Since my last rant, Hozier's debut album has gone platinum in Ireland. Its being said that this album alone could resurrect the sale of CD's in this country, fear not HMV and Zhivago, Hozier is here! Perhaps not, but the fact that people left the sanctuary of their own homes and laptops to go out and purchase an album on hard copy in 2014, is really saying something. So for this feat alone, he has achieved something that other artists have been failing to do, that is capture and entice a new era of music fans. In gratitude to his success in Ireland, Hozier will be playing a string or Irish shows later this year. With tickets on sale tomorrow, anxious revellers await the now familiar and inevitable crashing of the Ticketmaster site whenever they have to sell more than 100 tickets at one time. Please update your system!! Until then I shall sit here and listen to the album on repeat for surely the 27th time now. So here is my attempt at reviewing an album that has single handedly brought the Irish music scene onto the world stage once again (Sorry U2).
It starts as predicted with his debut single 'Take me to Church'. A song which unless you have been living under a rock for the last year, has been heard across the airwaves of Irish radio. This song challenges and undermines the dominant presence of the Catholic church in our society. It is an anthem for anyone who has ever questioned the teachings or values of an institution that pervades almost every aspect of life in Ireland. He refers to the harshness and rigidity of its teachings "I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife". "Every Sunday's getting more bleak with fresh poison each week". These unrelenting lyrics are carried throughout the track in conjunction with the cries of Amen. And what better way to reinforce these powerful lyrics than using a video which demonstrates one of the cruellest parts of the churches present mandate, their stance on homosexuality. This video highlights the injustices and inequalities that exist for people of a varying sexual orientation to that approved by the church. To choose to portray this issue in particular, Hozier made a huge statement about the kind of artist he is, one who not only talks about making a difference with his music, but actually does.
Okay enough social inquest, back to the music. 'Angel of small death and codeine scene' is a song of lust. He is fixated on her 'straw blonde hair' and her 'sweetened breath' which draws him in. She is his codeine, his drug, his addiction. The song itself has a compelling melody. The lyrics are flowing and conjoined. The underlying hum adds to the build up, during the chorus, Hoziers voice is heard in layers, harmonising with himself. It is quite a dark song however which is in large contrast with the next song. 'Jackie and Wilson', I must be slightly biased here. As one of my favourite songs from the album, it just has everything. The influence of blues music is heard in spades in this song. The pacing is perfect, it just ebbs and flows led by the guitar, each line of the course rhymes with the next making it flow even more lusciously. The backing vocals kick in at the chorus and everything contributes to the feeling that this song is from another time. Its a song you can become familiar with almost immediately, definitely by the 3rd listen. It is resonant of a different era and ends abruptly with the title line "We'll name our children Jackie and Wilson, raise em on rhythm and blues".
'Someone New', Another anthem and definite festival favourite. Hearing this song performed live is such a treat especially on a gorgeous summer day, drinks flowing. The immediate reaction is just to dance. The build up is slow but not long before you're joining in with the catchy "just a little ole little bit every day with someone new". A delight from start to finish, it slows towards the end before building up again with repetition and backing singers heard in the distance. "Love with every stranger the stranger the better" This song for me epitomizes easy listening and good vibes which is all you want from a festival. The album contains strikingly dark and powerful songs interspersed with light dance-y tracks. 'To be Alone', not unlike 'Angel of small death..' is another murky track. A drum beat carries the song from start to finish, with fluctuating vocals, Hozier is again in a dark place. The chorus containing no words just a rising and falling 'oh' is still compelling.
Probably the best guitar riff from the album opens the next track 'From Eden'. Another well known song which was released earlier this year is as enticing as his first single. Hozier shows off his vocal abilities throughout with the looming 'Baaaaaaabe' opening each verse. A spanish influence comes to the fore half way through before returning to that climatic riff once again. When I say spanish influence that is the closest thing I can compare it to. Make of it what you may but those 15 seconds of clapping and guitar is such a contrast to anything we've heard from the album previously.
'In a week' Impossible to describe this stunning duet. It is certainly a high point in the album. The voice of Karen Cowley is so suited to Hozier's voice, they are in complete harmony and one compliments the other so perfectly throughout the chorus. "they'd find us in a week.. after the insects have made their claim". The twisted lyrics of two rotting corpses are sung so beautifully in contrast to the storyline. It ends just as it began in a peaceful way, played out on guitar. A dreamy interlude which gives a complete breather mid way through the album. Back to the hard-hitting, deep, bass-y tones then with 'Sedated'. His most recent single is quite dark and twisty throughout as the title suggests.
'Work song' has the most notable rhythm thus far begins with hums and claps in a sort of call and response. Hozier sings over this canon and builds the tension up to the chorus."when _ my _ time comes around" He separates each word significantly. The pace and beat of the song is maintained by the clapping throughout so it flows very steadily, never speeding or building to a real climax. Another contrast to his dark songs is found with the love song 'Like real people do'. A guitar being plucked simply accompanies Hoziers high tone, he jumps from word to word rather than letting them flow, spacing the words apart again. Beautiful backing vocals heard give it an eery feeling.
'It will come back' has another slow tempo. Never speeding up, just maintaining enough rhythm to keep moving along. He constantly refers back to "You know better babe" Strings are evident and add a nice mysterious tone to the song. Throughout the song, you are waiting, and he makes you wait for it. "You'll hear me howling outside your door". The tension is built up to this moment and then it ends. It's a quite a mysterious, eery song again.
The next song I must highly recommend. Resemblant of 'Take me to church', 'Foreigner's God' has those sing-along, strong lyrics that make an anthem. I hope for music's sake that this is the next single to be released. One of the most powerful songs on the album, it contains a strong message and even stronger melody.The final song on this side of the album is 'Cherry wine'. Played acoustically, it is similar to the relaxed tone of 'In a week' heard earlier in the album. It reminds me of of Ben Howard, gentle, subtle, quiet. Sometimes songs are more powerful when stripped back and this is a prime example. Recorded outdoors, birds and traffic can be heard in the background making it even more raw and honest. An honest love-song, no frills or overdone vocals. Just his voice and his guitar, Pure, undiluted Hozier.
Anois, welcome to The B-Side or as I like to call it the Dark side. These bonus tracks seem to have been tacked on at the last minute as if he didn't want to leave them out but each equally deserving of its place on the album. All 4 songs are slightly dark in their own way. Especially the first 'In the woods somewhere'. Eeery vocals are the only way to describe what is heard on this track, there is a bass note playing in the background which makes you feel like something dark is around. He builds a picture of the woods with its creatures and its screams. Not a song I would go to for some light listening, it remains heavy throughout. 'Run' is another strange song, I don't know what to make of. It lightens up mid-way through. One thing of note in this song however are his impeccable vocals. He really shows off his range, singing in a high octave for almost all of the song, coming down to his normal range only for "I need you to run to me, run to me, lover". Next up, 'Arsonist's lullaby', even the title suggests a dark subject matter. Begins with a very steady beat, he describes the draw of an arsonist to fire. Just like an Arsonist to fire he is captivated by the protagonist in the song. He completes the album with 'My love will never die'. He has come full circle and ends appropriately with an acoustic track, seen as that is how his fame began to grow, mainly with acoustic songs recorded in the outdoors.
I realise this is very detailed and long winded, didn't intend it at the start. I got very carried away as I listened to the album track by track, there was just too much to say. Take from it what you will. Critics always welcome!
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