The Bog Hoppers

The Mellick Town Bog Hoppers are a Seattle-based Celtic folk punk group, and their energetic, percussion-driven musical style is influenced by the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. The six members play guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, bass, drums and accordion.

Their most recent release, Top Shelf, has 8 tracks and a running time of about 25 minutes. Three of the songs are traditional, and the other five songs are originals. Every minute of this cd is high energy, and ready to be the sound track for a party or a commute that needs some extra punch.

The three traditional tunes are “Cod Liver Oil”, “Irish Rover”, and “Crooked Jack”. “Cod Liver Oil” opens with a rumbling vocal that sounds like a didgeridoo, and tells the story of a man whose wife miraculously recovers her health by drinking excessive amounts of cod liver oil. The jaunty banjo and accordion perfectly match the upbeat tone of this classic song.

“Irish Rover” is a well-known Irish pub song, and the Bog Hoppers sing it with a wink and a grin, and plenty of comedy. The driving tempo never lags, and it is a perfect St. Patrick’s Day party sing-along.

“Crooked Jack” is a more serious song about a young man whose health is ruined by by hard work and exploitation. Fiddle and mandolin give it a traditional flavor, but the percussion and vocals have an angry punk feeling which fits the subject of the song.

The five original songs fit smoothly with the traditional tracks. “Irish Lassie” has some interesting vocal effects mixed in with the driving chorus. “American Irish Soul” begins with a very American-sounding bass line, and the song explores the theme of finding your Irish roots, and events that you might find in your family history.

The recording quality is clear and well balanced, and the songs work together to create a high energy CD that stands up to repeated listening. The Bog Hoppers are a talented group of musicians who put on a great live show, and if you’re not lucky enough to catch one of their live performances you can bring a part of their energy home with their new CD, Top Shelf.
- www.67music.net

"Combining the rebellious spirit of punk and the melodic Celtic folk style, Seattle based The Bog Hoppers are gaining fans not just in their hometown but also all over the United States. It is through their awesome recordings and energetic live shows that they are able to win listeners and Boggers as I call them. I admit their track Cod Liver Oil caught me by surprise because I thought the low sound was a didgeridoo until I realized it’s a male voice only sang so low. It’s really worth a listen. I love the fact that their music is lively without being noisy or too intrusive. It has all the right ingredients of a good recording that can be listened to again and again. Instrumentally, I think the band are seasoned and you can really sense the effort they put in every song in their debut album. " - Thomas Johnston, The Celtic Music Fan (Dec 07, 2012)

"Combining the rebellious spirit of punk and the melodic Celtic folk style, Seattle based The Bog Hoppers are gaining fans not just in their hometown but also all over the United States. It is through their awesome recordings and energetic live shows that they are able to win listeners and Boggers as I call them. I admit their track Cod Liver Oil caught me by surprise because I thought the low sound was a didgeridoo until I realized it’s a male voice only sang so low. It’s really worth a listen. I love the fact that their music is lively without being noisy or too intrusive. It has all the right ingredients of a good recording that can be listened to again and again. Instrumentally, I think the band are seasoned and you can really sense the effort they put in every song in their debut album. " - Thomas Johnston, The Celtic Music Fan (Dec 07, 2012)