Honey and the Bear – Journey Through The Roke
Independent – 23 April 2021
East Anglian duo, Lucy and Jon Hart, better known as Honey and the Bear, have been performing their mellow, folk-tinged melodies decorated with charismatic arrangements since 2014. In 2019 they released their very well-received debut, Made in the Aker and now they treat us to their rather gorgeous follow-up, Journey Through The Roke.
The twelve tracks on offer provide an eclectic, and thoroughly pleasing, listen. The record takes its title from the old East Anglian word for, to quote, the “smoke-like mist that rises in the evening off marshes and water meadows”. The idea of a journey through the mist is an apt image for a recording made during lockdown 2020 – the album’s sweet vocals and accomplished musicianship shining brightly through the dark times we have recently experienced.
With Covid-19 ensuring the death of live gigs the duo decided to task themselves to keep busy. As Lucy explains: “We started writing new songs as a way of challenging ourselves on a weekly basis, putting out live streamed gigs every Sunday evening”.
The live streaming also helped the duo keep in touch with their audiences. As Jon adds: “We decided to start writing new material during the first lockdown – with the advent of live streaming we found we could connect with our audience in a new, unexpected and very positive way.”
With the support of a crowdfunding campaign Journey Through The Roke emerged. The result is a fine collection of Suffolk folk and roots, with a focus on, as the couple explain, “songs of Suffolk, and survival”. The tracks are all self-penned besides a sensitive interpretation of the Irish ballad ‘My Lagan Love’. This track in particular highlighting Lucy’s powerful, clear voice.
The duo play most of the instruments on the album, with Lucy playing banjo, mandolin, and ukulele, whilst Jon takes up electric guitar and bouzouki. They also both play double bass and guitar and provide the harmonious vocals which characterise their engaging and fresh sound.
In addition, there is an impressive set of guests on this album too, including Toby Shaer on whistle, flute, harmonium and other instruments, Evan Carson on bodhran and drums, Archie Churchill-Moss on melodeon and Graham Coe on cello. All help to broaden and layer the album with some rather tasty vibes.
The record opens with the folk tinged ‘3 Miles Out’. It’s a confident start. The track sets a moody scene with the noise of waves crashing against the East Anglian shore, before the soft harmonies of Lucy and Jon give way to some atmospheric stings. It’s a dark song telling a dark tale; the narrative of the north Sea Flood of 1953, and in particular the story of Frank Upcraft’s boat Ivy, which was eventually dredged up twenty-eight years later three miles from the coast of Southwold. A folk inspired cry to the boat to return to the shore: “bring you home to me” sings Lucy over the pounding strings.
The opener perfectly captures the cleverness of the duo’s song writing. There is a fine awareness of tradition in the arrangements and song structures here. These feel, in their structures and themes, like old songs which helps to provide a welcome sense of familiarity during strange times.
Tales of the sea continue. ‘The Hungry Sea’ tells the remarkable true story of ship’s nurse Violet Jessop who survived three ship disasters: the Olympic (1911), Titanic (1912) and Britannic (1916). It’s an emotional song tackling fear, acceptance, but also resilience and hope. A timeless narrative on the threat of the water.
Survival features too in the similarly shore based song ‘Freddie Cooper’. In this case it’s a positive celebration on the twelve-hour rescue of the Red House Lugger by the lifeboat Freddie Cooper in 1996.
With a spotlight on Suffolk and the East Anglian coast, nature also provides a potent and comforting topic to explore. During lockdown, the duo took time to explore their own environment through regular walks and discovering the stories of the people and places on their doorstep. Listen to the sweep of Shaer’s whistle echoing sweet chirp and flight of ‘The Swallow’ for example. It’s a beautiful little track telling the story of this most exquisite little bird.
There are trips further afield, even though these are only possible virtually. The banjo infused ‘Life on Earth’ was inspired by Sir David Attenborough. Curious to note that during the last few months when we have predominantly been stuck indoors, inspiration for the song came from the square box in the corner of our rooms. It’s the one tool in which we can still explore the world. ‘Life on Earth’ is a cute, catchy little song with a cheering chorus.
‘Buried in Ivy’ considers the impact of climate change in a song that prophesises what the earth will be like in a hundred years if we continue to live as we do. It’s a rueful, thought provoking song. A powerful message that asks: “Just 100 years – where are our daughters, where are our sons?” This point is furthered with the funky ‘Unless We Start’, an exotic little track which is something of a call to action. Change is possible, but it’s up to us to make sure it does.
Curiously, with songs featuring the hazards of our modern world on the climate, there are also tracks that explore the achievements of industrialisation of the local area. This juxtaposition could feel awkward, but in the safe hands of Honey and the Bear, the contrasts are handled sensitively, with a focus on the positive achievement of industry and the value of the individual.
‘The Flow Line’ is a pounding, catchy song with some rather fiery fiddle pulsing through the track. It tells the story of Richard Garrett’s early engineering production line, the flow line of the song’s title. Lucy and Jon sing of “steel, sweet and steam” on a song with a fine Americana flavoured sound.
‘The Miller’ extends the vibe in a song inspired by the Woodbridge Tide Mill. It’s a song that feels more at home in the hills of Appalachia than the low-lying lands of Suffolk. It works well though, with the duo’s song writing and musicianship cleverly avoiding the risk of pastiche with a sincere, and atmospheric, touch of Americana.
As the record concludes we are treated to a couple of rather mellow tracks. ‘Sweet Honey’ is an enjoyable country inspired song, whilst closer ‘Your Blood’ brings the story straight home. It’s a song for Lucy and Jon’s own family, their adopted nephews. It’s a song about family bonds, history, and the future. With some beautiful harmonies and strings, it’s a fine end to a rather gorgeous collection of songs.
Handsomely produced by Lucy and Jon themselves, Journey Through The Roke is a rather fetching record. Flitting from Americana, jazz, and blues, with nods to funk, country, and tradition the album expertly demonstrates the duo’s skill and confidence. With an exploration of universal, yet topical themes the duo ensures a relevance and freshness pervades their songs. Attractively structured with some superb evocative arrangements, Honey and the Bear prove themselves, yet again, to be a talented pair of songwriters and musicians. Journey Through The Roke is a road I’ll happily wander along again. Well worth a listen.
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