Top 10 CDs of 2009

So finally, after only a month of procrastination, I've reviewed all the albums I listened to in 2009 and can present to you my annual list of favorites.

10. Dan Auerbach, Keep it Hid: Some solid old-school rock from Ohio.

9. Captain Bogg & Salty, Emphatical Piratical: Aargh! Move up a few spots if you have kids. Move up a few more spots if your kids are into pirates.

8. The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Communion: If they put the best half of this on a single disc, it would have gotten an A.

7. Neko Case, Middle Cyclone: Still cryptic, still alluring, still a killer voice.

6. Týr, By the Light of the Northern Star: A fun mix of history, Norse legend, and hard rock.

5. White Rabbits, It's Frightening: Drum roll, please!

4. Kris Delmhorst, Shotgun Singer: A really artistic record that kept growing on me.

3. Rupa & The April Fishes, Este Mundo: Wildly eclectic, globally conscious, and fun.

2. Boot, Soot: The best Nordic CD since 2000.

1. Warsaw Village Band, Infinity: Superior musicianship combined with brazen experimentation.

I've discovered, among other things, that I really need to rework my grading system, especially where the B+ albums are concerned -- a few of them made the list, and a few might not have even deserved a B. Oh well, back to the drawing board in 2010...

Captain Bogg & Salty, Emphatical Piratical (Scabbydisc, 2009)

Captain Bogg & Salty are a band of musical pirates from Portland, Oregon. I don't know if they get out on the high seas much, but they draw crowds in clubs and libraries around Portland, and have built up an equally receptive following among children and adults. Both lead roles (Salty is the swab) are played by Loren Hoskins, who co-writes most of the songs with First Mate McGraw (Kevin Hendrickson, lead guitar, who also doubles as Chucklehead Pete the cabin boy). Contributions come from the whole band, though, including Sunny Jim the cook (Paul Ianotti, keyboards), Buckle the gunner (Andy Lindberg, guitar), Mr. Filibuster the hammock stretcher (Lucas Haley, bass), and Ramshackle the carpenter (Dave Owen, drums). They have made four albums, including the just-released Emphatical Piratical.

If you're looking for historical accuracy, or a serious discourse on pirate life, you've come to the wrong place. As the Captain himself states in the opening song and title track (sung to the tune of the can-can song), "We are pirates of the make-believing kind. We are pirates of the type you HOPE to find!" Given recent events off the Somali coast, I suppose that is an important distinction. The mail is delivered by a seal, the sea monsters are friendly and like to play, and the band shares Frogg Island with natives who call themselves the Bamboo Maroon. These natives worship a giant purple tiki who never says anything, but is evidently a very good listener. The musical style is mostly mid-tempo rock with a predictably Caribbean flavor, although there's also a fun surf rock instrumental called "The Plank Walker" and a rocking cover of "Never Smile at a Crocodile" from Disney's Peter Pan.

So in case you haven't figured it out, Captain Bogg & Salty specialize in some very silly but fun nautical mayhem. The band/crew do a fine job making songs that even most adults will find themselves singing along with. Kids who are into pirates will love Emphatical Piratical. Adults who act like children where pirates are concerned will like this as well. But if you're the kind of person who'd puzzle over how a pirate ship could be piloted by a secondary crew of bunny rabbits when the main crew goes to bed, you might find this a bit beneath you.

Overall grade: A-

reviewed by Scott