DIRECTOR ROLLO HOLLINS COLLABORATES WITH THE BAND TO CREATE A FRANK PORTRAYAL OF A FAMILY IN TURMOIL

Toronto, ON – August 8, 2019 – Today, Bear's Den debuted the video for Hiding Bottles, the latest single from their acclaimed album, So that you might hear me, which was released earlier this year. Singer and songwriter Andrew Davie says the song is, "about life with an alcoholic relative. It's an exploration of the inability to reach someone and the isolation that intrinsically creates."

The video, directed by documentary filmmaker, Rollo Hollins, portrays a family in turmoil and captures the harrowing and heartbreaking realities of living with and loving people who struggle with alcohol addiction. The poignant, deeply moving lyrics were informed by Davie's personal experience, making Hollins work in non-fiction filmmaking a perfect fit for this piece. Watch Hiding Bottles HERE.

The video for Hiding Bottles dovetails with the overarching theme of So that you might hear me: the fundamental need for human connection, empathy, and understanding. The song, which touches on mental health and substance abuse issues and the impact they have on loved ones, is inspired by deeply personal experiences.

The organization Al-Anon has had a significant impact on Davie. Al-Anon members are people affected by someone with a drinking problem, a place where family members and close friends have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others who have faced similar challenges.

Davie reflects on what inspired the song and video: "I think the main thing Al-Anon allowed me to understand was that there are just so many people going through issues caused by having an alcoholic friend, loved one, or relative - how many lives can be affected by just one life."

"For us as a band to work with Rollo and be able to make a video that might ring true for other people who could be looking for help or support was something we really wanted to do. The idea that the video could potentially help lead someone to an organization that has helped me and so many others and could help them just feels really right to us and important." 

Rollo Hollins notes, “The band and I wanted to highlight the often-overlooked issues faced by the victims of alcohol abuse by basing the film on genuine case studies supplied by the charity Al-Anon. Looking through that research, the theme that kept cropping up was the 'promise of normality' that these victims are often teased with."

He elaborates further, "Alcoholism explained as temporary or manageable, which created a strange dichotomy within those homes - two versions of the same family, one fighting to keep everything 'normal' and another private version, out of control. Using a full cast of identical twins and in-camera effects, I wanted to explore that idea and highlight the issues, whilst keeping every story point and line of dialogue based on real case studies."

So that you might hear me was recorded in Seattle with producer Phil Ek (The Shins, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty) and mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Metronomy). Critics have embraced the band's evolving sound. Billboard praised the album's "deeply emotional feel," while the UK's The Line of Best Fit extolled its "risky but rewarding composition." Atwood Magazine called So that you might hear me the band's "most ambitious and emotionally complex album to date."

For more information visit, www.al-anon.org. 

The London-based band is on tour in Europe and has dates booked into 2020 with all details listed below. Stay tuned as more shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

TOUR DATES
08/9: Newquay, GB – Boardmasters                                   
08/11: Kirkwall, GB – Sound Archive                                  
08/12: Inverness, GB – Bogbain Farm                                    
08/13: Stornoway, GB – An Lanntair                                       
08/14: Aviemore, GB – The Old Bridge Inn                          
08/15: Banchory, GB – The Barn                                            08/16: Dunkeld, GB – Birnam Arts Centre                         
08/18: Biddinghuizen, NL – Lowlands Festival                            
11/3: Oxford, GB – O2 Academy                                      
11/4: Birmingham, GB – O2 Institute                                       
11/5: Cardiff, GB – Tramshed                                            
11/7: Leeds, GB – Beckett Students' Union                 
11/8: Liverpool, GB – O2 Academy                                      
11/10: Newcastle, GB – Newcastle University                       
11/14: Madrid, ES – Treato Barcelo                                  
11/15: Barcelona, ES – La 2 Apolo                                          11/17: Milan, IT – Magnolia                                            11/18: Munich, DE – Muffathalle                                       
11/20: Vienna, AT – Ottakringer Brauerei                       
11/22: Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria                           
11/24: Hamburg, DE – Markthalle                                        11/26: Copenhagen, DK – Lille Vega                                            11/27: Stockholm, SE – Slaktkyrkan                                      11/28: Oslo, NO – Parkteatret                                        02/20: London, GB – Eventim Apollo                                
02/26: Brussels, BE – Forest National                                 
02/27: Amsterdam, NL – AFAS Live               

DOWNLOAD – Hi-Res Photo

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