I really thought that three albums of pirate-themed music would be enough to satisfy my swashbuckling needs. So, ‘twas with a skeptical ear that I walked the plank toward a splash into the seawater of Captain Bogg & Salty’s new CD. And by Davey Jones’s locker, I feel I’ve found shinier treasure.
The theatrical six-man band from Portland, Oregon, pours more good times into these dozen songs than a buccaneer can find in a keg o’ rum. Led by composer/performers Loren Hoskins (who acts as Angus Bogg and Salty) and Kevin Hendrickson (First Mate McGraw and Chucklehead Pete), the album leads off with a Gilbert & Sullivan-meets-Queen title track (actually, the music riffs off a Jacques Offenbach composition). The punk-rock wash of “Don’t Drink Sea Water” follows with a crazy beat and nuttier advice.
Among the other worthy tunes on the adventure are “Treading the Seas for Pirate Gold” (with its nifty xylophone sounds), “Frogg Island” (riding a bluesy-Calypso sway), “Purple Tiki” (which sounds like a number straight out of a classic Disney film), and “Never Smile at a Crocodile” (featuring silly croc etiquette tips).
Whether you’ve been Bogged down and Salted before, this latest crew of songs gives further support to the notion that the group deserves its own TV kid show, though they manage to create a fully-realized production on record. Kids, and parents looking for more pirate amusement, should click to the band’s Web site, chock full of in-character news and stories.
