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The Universe Will Provide (2014)

Here’s what people have been saying…

“A mellow, exotic, comical and powerful album.”
– Chisato Tsuwano, Rolling Coconuts Magazine, Japan

“Funky, great rhythms and lots of fun!”
– Masaya Takahashi, Worth Strings, Japan

“feathery strums and woody warmth”
– David Megarrity, writer and performer, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

“Congrats on a most brilliant, gutsy and innovative album! Love it! Bringing ukulele to a whole new level!! Thank you!!!”
– Joanna Cocking, music therapist, Peninsula Music Services, Australia

“The new album is gorgeous.”
– Cat McLagan, Darwin, NT, Australia

“After listening to the album in heavy rotation this week, I have to say that I absolutely LOVE it. It is such an eclectic and thoughtful album filled with so many surprises – I found myself in such a space of joy listening to it and can tell a lot of love, time and energy has been invested into it – [Bosko & Honey] should both be very proud! There is a real synergy… that is captured when [they] play and sing together. The whole project feels like a labour of love and creativity – from the singing, songwriting, playing and artwork.”
– Shaun Chandran, musician and humanitarian, WA, Australia

“…Bosko & Honey have done a remarkable thing… they’ve made an even better album than their first one! With this bulging (14 tracks) new offering they have taken all the strengths of their debut; virtuoso playing, great songs in many styles, cheeky wit, subtle sweetness, superior arrangements, and taken them to a new level. 
“There is a crispness and clarity to the album with lots of space for each song to unfold in. Nigel Pegrum’s production sparkles but doesn’t blind, highlighting the songs just so. The song writing is often deceptively simple, the playing at times unbelievably complex. Bosko and Honey have an ear for a great hook total command of ‘feel’ and a canny knack of putting just the right elements into a song to make it glow. Their vocals are sweet-as, with harmony parts putting shivers in all the right places and care given to every phrase and word. 
“The music is eclectic. There’s blue-grass and real country, spry reggae and punchy metal, rootsy folk and island soul and everything ‘kinda pop rockin’ thang’ in between. Genre hopping with ease Bosko and Honey delve into our psyches spot-lighting the wonder and confusion, the highs and lows of being human. There’s the manic humour of ‘Another Day in Paradise’, poking a stick in the eye of the lotus eaters. Title track ’The Universe Will Provide’ takes the swooning rush and breathless drops of doof and techno and uniquely melds it into a beautifully haunting epic of faith. 
“This is a smart and often slick album full of sonic gems but it avoids the trap of being too clever and calculated, as the real passion and depth of the performances shines through at all times. The balance between talent and soul is fully realised – the heart is not secondary to the head. 
So if you’re yearning for some joy and sweetness, some crazy laughs and thought provoking lyrics then don’t bother asking the universe this time – Bosko and Honey have provided!”
– The Boogie Brothers CD Reviews, Australia, Feb 2015

“Nice brilliant sounding ukuleles played without nails. [Bosko & Honey] are the only duo that really works like pro and the results are a delight… outstanding [original] creations. Very balanced collection with a lot of [rhythmic] variety & originality! Congratulations [to them]! I was sure [Bosko & Honey] were not going to disappoint me.”
– Herman Vandecauter, musician, Belgium

“Last night was the first time I cued up the whole album in [its] entirity and listened straight through without any distractions, and let me say [Bosko & Honey] have taken the game to a whole new level… what a pleasure each and every song was…
“… some of that lickage is phenomenal and the mixture of [the] two voices [is] awesome… [Bosko] absolutely shredded on some of that strummin’… the funky groove on Sweet Stuff… boner material! There are so many textures… it’s not all the same… even the vocals… this stuff is really good… its way above what a lot of people are doing… well constructed… complex but not overwhelming… fun and sexy… even a little goose-pimply on occasion! Enjoyed the wide [variety] in song stylings… the jazziness of chord structures… and, well, I listened to it 3 times back to back and it got better each time… in fact I just cued it up again so I could make sure I didn’t miss anything!
“Overall I give it 6 stars… out of 5! BRAVO – the Universe surely did provide on this one!”
– Butch “Kharmachanic” Pierce, GA, USA

Pretty Please (2011)

 

“What a masterpiece!” 
– Lorenzo ‘Ukulollo’ Vignando, musician, Italy.

“LOVE IT!” 
– Victoria Vox, musician, USA

“Frankly, it’s original, it’s fresh… the ukulele needs this kind of artist…” 
– Lionel ‘the K’ Hubert, musician, France.

