Boy and Bear

Australia's favourite indie folk five-piece Boy & Bear are back with a killer new single 'Southern Sun'. Channel [V] aired the world exclusive premiere of the video on The Riff and now we have the video for you right here! Boy & Bear will be touring the country off the back of the new single heading to this year's Splendour In The Grass, plus performing headline shows in major cities and regional centres (see dates below).

Boy & Bear won our hearts with their debut album Moonfire and the guys have been back in the studio in Sydney penning their sophomore record Harlequin Dream. The forthcoming album is said to draw inspiration from 70s icons Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac."There's something really magical in their songs,’ says the band’s singer/songwriter Dave Hosking. "Hopefully something rubbed off."

"Sharing some music from the '70s was a clear decision that we made," guitarist Killian Gavin says of the band’s latest work. ‘What we’ve made feels older and more rounded than the first record. It’s more pop, less folk."

Hosking says the song came to him as the band were about to take the stage at Falls Festival 2012/13. The lead singer had to say about the 'Southern Sun', "We had these chords and the melody was spitting out and Tim and I just started throwing out these lyrics. "Write them down, write them down,"we were shouting at each other. It was like having a blank canvas and we were just tossing things at it."

Watch the video for 'Southern Sun' right here: - V Music

Last night in Soho, London: a music venue swollen with hulking beer-swilling Aussies, Sydney-born Boy & Bear warmed the crowd like soup on a cold night. Which it was.

But this was no walkabout. Boy & Bear are a multi talented bunch – unusual in that all five of the boys are singer/songwriters: Dave Hosking (lead vocals/guitars), Killian Gavin (vocals/guitars), Tim Hart (drums/vocals/guitars), Jake Tarasenko (vocals/bass), Jon Hart (vocals/keys/mandolin). A little Radiohead eeriness, a touch of Mumford and Sons, Boy & Bear can be described as a soulful merger between folk and indie rock.

On the European leg of their ‘Remembering The Mexican Tour’, tickets for the small but perfectly formed Borderline apparently sold out within 8 hours, pointing to the fact they will be soon be packing out much larger venues.

Highlights included the Easter-seasonally appropriate ‘Rabbit Song’, and their ever-popular cover of Crowded House’s ‘Fall At Your Feet’; which they have successfully made one of those tracks which genuinely sounds better than the original. Please don’t shoot the messenger. Made nearly famous by Australia’s (and arguably the world’s) best radio station, Triple J, which showcases its top 100 tracks every Australia Day on January 26th; Boy & Bear aren’t exactly new, but they are certainly one to watch out for.

Bristol: you are in for an absolute treat tonight.

- Amy Coats - Phoenix Mag UK

Boy & bear’s sweet blend of hillbilly folk and indie rock has critics and punters raving , Now world domination awaits...

In the multibillion-dollar biz that is the music industry, a band’s name is vital. It needs to be as distinctive as its sound. Words and numbers are good (Blink-182, 3 Doors Down), as is making phonetics your bitch (Xzibit). You might also want to go with something your target market will understand but which will leave their parents mystified — take it away, LMFAO.

What, then, to make of Sydney quintet Boy & Bear? Sure, there is a certain cachet to the ampersand — see Elvis Costello & The Attractions and so on — but unless you’re into gay porn, the elements in the name Boy & Bear seem rather cryptic. As with so many other contemporary conundrums, you can blame the internet.

Formed in 2009, the band decided to enter that year’s Triple J Unearthed competition. Problem was, they’d become so caught up in the craft of making music they hadn’t bothered coming up with a name. They needed one to be eligible for the contest, so there was only one thing to do. Singer/guitarist Dave Hosking, 24, took to an online band-name generator. The result: Boy & Bear.

The wide appeal of the band’s music was underlined when these darlings of the indie crowd had one of their songs, ‘Mexican Mavis’, used in the rebooted series of 90210. “That was the moment for me. I almost decided to hang up the boots there and then,” laughs Dave. “What more could a musician want!”

“Absolutely,” agrees singer/guitarist Killian Gavin, 25. “As cheesy as it sounds, it’s amazing that we are even on that sort of radar. What’s even more rewarding is that we’ve been able to perform with some of our musical heroes.”

