My Latest Obsession! : Hozier
- Aug 8, 2017
- 4 min read
Andrew Hozier-Byrne, better known as Hozier, is the poetic mind behind the equally riveting single, Take Me To Church. My opinion and viewpoint of his music completely broadened when I bought his album, which immediately put him at the top of my "Favorite Artists" list.
The song is a blow to the judgmental people of society, which shows in the spine-tingling chorus of the song - “Take me to church; I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies. I’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife. Offer me that deathless-death. Good God, let me give you my life.” Now don’t get me wrong, this song is beautifully, poetically written with a musicality like no other in this day and age, which represents the entire musicality of his album as a whole. But he has so much more to offer than just this one song.
In his self-titled first album, there are thirteen tracks, a few with peculiar names, but all with their own catchy or haunting backgrounds and instrumentals. “Take Me To Church” presents to us the chilling baritone of Hozier’s vocals, with piano, drums, and a base line to shake your soul. The second track of the album, “Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene” - I know, I know, very complex - offers a nostalgic feel of subtle blues mixed with classic rock which is embedded in the drums and electric guitar in the background. The third track of the album, “Jackie and Wilson”, definitely gives you - at least me - the image of running out into the world with your arms wide open, and driving with one arm out the window, old fashioned sunglasses and hair flailing in the wind. This track definitely has a classic rock vibe, and good rhythm - of course, the last line of the chorus is “we’ll name our children Jackie and Wilson; raise’em on rhythm and blues.” These first few tracks offer a kick start to listening to this gorgeous work of art - in my opinion - front to back over and over again.
Through these first few songs, Hozier shows his musical side that is a mesh of classic rock, blues, and somewhat of a gospel-sounding musicality. In the album he’s produced slow guitar-riffed works of art, for example, his four tracks “From Eden” (Track #6), “In A Week feat. Karen Cowley” (Track #7), “Like Real People Do” (Track #10) - fangirl moment! If you love the sound of a dobro as much as I do, you’ll love this track -, and lastly “Cherry Wine” (Track #13). Two of these four songs have been singles, I believe, due to each having videos on Hozier’s channels. I’d have to say my favorite of the four would be “Cherry Wine” due to its deep message.
Hozier has used the song to open the discussion of domestic abuse/violence. The song discusses how he loves the woman he speaks of in the song, even while she “stains the sheets of some other” and how he’d take her love “open hand or closed fist”. It turns the tables and further pushes that domestic violence is not only against women, but also men. Although the music video is contrary to the perspective of the song, possibly to show both perspectives at once. One thing that is fairly haunting about the song is that Hozier made it sound so beautiful, soft, and intoxicating - see what I did there? Hence the song title? No? Okay - while the lyrics tell a completely different story that is not quite as beautiful. In a way, this fact serves the purpose of representing how one on the victim end of an abusive relationship can get so caught up and see their partner still as the good person they may have once been; in our minds we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt, that everything will eventually be healthy again, when all the while the red flags remain ever-raised and blowing in the oncoming storm.
A couple other songs on the album that are basey and rockish would be “To Be Alone” (Track #5), “Work Song” (Track #9), and “It Will Come Back” (Track #11). I particular like “To Be Alone” and “Work Song” lyrically for their messages, as well as the feels of them both musically. Then two tracks that are heavy in piano and drumlines, soulfully written and vocalized, are “Sedated” (Track #8) and “Foreignor’s God” (Track #12). Out of these two songs, I could listen to “Foreignor’s God” all friggin’ day long. It’s so incredibly haunting, and beautifully composed, Hozier’s voice showing brightly and soulfully with every single word he sings, and has written. A portion I love in particular would be a twenty second interval from 2:30 to 2:50. Hozier’s voice takes a step back, while the beautifully deep sound of the cello sounds with the background vocals ringing, and bass drum beating with the spine-tingling rhythm. This one part never ceases to make my skin crawl with goosebumps and my head to sway or bob with the beat. I have found myself to try and press my earphones into my ears so that all other sound is drowned out, and so I can really savour those all-too-short twenty seconds.
If I could compose music this beautiful, and soulful, I would do it. At this point in my life, though, I am still finding my sound and I hope to touch the hearts and ears of my listeners as Hozier’s music has touched me. Well done, my friend! Cheers!
My faith in the continuance of music such as this has surely been restored.... My heart is full as my ears are with this music.
-Savvy
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