“Really nice… very good CD!” 
– Chisato Tsuwano, publisher, Rolling Coconuts Magazine, Japan

“WOW is all I can say! Not very often do you get a CD which captures the essence of live performance and the nuances of touch, style and musicality! Yours does all that and more!! Have to admit…it is the first ukulele CD I have wanted to hear over and over again!! You have truly motivated me to go and play more. Seriously a crackin’ album!” 
– Joanne Cocking, music therapist, Peninsula Music Services, Australia

“… freakin’ awesome… nice mix of styles, not a bunch of ‘oh look at us we play the uke… ‘ just cool tunes.. good stuff” 
– Butch ‘Kharmachanic’ Pierce, GA, USA

“… blown away by the CD titled “Pretty Please” by Bosko & Honey… this is one of the best uke albums in the last decade! Highly recommended!” 
– Terry ‘Romantic-san’ Sasaki, Australia

“Why I like [Bosko & Honey’s] new CD: 
… respect [to] the natural sound of the uke… 
… each note is well played and has its own subtle vibrato if needed, musically correct… 
… balanced song parts & instrumental parts… 
… Ukulele itself stays the main subject… 
… balance between strumming parts and plucking parts & and the plucking parts are very, very nice… 
… There is something for everybody, inventive & original…” 
– Herman Vandecauter, musician, Belgium.

“Damn it! You killed my heart! 
Really great album… Odyssey… wow! What a cool chord progression. Tuck Me In… Please tuck me in! I can’t stop laughing! Kill meeeee!! Ukulele Love-In… [Bosko] is a genius or dickhead… hahaha! Of course all songs are really great!! [Bosko & Honey’s Pretty Please] and Daisy [Dobuyuki’s] new [CD] these two are the best in the world now… Congratulations, great CD!!” 
– Motohiko ‘Gensblue’ Ozaki, musician, Japan.

“Better Ukulele Music than you’ve heard yet 
“Sure, I love Jake’s playing. Iz was a great musician and we all owe him for making the Ukulele safe for everyone in the world to love again. James Hill is a superior player. Find the movie, “Mighty Uke” and find out more.
“BUT, Bosko & Honey are a duo with more than just being uke players going for them. This is a uke record that is beautiful and essential for any music lover. It doesn’t matter if you like the uke as an instrument as long as you enjoy superior duet playing and strong melodies. 
“All you will hear are two ukes and two voices but you won’t be thinking about that. You’ll be swept away by the amazing music. 
“I’m old enough to remember when the Beatles records came out one by one. I remember a time when my friends and I all waited eagerly for a new Stones record to appear. My favorite instrumental musicians are Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett and Bill Frisell. I put these folks on the same level as those three.”
– Alan Thornton, USA

“Bosko and Honey are youtube sensations from Australia and have been on the video and live scene for about 6-7 years. They are a husband and wife team (I think), and they tour and play at ukulele festivals. Their music is difficult to describe. Sometimes joyous and uplifting, other times serious, but for the most part, it’s ukulele with a hearty side order of satire and wit.
“The songs are as catchy as the flu in February, and after one listen to this entire CD, you won;t be able to stop hitting repeat until the button is broken.
“Tuck Me In” is an internet “hit”, and one of their live centerpieces. An avant garde, punk lullaby with Honey yelling to be tucked into bed while Bosko plays a ukulele lullaby.
“What is most original about their musical style is the percussive nature of the ukulele. Although Honey is the “rhythm” ukulele to Bosko’s masterful soloing, the songs have a characteristic percussive chunking and patter that is hard to describe, but infectious.
“I urge you to search this couple on youtube and watch their playful and fun videos. They did a tour about 4 years ago of the world and stopped in to see other youtube ukulele stars, luthiers, etc., and it’s really quintessential viewing for anyone partial to this lovely four stringed instrument. My favorite is with kharmachanic when they play “Dancing In The Moonlight”, of King Harvest fame. It’s a frolicking fest full of mirth and “aloha”, right there in Butch kharmachanic’s living room. When Bosko and Honey arrive from “down under” to see these other youtube ukulele players in person in their own hometowns, it’s like an actor looking directly at the camera and breaking out of the third dimension, looking at the audience and showing the viewer that, it’s a small world, indeed. One internet performer travels to meet another, while we sit back and watch. It’s so unique, and the charm of Bosko and Honey cannot be overstated.
“Bosko and Honey’s CD is fun, inspiring, and worthy of your repeated listening. The spirit and talent in their videos comes through in this recording. Pop it into your iPod or play it through your dashboard speakers and it’ll lift your spirit as high as a summer cloud. A+”
– ‘coolreviewer1’, USA