Read the full article in GQ Australia's 2011 Men of the Year issue. On sale now. - GQ

By any reasonable measure, Boy & Bear have had a meteoric rise. The charismatic five-piece formed in 2009, and in just over two years they have become one the country's best-loved indie folk acts, with a staggering list of professional achievements to their name. Boy & Bear won Triple J's Unearthed competition just months after forming, and signed a major label deal shortly afterwards. Their debut EP, With Emperor Antarctica , was played on high rotation by both Triple J and NovaFM, and they finished 2010 in the top five spot of the Hottest 100. Their debut album, released last August, peaked in the number 2 spot of the ARIA charts and racked up no less than seven accolades in the recent ARIA Award nominations. Jon Hart, banjo, mandolin and keyboard player with this prodigiously talented group, has given their success plenty of thought.

"There are a few things to it, and some of it involves chance," he says, "The fact is, we happened to be playing music that became popular right at the time that we hit our stride. There was no deliberate strategy to it, we liked what we liked, but it was almost like what we were doing became cool at the right time. So we benefitted from Fleet Foxes and we benefitted from Mumford & Sons, and that was kind of fortuitous. The other thing is just hard work. You have to put in the time and put in your own money and make the sacrifices."

From the outset, Boy & Bear have been passionate about their music and practical about their business. They reinvested whatever money they made into the band, using profits from gigs and album sales to fund overseas tours and recording, which means Jon was still scraping together money for a beer at the pub when his band was at the top of the charts.

"You have to be careful not to be crying poor as a musician," he laughs, "It seems a bit silly, I guess, butyou have to make a decision, as an Aussie band. You can do you best to make as big a deal of yourself as possible and just keep your money, but if you have any ambition to have a lasting career it makes sense to reinvest that money, and you become like a small business owner. That's the life we live."

Boy & Bear have taken a careful approach from the very beginning, which is one of the reasons they waited so long to release their debut album. Another band might have capitilised sooner on the success of the EP, and that was certainly what their record label expected, but the band tookover a year to return to the studio.

"Whatever style of music you play, you really have to work on your quality control as an artist," Jon explains, "One of the things that Dave (Hosking) is really about is if you've only got one good song, then spend your money making that one good song sound amazing. If you get two, then go with two or three, but don't just make an EP or an album for the sake of it, just drip feed the material that is worth being out there.

"As a band, if all that people have heard is one good song, then you're in a position to do something, whereas if people have heard an EP that has one good song and four average songs, people will ask questions. If all you've delivered is something great, they're going to be waiting to see what comes next."

The resulting record, Moonfire, has successfully moved the band away from the now-familiar tropes of '70s folk, but still remains true to the Boy & Bear sound. If anything, in fact, it captures the energy of the band's live show far better than their first recording did. It is this energy, along with a host of new material, which the band will bring to their massive November tour. With sell-out shows at Australian venues that are usually reserved for international acts, including two nights at both The Palace in Melbourne and the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Boy & Bear are on the verge of yet another great leap forward.

"We've been around long enough so that people may have seen us four or five times now, and then there are the fans who come to every single show, so we want to create a show where people who have never seen us can see something worthwhile, but also where people who have seen the band as many as eight or ten times can feel like its was worth opening their wallet and coming out. We take that pretty seriously. You can't lose sight of the fact that our livelihood depends on people being willing to do that, so there is a sense of pressure there. It starts to get slightly nerve wracking when you consider the venues we're playing, but we're all ready to give 100% on stage," Jon says solemnly,"We're really working our arses off to deliver a good show."
Boy & Bear will perform an under-18s' show at The Hi-Fi on Sunday November 13 (sold-out), as well as two nights at The Palace on Thursday November 24 and Friday November 25. The band will cap off the year with a performance at Pyramid Rock, taking place Thursday December 29 until Sunday January 1 at Philip Island. Boy & Bear will also appear on the massive Big Day Out 2012 lineup, taking place at Melbourne Showgrounds on Sunday January 29. Moonfire is out now on Island.
- Beat Magazine

Nettwerk Music Group is pleased to announce the signing of Australia’s Boy & Bear to its worldwide label roster.

