There were many times over the last few years that the guys from Boy & Bear didn’t know if they’d ever record and perform together again. All they knew was that their friend and lead vocalist Dave Hosking had a debilitating illness that was getting worse to the point that he considered giving up life itself. Finally a correct diagnosis was made by a clever medic that Dave had a rare illness called chronic dysbiosis. The best part of that was that this condition had a treatment. The treatment was applied and consequently Dave got back to a position where he could live a decent life and get back to recording and performing with his mates. So that’s what they did. The band travelled to Nashville to Southern Ground studios to lay down tracks for an album, co-producing with Collin Dupuis (Lana Del Rey, The Black Keys). The result is Suck on Light, which is released today.
On Suck on Light you can feel the exhausting journey that Boy & Bear have been on over the last few years. However, that’s not in any way a negative trait of the music, far from it. They’ve turned adversity into triumph. It’s particularly evident in Dave’s vocal performance. His contemplative, heartfelt lead vocals feature a perfect amount of resonance, space and thought for the notes to linger and seep into your soul. On this album there’s a willingness by the band to explore and grow sonically, utilising hypnotic beats and lush background vocals, while still retaining the joyous pop rock ethic we’re familiar with. Ultimately Suck on Light is the sound of gratitude and a celebration of hope.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips had the pleasure of catching up with Dave, Killian and Tim from the band backstage at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre at the start of their new tour to chat about the creation of the Suck On Light album. Photos by Jason Rosewarne
Boy & Bear have made a doco on the making of Suck On Light. It will be premiered live on YouTube PLUS a LIVE Q&A on October 2nd, 7pm PDT/ Oct 3rd 12pm AEST where fans can watch the doco together with the band then ask them questions for the band to answer.
