With three number one albums already within their collection, one of which being a festive offering in 2021 that had us all feeling warm and fuzzy despite the pandemic, Ball and Boe caught up with Hampshire Life magazine to reveal they are in fact at the start of recording their fifth album together which is due to be released later this year.
Together, of course, being the operative word.
'Ball and Boe will be on the title somewhere,' laughs Alfie, 'As will together,' quips Michael, referencing the pair's first three albums, Together, Together Again and Back Together. 'We’ll be together somewhere; you just need to work out where we will be together. This album is going to be all covers. When you know what the album is then you’ll know why it’s not a writing thing, it’s about the material that already exists. I really wish we could talk more about it, but we can’t.'
The duo's unique harmonies and candid friendship is what makes them so popular and it seems being the best of buddies is what brings them together in the recording studio time and time again.
'You know what’s lovely', Michael shares. 'Is that every time we’ve gone back in to the studio, we now understand each other’s way of working; our styles, voices and all of that. We pick up where we left off and it’s getting easier and easier for us to do this and I’m loving it. I’ll think of something and Alf will go yes but what if we add this on to it and what if we do that and it’s really exciting. It’s really creative and I’m glad we hit on this idea that we hit on because it’s opened up whole areas for us to explore and to sing.'
With their Together at Christmas album going to number one in the charts, they both feel the festive time of year works well for them as Michael shares: 'We will traditionally release something in time for Christmas. You know, that’s what’s worked for us and I guess that’s what we’ll do this time.'
So it's an album of covers, and Alfie hints it will be 'along a theme', and it will be released in time for Christmas but for now that's all we know. But don't expect a cover album in the traditional sense as Alfie reveals: 'We will Ball-and-Boe-affize it. I think it’s so important to put your mark on any cover track. Because if you’re just going to do a stereotypical mirror image of that song then you just become a cover band. We’ve come up with our own arrangement, our own structure and we sound very different.'
Michael agrees: 'Yeah. And the very fact that it’s two of us and two men's voices means it’s going to sound different anyway because of the unique harmonies. I know when Alfie will sing something better, we don’t have any ego around it. There’s no fighting about ‘well I’m doing this bit or no I’m doing it.’
We can't wait to hear the new Ball and Boe sound, but for now, read more about the friends' summer tour around some of the UK's stunning outdoor venues including our very own Chewton Glen hotel in New Milton, in the full interview in the July issue of Hampshire Life.
Pre-order here: magsdirect.co.uk
Book your tickets here to see them perform at the stunning Chewton Glen in New Milton on July 12.