With their debut LP Moonfire, Sydney’s five piece Boy & Bear won an astonishing five wins at 2011’s ARIA awards, including the coveted group and best album prizes for their acclaimed debut – Album Of The Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Album, Breakthrough Single and Best Adult Contemporary Album.

On October 29, the band will release their sophomore effort and Nettwerk debut Harlequin Dream. Conceived and ‘birthed’ in their hometown of Sydney, their bold and brave new album was recorded at the legendary Alberts Studio and mixed by Phil Ek (Band Of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Built To Spill, The Shins, Sea Wolf, The Walkmen, Father John Misty).

Lead single, “Southern Sun,” has a powerful urgency, not unlike the best of Bruce Springsteen or Fleetwood Mac, with a sprinkling of strings and brass that brings life and color to a track that bridges the new with the familiar. Watch the official music video for "Southern Sun" below.





“With Moonfire,” says singer/songwriter Dave Hosking, "we were trying so hard to not sound like other bands; it was such a driving force, trying to find our identity. This time around we just followed what we felt was musical and embraced more pop structures.” Guitarist Killian Gavin feels it’s an “older sounding record” than their debut, “Sharing some music from the 70s was a clear decision that we made. What we’ve made feels older and more rounded than the first record. It’s more pop, less folk.”

Boy & Bear is the latest addition to Nettwerk’s expanding label roster, which includes artists like Family Of The Year, Passenger, BOY, Ladytron, Savoir Adore, Peter Murphy, Angus & Julia Stone, William Fitzsimmons, The Paper Kites and Ghost Beach, as well as catalogue artists like Old Crow Medicine Show, The Submarines and fun.

In the coming weeks, stay tuned for information regarding Boy & Bear.


- Nettwerk Press Blog

FOLK act Boy & Bear were mobbed by hundreds of young fans as they played a homecoming street gig in Sydney.
A crowd of almost 1000 were ushered back before the ARIA-winning band could perform acoustically at Manly Wharf.

Taking time out from their Big Day Out commitments, Boy & Bear played five songs including Milk & Sticks, Part Time Believer and Feeding Line.

The crowd swelled as news of the show, the latest in a series of Channel V guerilla gigs, was spread on social media sites. Singer Dave Hosking apologised to fans who struggled to hear the unplugged show, even after the front rows were persuaded to sit down.
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Dave Hosking of Boy & Bear performs on stage as part of the Big Day Out Festival. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

"I felt a bit bad that some people couldn't hear," Hosking told AAP afterwards.

"It would have been nice to play in some kind of acoustic space but it was still good."

The turnout still fell short of an estimated 2500 who flocked to see Good Charlotte at a similar gig in Melbourne.

- News.com.au

There are plenty of people very excited about Boy & Bear’s imminent return to the live arena, proof of this shown today as their first Melbourne show at The Forum on Saturday 2 November has completely sold out. Thankfully those who were slow in securing tickets have another chance to see the band with a second date added this afternoon.

As well as a second Melbourne show, the band have announced the support acts for the entire 16 Days Under A Southern Sun tour. Sydney’s Battleships score the main support for the shows while Dustin Tebbutt, who honed his songs on a two-year sojourn to Sweden, will open up the shows.





The second Melbourne show happens at The Forum on Sunday 3 November. - The Music

Sydney band Boy and Bear took out five awards at this year's ARIAs, including the coveted best group and best album prizes for their acclaimed debut Moonfire.

The folk five-piece also picked up best adult contemporary album, along with breakthrough album and the breakthrough single award for the song Feeding Line.

After they picked up the breakthrough album award, Boy and Bear said they should not have won.

"We're so grateful for it. I think that the best album of the year is The Middle East but that's just me," drummer Tim Hart told the audience.

"I'm going to get in trouble for that I'm sorry."

Gotye won best male, best pop release and best single for his chart-topping single Somebody That I Used to Know.

His guest vocalist Kimbra was named best female in her own right after shaking off competition from previous winners Claire Bowditch and Megan Washington.

