Hozier
by Hozier
Release Date: June 10th 2014
Track list: Take Me To Church / Angel Of Small Death & The Codeine Scene / Jackie and Wilson / Someone New / To Be Alone / From Eden / In A Week / Sedated / