REVIEW - THE BOG HOPPERS "Top Shelf" (2012)

The (Mellick Town) Bog Hoppers "Top Shelf" Bog Down Productions
Release date: October 26, 2012
Running time: 25:22, 8 tracks
 
“Top Shelf” is the title of The (Mellick Town) Bog Hoppers 8 track mini album that was released at the end of October 2012. The Bog Hoppers hail from Seattle and the line-up  is Cormac Pope (lead vocals, guitar, songwriting), T.J. Freeby (lead vocals, mandolin, banjo, songwriting), Meahgan Ayers (fiddle), Dave Dickerson (bass, vocals), John Sanders (accordion, vocals) and Glen Hummel (drums). Fellow percussionist  David TWG Blink often shares the stage with the guys.

The band was formed in March 2011 and their evolution is quite interesting. They have played with The Mahones, they were chosen as Arse-Kickers (Band of the Month) for December 2012 at Grinning Beggar and they were chosen as number 3 at Grinning Beggar’s Best EPs of 2012.

One can say that The Bog Hoppers are an American Irish band. Three tracks have the word Irish on their  titles and one of them is in fact titled “American Irish Soul”. There are three traditional Irish ballads on the mini-album and five originals. The banjo playing puts them on the bluegrass/hillbilly end, but, IMHO, the accordion on tracks like “Top Shelf” and “Irish Punk Rock Hippie” is more Southern/Mexican border than Irish. Another amazing element on their sound is how Cormac Pope sings. This is clear on tracks like “Top Shelf”, “Cod Liver Oil”, “Irish Rover” and, above all, on “Irish Lassie”.

The best tracks on the mini-album would be “Top Shelf” (a great single to top the charts) and “Irish Punk Rock Hippie” (it has everything: fine banjo, fiddle and accordion). Other numbers that shines out: “Cod Liver Oil” (excellent banjo playing and awesome vocals sounding like a didgeridoo), “Irish Lassie” (my fave vocal antics on the album) and “American Irish Soul” (a different sounding song with a kick-ass bass line, mandolin instead of banjo and fantastic backing vocals)

“Top Shelf” is a quite enjoyable CD, but a little bit short. I wish  that a proper debut album would be released in 2013. And I feel that I ‘m not the only one.
Tracklist:

1. Top Shelf 4:01
2. Crooked Jack 3:21
3. Irish Lassie 3:11
4. Die Hard 2:51
5. American Irish Soul 3:12
6. Irish Punk Rock Hippie 2:38
7. Cod Liver Oil 3:24
8. Irish Rover 2:42

http://www.facebook.com/TheBogHoppers
http://www.reverbnation.com/theboghoppers
http://www.thecelticcrier.com/the-bog-hoppers.html
https://twitter.com/TheBogHoppers

Click to buy a digital copy:

http://www.amazon.com/Top-Shelf/dp/B00A92DE20
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/top-shelf/id582028633

Review by Kinksmarkham