The Living End won best rock album for their sixth record, The End is Just the Beginning Repeating, and the award for most popular Australian live act.

Despite receiving seven nominations, rapper Drapht snagged just one ARIA win for best urban album. - ABC

Please download selected australian and international press clippings for Boy & Bear here: http://ge.tt/53EDyIQ

-- uploaded March 2011 -- - Various

Please download selected australian and international press clippings for Boy & Bear here: http://ge.tt/53EDyIQ

-- uploaded March 2011 -- - Various

Given their awesome performance at SxSW and the internet buzz that's been steadily building within the few past months, it's no surprise that Boy & Bear have officially won us over.

And here's one more reason we love them: the Aussie indie darlings recently recorded an iTunes session while they were in Austin last week, and we've got your exclusive first listen.

The live edition of their single, "Mexican Mavis" keeps the same rustic folk vibe as the studio version, but with even an even more intimate feel- close your eyes and you'll be deceived into thinking you're right there with them.

Boy & Bear may have left the America for a nationwide tour of Australia, and it's up in the air when they'll hit stateside again. But until that day comes, stream the iTunes recording of "Mexican Mavis" below! --LIZA DARWIN
- Nylon Magazine

Teeming with underage kids, Fowlers fills quickly. Teenagers have flocked to the stage in masses, secure their view. Enter Passenger. He stands, pauses, begins to strum. And something happens because the masses usually don’t care much for support acts… His music is simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching, genre-hopping from pop to roots to folk. The sincerity of his lyrics hit you like a sock-full of pennies. A seemingly fitting analogy, as he has busked across Australia, America and the Kingdom…. These journeys have undoubtedly beautified his lyrics, which are instantaneously endearing, amusing and intelligent. He jokes that his music is inherently depressing, claiming he doesn’t get asked to play many parties. His affable character would suggest otherwise… His aura fills the room, enfolding every person, drawing them into a world so genuine, so refreshing, that you cannot resist the lure. It is both strange and suitably impressive to watch a support act do more than merely warm the crowd in preparation for the headlining act; Passenger shines in his own right. He covers Simon & Garfunkel and sings a gloriously humorous little number about how dreary the weather is in England. Boy & Bear join him on stage, only they all climb into the crowd where people separate to let them in, and then proceed to crowd around them like pilgrims. They sing without microphones but their voices are powerful, honest, touching. Passenger deserves every ounce of love the crowd has bestowed upon him tonight. Check out Flight Of The Crow, the awe-inspiring result of his collaborations with Aussie artists such as Lior, Josh Pyke, Boy & Bear, Kate Miller Heidke and Cameron Potts (Dead Letter Chorus). Tonight, sincerity and humility have a stage name… Passenger. Mark down the 23rd Nov and get yourself to the Grace Emily for his debut headline Aussie tour.

Hailing from Perth, The Chemist recently supported the Silversun Pickups and Birds of Tokyo at the Thebby. I was drawn to them like Pooh to honey after experiencing that set. Having received much JJJ play over the past few months, this four-piece is destined for big things. The warmth and depth of *Ben Witt*’s falsetto is something from the storybooks. Hamish Rahn produces bass-lines which leave you reeling in their vigour and funk for hours. Along with James Ireland on keys and Elliot Smith on drums, the band are one tight unit and live, they lack nothing. Highlights are Lullaby #1 (Mercy ), End of July and Things Have Changed. Their tunes will undoubtedly epitomise the upcoming summer for many younger kids. A minor criticism relates to their end-of-show display, which sees all members apart from front-man Ben leave the stage. There is too much feedback as Ben sings and the result has me making mental comparisons to a noisy helicopter… Perhaps I’m just missing the point, but the display appears somewhat indulgent and arguably loses some of the crowd, detracting from their otherwise splendid performance. Their EPs Lullabies and The Wolves’ Howls Shatter The Old Glass Moon are lyrically unique, and filled with rad tunes and a sprinkling of striking falsettos. Be sure to catch them again on the 12th Nov at the Ed Castle as part of their ‘Lullabies and Other Lies’ tour.

