Bear’s Den are back with their first full length album since their 2020 collaborative effort Fragments with composer Paul Frith. The London band have become a staple member of the nu-folk scene in Europe and the UK since their triumphant debut ‘Islands’ in 2014, with hit songs such as “Agape” and “Above the Cloud’s of Pompeii“. Since then they have continued to evolve as a band, releasing increasingly bold and eclectic bodies of work that continue to push the boundaries of their acoustically led beginnings without ever forgetting them. Blue Hours, their fifth offering, is no exception. Layered in a fairly polished and hi-fi production by long time producer and collaborator Ian Grimble, the opening song “New Ways” immediately feels like a sonic departure for the band. Led by an emotionally dark and sprawling piano and punctuated by sudden drum rolls, the arrangement is intriguingly offbeat and different to their previous offerings, before principle singer Andrew Davie’s signature tenor arrives to provide the necessary touch of familiarity.
Talking about the album’s conception and meaning with Clash, Davie explains how the album attempts to discuss mental health in a frank and empathetic manner: “It’s the main overarching theme with this record… It probably speaks to our struggles and hopefully many other people’s too. Men are not very good at talking. We’re not really taught how to. Men have no idea how to talk about this stuff, certainly to each other“. Going on to provide further insight, Davie reveals that elbow’s The Seldom Seen Kid was a big inspiration both musically and lyrically for him and fellow band member Kevin Jones: “We spoke at length about this album while recording ‘Blue Hours’. We’d both been fans of elbow for a long time but this record felt like musically, lyrically and on a production level, everything clicked into place. There was a kind of bravery and an assuredness in the risks that elbow took on this record that only comes from a band that’s on top of their game. It’s a beautiful album and a favourite of both of ours.”
If their current position in the UK’s official album charts is anything to go by, then it seems they too are on top of their game. In a tweet recently put out by the band, they reveal that they are currently charting at a career high of number 5 in the midweeks.
We’re #5 in the UK album chart midweeks, and it’s all thanks to you legends! Pick up a copy of our new album from our online store, your local record shop or from our Bristol and London shows before Thursday and help make Blue Hours a top 10 record! https://t.co/UEIg9CCgeMpic.twitter.com/QrkguvHIsi
— Bear’s Den (@bearsdenmusic) May 17, 2022
Bear’s Den look to continue their success by touring non stop for the remainder of May at venues all around the UK and Ireland. You can catch them on the road at any of the dates below:
May 17 2022 – O2 Academy – Bristol
May 18 – Eventim Apollo – London
May 21 – 3Olympia Theatre – Dublin, IE
May 22 – Albert Hall – Manchester
May 23 – O2 Academy – Glasgow
May 25 – University Of Newcastle – Newcastle
May 26 – O2 Institute – Birmingham
May 27 – Stylus – Leeds
