What They've Said About the Bagboys... "With tight harmonies and melodies that roll off the tongue
like good Irish beer, (they) sing their way into a place where things
are going to be all right." ---Northeast Performer. |
Just Say Moo Reviews Bluegrass Unlimited Review “The Bagboys are…a happy
six-member herd who blend bluegrass and western swing music as smoothly
as a stainless steel homogenizer gets the cream through the milk, but
the results are even more flavorful, like a happy squirt of chocolate
was going in the can every so often. This isn’t music from
just anyone’s old barnyard. The Bagboys have infectious
energy, friendly voices, consistently pleasing picking, and a nice way
with presenting popular but not overdone favorites. … But
what is especially appealing about this ensemble is that they can write
great original material. And by Elsie they do!" FAME Review  Every Saturday night in Cambridge, MA, people
head down to an Irish pub called the Plough & Stars, as they
have been doing for the past ten years. There, they
have the chance to hear and see a good-time music group called The
Bagboys. The Bagboys play bluegrass, old-timey, and western swing
music, with a good deal
of original material.
Never having been to Cambridge, but kind of liking the music, the next
best thing to being there is the latest release from The Bagboys, Just
Say Moo. It is a
polished, energetic mix of original and cover tunes that can best be
summed up in one word--fun...
Don t let the self-parody fool you. These folks can play. Spider Mike
plays some great fiddle and is at his best on western swing tunes like
the classic Deep Water.
Harvey Bag cuts loose on the swing-influenced A Two Step's One Too Many
For Me , a tune reminiscent of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks. Sister
Gretchen picks a
mean banjo, while everyone takes his or her turn on the lead vocals.
Their original material falls right into place with the other tunes
they play. Just Say Moo is a great example of the talent and skill of
musicians and entertainers found in all parts of the country. The
Bagboys are a good time treat to listen to... Country Standard Time Review  It may come as a surprise to many, but the
Boston bluegrass scene has long been among the most active and varied
in the country. The
Bagboys have been part of that scene for more than a decade, and their
second CD release features more of their mixture of straight
bluegrass ("Lost And I'll Never Find The Way"), Western Swing ("Deep
Water") and even a sly tip of the hat to '30's-era novelty stars
The Hoosier Hot Shots with "That's Right! (I May Be Wrong)," a song
that, like most of the other 11 tracks, is a band original reflecting
their generally wry and good-natured approach to their music.
The Bagboys are solid and competent both instrumentally and vocally,
though probably a little stronger on the former, and it's "Sister
Gretchen Bag" (Gretchen Bowder) who stands out on both. Her banjo
playing, in particular, is fresh and inventive, and stays nicely away
from all the standard licks. "Dusty Bag" (Andy Hall) gets some nice
dobro work in as well. While many bands have trouble making the
jump from stage to studio, this disc resonates with the energy and
spontaneity of a live performance. - John Lupton
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