On a stage which is to be bathed in simple light throughout the ensuing set, enter Dave Hosking, Killian Gavin, Tim Hart and Jake Tarasenko of Boy & Bear. Together, with the force of their respective powers, they are one of Sydney’s greatest indie/roots/folk bands to date. The band consists of three front-men of separate bands, which has undoubtedly influenced their stage presence and ability to transcend most genres. This is their first headline tour, in celebration of the release of their debut EP, With Emperor Antarctica, which was recorded over 10 days in Byron. Previous tours have seen the boys play alongside artists such as Angus & Julia Stone, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Lisa Mitchell and Laura Marling. Boy & Bear are at times reminiscent of Ryan Adams (minus the drug use), and with the addition of plentiful harmonies. Dave Hosking states: “we wrote a country song”, and the execution is all too believable, proving this band excel at more than just your typical folksy roots deal. The highlights are too many to name, but the vocals during The Rabbit Song are simply breathtaking, and the crowd makes their reverence known with a thunderstorm of applause. For House & Farm, bassist Jake Tarasenko and drummer Tim Hart swap roles, showcasing their mutual talents. Jake is clad in a nerdy, ‘Maurice Moss’ type shirt, buttoned high. Thankfully, it does not impact on or impair his musical abilities. Passenger joins the boys onstage for one song, and the air is thick with solidarity and love. The camaraderie between the bands on tonight’s bill is enriching, and makes you appreciate the comparative downfalls of many other shows. Dave states that as a band, they have unanimously decided against performing encores. But their set is rich both musically and lyrically, and leaves the crowd sated. And when the boys thank you, it is convincing. Goodnight Adelaide, you shall sleep well tonight.

Setlist (Boy & Bear):
Storm
Blood
My Herron
Golden Jubilee
Rabbit Song
Dearest of All
Rain
House & Farm
Flume
River Meets The Sea
Mexican Mavis
Acoustic
- FasterLouder.com.au

Driven by robust vocal harmonies and the layers of folk inspired guitar strums, Australian band Boy & Bear is stepping into the scene. Providing tastemakers with similar energy often compared to big names with the likes of Mumford and Sons, and Fleet Foxes, this group of young Aussie gentlemen are chalking up some attention to be reckoned with. Boy & Bear made it into the scene with their energy balanced folkie tune "Mexican Mavis" presented to all via the blogosphere. Enjoy getting to know the band in the following interview with Boy & Bear's own Dave Hosking, who was gracious enough to give us a little informative update on what the band's up to. Boy & Bear has a couple treats for you to indulge into at the end of the interview.

As an indie band from Australia, how do you see yourselves connecting to other regions booming with music aficionados, aside from the go-to influential online outlets? Do you plan on hitting up music festivals or touring elsewhere (i.e. SXSW, Coachella, CMJ, etc.)?

Thats a tough question. There is definitely a plan but that plan also needs to be flexible. I think the key to connecting to any region is being able to connect to individual people and you can’t force that. People will only listen to music that they are excited by and there is so much music out there. To some extent you need to 'follow the love' and luckily at the moment there seems to be a healthy amount of love to follow. We'll simply sink our teeth into every opportunity we get and the rest is up to kids.

This past summer, you played one of the popular and well known festivals in Australia, Splendour in the Grass. How was that? Did you get any free time to experience the festival as a music fan yourself? What acts did you catch?

Yes! Splendour was a definite highlight. The biggest show we've done still to date. It was one of those surreal moments... where all those festival dreams you have as a kid finally come true. Splendour has become iconic and to be apart of it like that was a great experience. We ended up with a fair bit of free time too which was nice. My favourite acts where the Drums and Tame Impala. Mumford were also great.

The With Emperor Antarctica EP has received plenty of attention and your hit “Mexican Mavis”. How do you all make something while feeling comfortable exposing it? What do you look for in your music that triggers you to think “this is totally worthy”?

You can’t really pin point it. I think its almost 100 percent gut feel. When it works it tends to scream at you louder than when it doesn't. That also tends to be when you know it’s worth hanging on to. At the same time too that gut feel is always changing just as our favourite sounds are changing all the time. If it feels right.. do it.

