Lou Rilko. The band is set to perform at 6:55 p.m. in the front lounge at The Intersection on Feb. 14.

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