Hozier
Hozier must be aging backward. At 24, the Irish singer-songwriter sounds like both an unpolished talent and a seasoned professional. His powerful, pristine vocals tell tales rife with passion, love and loss. Subtle in instrumentation and strong in emotion, Hozier’s self-titled debut album offers a bluesy brand of folk music that intimately portrays the struggle between lust and love, realism and religion.
Hozier, the eponymous album bearing half of the singer’s surname, features a couple of overarching themes. The most obvious is morality in the church — evident in “Take Me To Church,” the song that dragged Andrew Hozier-Byrne out of his parents’ attic and into the international spotlight. Second, but related, is the timeless motif of love, lust and what it does to relationships. Most of the songs are delicious delusion, their alternately sweet or sultry melodies masking the raw, and at times disturbing, tales Hozier tells.
Hazy and hot with sunken guitar scratches, “Angel of Small Death & the Codeine Scene” features a clapping refrain, tambourine shakes and organ strains worthy of the altar — though the lyrics might be better suited for the bedroom.
The interesting juxtaposition of lyrics that seem both Sunday-inspired and sordid carries into “From Eden,” a surprisingly light tribute to dark desire, and “Foreigner’s God.” “Someone New” also follows this theme: It is tender, sweet and lilting and offers no deviation from Hozier’s blatantly stated moral position: He has none. Rather, he does what feels right. The song’s protagonist ignores what is considered conventional, instead falling in love each day with someone new.
Hozier feels vastly personal and often offers a look into the man behind the voice. “Jackie and Wilson” is a mellow, rollicking tribute to Jackie Wilson, the rhythm and blues icon of the early ’60s. The personal nod to his musical idol is just one of many ways that Hozier keeps his album intimate.
“To Be Alone” — soul-crushing, beautifully minimalist — and “Like Real People Do” — soft, bluegrassy and hopeful — suggest that successful romances have led to the tender caress in Hozier’s voice. At the same time, “Cherry Wine” and “It Will Come Back” are dark, shocking stories that lead the listener to understand the anguish in that very same wail.
Both somber and sweet, melancholy and hopeful, Hozier is a laudable first installment in what promises to be a rich and rewarding discography. The album’s poignant portrayals of humanity present Hozier as a gifted raconteur first and an incredible balladeer second. If he continues to harbor this much 20-something angst but express it with seemingly time-tested craftsmanship, Hozier and his irresistible voice will be a musical tour de force to watch out for.