What are the band’s plans for a full-length?

We head to Nashville in April to start the record. We're really excited to record again, it feels like a long time between drinks. The new stuff is feeling really fresh and different.

You openly give credit to Fleet Foxes to influencing your sound. Would you say they’ve influenced your over all musical aesthetic? Or do you find musical aesthetics can be isolated and solely obtained by the artist’s own take on the sound?

I think Fleet Foxes definitely affected our overall musical aesthetic at the time, especially at the beginning. I don't think you can isolate musical aesthetics so clinically. Even the artists own take on the sound is a judgment made by a long history of music listening and playing. To some extent there’s probably more at play there but you can’t help reflect what music you love. That aesthetic at the same time for us is shifting and I’m excited to see the results on the next record.

What can we say about the band and its place in the Australian indie rock scene? How do you see your band defining a part of indie culture in Australia?

It seems to be an interesting time for the Australian indie scene. It feels like its changing so rapidly. Its difficult at times to see where the band fits in exactly especially when your on the inside looking out but I think its fair to say I see us as part of a new wave of bands that are gaining recognition through genres that where once much less recognized and I’d be more than happy to be collectively defining this change in Australian music.





If you haven't checked out Boy & Bear's music video for their single "Rabbit Song", make sure to catch all the action via link below. The clip features a brave citizen taking on the social troubles of the work force with wardrobe inspired by the everyday working office professional. Take a look for yourself. There's warpaint, suit ties, and some premium bike chases involved. Check it out below.

Don't miss out on the Soundcloud stream of the band's hit "Mexican Melvins". Tune in via stream below the video. - Filter Magazine (US)

Frankly it is hard to believe that Boy and Bear hail from the sunshine of Australia’s South East coast.
Having started life as a solo project for singer Dave Hosking in 2009, the band if anything conjure up a sound more akin to days spent within the dark, wintry reaches of Canada as opposed to those spent on a sun drenched Bondi Beach. Having evolved into a five piece the band’s growing popularity is partly credited to the likes of Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons who have both recently requested Boy & Bear’s company whilst touring.
Despite drawing parallels with Fleet Foxes and Local Natives, Boy & Bear do not necessarily owe these contemporaries for their own sound. This is essentially due to the fact that there is a particularly high grade of craftsmanship within the writing of Boy & Bear’s songs. It is clear that the band’s approach comes direct from its core and the result of this makes the band a separate entity in its own right and deservedly so.
This EP, Boy & Bear’s first, titled ‘With Emperor Antarctica’ is littered with inspiring rhythms, gorgeous vocal harmonies and the understated perfection of Hosking’s ardent vocal. These qualities are particularly well represented on tracks The Storm and Rabbit Song, which march along with an urgency a little beyond the folk genre but only just so. It should be highlighted that in addition to these tracks ‘With Emperor Antarctica’ showcases five incredibly strong numbers each with the potential to be singles in their own right. Track Mexican Mavis perhaps being slightly ahead of the rest with its choral introduction and effervescent melodies.
On the whole Boy & Bear’s debut EP is an incredibly strong starting place for such a new band. It is clear that the group have their hands on a recipe that could well see them become the newly crowned emperors of the UK, if not further a field during 2011.
For now enjoy With Emperor Antarctica and revel in all of Boy & Bear’s newly found glory.
Rating: 5 Stars - AddictMusic.co.uk

On a cold Saturday winter night, the only solace for the indie-masses was the Northcote Social Club heating system and the hope of seeing Boy & Bear live. To the enjoyment of many snap frozen limbs, the room filled quickly and those present began to thaw from the energy and body heat radiated from the over excited fans of one of Australia’s newest and best bands.

Boy & Bear are, in a word, amazing. Since their induction in 2008, this little folk inspired band has been making a splash around the country and internationally; hooking up supports to the Laura Marling tour both earlier and later on this year and just recently concluding the Lisa Mitchell tour. But Saturday night was their night, their time to shine and rein in the adoration of fans that ripped themselves away for fireplaces and soup filled nights to hear the debut EP With Emperor Antarctica . Boy & Bear tickets sold out faster than a Janet Jackson concert in the 90’s and the crowd talked and bustled impatiently, waiting for their musical wonder group to appear.

