After yet another break between 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID pandemic, the band finally released their self-titled fifth studio album on 26 May 2023.

Boy & Bear was formed in 2009 in Sydney, beginning as a solo project for singer-songwriter Dave Hosking.

[3] Hosking met Killian Gavin, who was a singer-songwriter and guitarist in Ovell, and the pair started jamming together.

[2][4] Then they expanded with Hart's brother Jon (ex-Wintersound) on keyboard, vocals, mandolin and banjo and Jake Tarasenko (ex-Tripartisan Approach) on bass guitar.

[4] Their songwriting usually has Hosking strumming chords on a guitar, Gavin writing the hooks, and the Hart brothers providing backing vocal lyrics, keyboard parts and drum lines.

[2] On 21 October, they issued an independent single, "Mexican Mavis", which was a featured song for the "Next Crop '09" segment on Triple J.

[9][12] In the same year, they recorded the song "Fall at Your Feet" for He Will Have His Way, a tribute album to singer-songwriter brothers Tim and Neil Finn.

In April 2011, their early single "Mexican Mavis" was featured on US TV series 90210, season three episode "Nerdy Little Secrets".

In October 2012, it was announced that the original bass-guitarist Jake Tarasenko had left the band 'to pursue other interests'.

He was replaced by David Symes, who had previously worked as a session musician for The Sleepy Jackson, Sarah Blasko and Marcia Hines.

Its release was preceded by the lead single "Southern Sun", a song which paid homage to Richard Clapton's relaxed 1970s steel guitar sound.

In 2013 Boy & Bear were nominated for three ARIA awards including, Best Group, Best Rock Album and Producer of the Year with Wayne Connolly.

From Harlequin Dream's release until the end of 2014, Boy & Bear completed three international tours, covering AUS/NZ/US/CAN/UK/EU and totalling 168 shows.

[21] From April to May 2015 Boy & Bear teamed up with producer Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs) at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studio in the UK to record their third album.

[22] On 13 August the band announced the album and its lead single "Walk the Wire", which was added to high rotation on triple j.

Produced by the band and Collin Dupuis at Nashville's Southern Ground Studios, and mixed in part by mixer Tom Elmhirst, the 12-track album includes the singles "Hold Your Nerve", "Work of Art" and "Telescope".