Hozier: album review

Despite his meteoric rise to fame, it’s hard to envy Hozier.  After filling the fields of Longitude and Electric Picnic on the basis of six songs, the excitement around his self-titled debut album reached fever pitch. Appearing on TV every five minutes and performing left, right and centre, it seemed as though his album could never reach the impossibly high expectations set out for it. However, the 24 year old Wicklow native has actually pulled it off – “Hozier” is ambitious, well-crafted and simply gorgeous. The album opens with – what else? – “Take me to Church”, that utterly mesmeric tune that went viral last year. While many have professed to feeling sick of the song, it’s undeniable that it gives the album a confident feeling; this, it seems, is an album one should take seriously.

And take it seriously I do. “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene” is all drums, gospel tinges and James Joyce references. “There’s a feeling of doing whatever you can…to find yourself” according to the man himself, stating that A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was a major influence on the song. Whether these literary references pass you by or not, this upcoming single deserves to be singled out. Excellent, too, are “Jackie and Wilson”, a cheerful, bluesy ode to love, a topic Hozier seems pre-occupied by on the album. His love songs have an edge, though.  “Someone New” sounds more like an ode to lust more than love– and it’s refreshing to hear a romantic song that isn’t about love eternal. “Someone New” is my standout on the album, showcasing everything that makes Hozier as popular as he is.

If there is one complaint to be had, it’s that the album seems to be strictly divided. The first seems like the “singles section”; the songs are much more upbeat, with obvious pop sensibilities.  The album quickly gets very dark after the first five or six songs and it jars slightly with the listening experience.  Songs like “To Be Alone” and “It Will Come Back” are extremely strong additions to the album, but it all gets a little…heavy after a while. While a purist will no doubt disagree, I think “Hozier” almost sounds better on shuffle, as the end seems to weigh much more heavily than the start.

Minor criticisms aside, based on the strength of this album, the future looks even brighter for Hozier. His influences; from blues to pop right through to traditional Irish music; strengthen his songs. His already distinctive voice and ability to craft numerous melodies to stick in your head for long after the album has ended.