Boy & Bear began their set all-chiming in with beautiful harmonies. It is amazing to see a band where all the members could easily hijack the microphone and sing lead. This abundance of talent created an angelic choir-like experience when each member sang their chosen part. There were goosebumps and shivers, as they seemed to serenade each member of the audience individually.

Lead singer Dave Hosking was relaxed, talking rarely to the punters other than humbly thanking everyone for their attendance and encouraging the stiff Melbourne crowd to make some noise. The drummer multitasked, playing the tambourine while singing and bashing on his drum set as the group took the crowd on a tour guide through their small but powerful set.

The crowd bobbed along like ripples in a wave pool that escalated throughout the set; their excitement was seeping out of every crevice. There was gaiety in the conversation and cheesy smiles as silhouettes mouthed the lyrics to each tune. Still, the urge to let loose and go crazy was held at bay. One couple broke free of the Melbourne mould, dancing like they were at an old school country ho down and at one point, an over enthusiastic member of the crowd shouted “What is wrong with you Melbourne, Dance!!!” before launching himself to the front of the stage.

Boy & Bear played a short but sweet set, playing all their favourites. Well, let’s face it; all their songs from their new 5 track EP including Mexican Mavis , the song that won them the Triple J unearthed spot at Homebake. They also performed a stunning rendition of Bon Iver’s Flume , which floated gently into the audiences’ ears and rested there with a sigh.

So where can you catch these guys next? Boy and Bear will be playing the Laura Marling tour which has already sold out and Splendour In The Grass, which also has sold out. The one thing that won’t cost you and arm and a leg and won’t sell out though is access to their debut EP, With Emperor Antarctica . Boy & Bear are worth listening to live but if you can get them in your earphones, close your eyes and use your imagination. - Fasterlouder.com

Mexican Mavis
rating: 5/5
I think this is brilliant. Simple as that.
Richard Kingsmill, triple j

The Storm
rating: 4/5
I'm completely enamoured of this song. I love the Appalachian folk vibe and beautiful choral vocals that appear at the beginning and end. It's like F...
Dom Alessio, triple j

The Storm
rating: 4/5
a great song - well crafted, awesome vocals, and super-catchy!
Sarah Howells, triple j

The Storm
rating: 4/5
Such a powerful track, so many layers and such attention to detail production wise and melodically. We've had our ears on Dave Hosking for a while, great to hear his amazing talents mobilised into this project. Steph Hughes, triple j - Triple J Unearthed

REVIEW: Boy & Bear Live At The Troubadour
By Tongesy | Published November 7, 2009

Like Boy & Bear, this was our first visit to The Troubadour; a quaint, cosy bar turned live music venue. An unassuming door in the midst of Brunswick Street Mall greeted the Scenewave team. Pushing through, we ascended the stairs into the unknown. The understated entrance only served to disguise the treasures that lay inside.

Like The Troubadour’s façade, Dave, Killian, Tim and Jake are unassuming and humble, seemingly unaware of the extraordinary sound they have created. It seemed a perfect fit. The energy inside was incredible and the anticipation palpable. Everyone in the room knew they were about to witness something special.

Stu Larsen’s intimate performance, highlighted by his soothing vocals and beautiful melodies, eased the crowd into the evening. Following on, The District of East drew the audience toward the stage and onto the carpet with an engaging performance setting the scene for the headline act.

Strange as it sounds, for many of us the excitement and anticipation largely revolved around hearing something other than Boy & Bear’s two brilliant hit songs. Continuing in the same vein as ‘The Storm’ and ‘Mexican Mavis’, these ‘other’ tracks did not disappoint. Comparisons to Fleet Foxes are inevitable, however Boy & Bear’s sound is broader and will appeal to a wider range of musical tastes. These four Sydney-siders are destined for overwhelming success in Australia and overseas. The union of three supremely talented front men in their own right has allowed Boy & Bear to create layered music with astonishing vocal harmonies. Crisp and exhilarating at once. Concluding their brief set with the outstanding ‘Mexican Mavis’, Boy & Bear left a lasting impression on the hundred or so people in the room.

We had all witnessed something special. - Scencewave.com

Boy & Bear - Exclusive New Song!
14 April 2010
Posted by Dom Alessio






I can't help but feel a bit of fatherly pride towards Boy & Bear. Myself, Steph and the rest of the triple j family have watched Boy & Bear grow from little cubs to, well, pretty damn big bears. Channeling the melodic drive of acts like The Shins and marrying it with the lush, pastoral harmonies of Neil Young and Fleet Foxes, I could tell there was something a little special with Boy & Bear when I first heard them on triple j Unearthed.

Originally the output for lead vocalist Dave Hosking (who was an Unearthed feature artist way back in February of '09), Boy & Bear really grabbed us - and it seems the rest of the nation - with their tune 'Mexican Mavis'. We picked Boy & Bear to play at Homebake in Sydney last year, and it was so crowded I could only hear them - there was no chance of actually seeing them!

Well now I'm pretty chuffed to present to you a Home & Hosed exclusive: wrap your ears around the latest song from Boy & Bear, 'Rabbit Song'. Maintaining the Appalachian folk vibe of 'Mexican Mavis' and 'The Storm', 'Rabbit Song' is the band's most succinct tune to date, but it still features those gorgeous vocal chorales and plaintive melodies. Boy & Bear has now added a fifth member to the group, which probably explains the presence of an organ in this newie. It's like a warm hug around a campfire in a log cabin on a winter's evening.

There's an EP coming soon entitled With Emperor Antarctica and, as another exclusive, you can get a sneak peak of the artwork at the top of this post!

Boy & Bear is currently traipsing around the UK with Laura Marling, but they will be back in the country to support Lisa Mitchell on her national tour. Grab all the dates at the triple j gig guide.

http://www.myspace.com/boyandbearmusic



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Tagged In: NSW, Roots - Home & Hosed Blog

SMH - Shape of strings to come
8th Jan 2010

by Sacha Molitorisz and Rachel Olding

....

Boy & Bear
Genre: 70's folk-rock
myspace.com/boyandbearmusic
Label: None.
Coming gigs: University of Sydney O Week, February 24;University of NSW O Week, February 24.

For most musicians who slog away for years before a big break comes, Boy & Bear must be infuriating. Since they formed in April the quartet have had their single, Mexican Mavis, championed by Triple J Unearthed's Homebake competition and started sniffing around overseas. So what's their secret?

Firstly, lead singer Dave Hosking did a lot of ground work performing solo with a backing band until he decided to change things. "We all thought we should break down some walls and encourage a bit of creativity so we put a band name on the whole project so there was no leader or single songwriter," he says. They've also had a bit of luck. "We did the single launch and had all these different industry people came and it just seemed like we pulled it together at the right time." Their twanging guitars and enchanting harmonies reminiscent of Fleet Foxes struck the right chord.
... - Sydney Morning Herald 8-1-10

BOY & BEAR - MEXICAN MAVIS
Written by Nick
Tuesday, 05 January 2010 06:37
Do you call it Nu-Folk? Post-Folk, Chamber-Folk or Fleet-Folk?

Ever since Fleet Foxes released a beautiful album of baroque vocal harmonies, Brian Wilsonesque instrumentation and stunning attention to detail, we've heard artists worldwide embrace glorious rich textures and timbres as if they were handing out degrees in orchestration in weeties packets...

Australia's answer to Fleet Foxes, as much as they'd hate to hear me say, is Boy & Bear. I doubt they would dig the obvious comparison but I don't mean it as a slight. Boy and Bear sound truly beautiful. The voices are so relaxed, so intimate. And when Mexican Mavis hits top gear with driving drums and thundering guitar chords (woah there, i didn't hear any of them in the Fleet Foxes Album!) there's nothing to do but sit back and and let it wash over you.

I can't wait to hear what else Boy & Bear come up with, "Storm" (the only other song available on their myspace) is another beautiful song featuring concise, melodic guitar lines and intimate vocal lines. There's real songwriting smarts on display here. I'm salivating at the thought of a future album.
- AIR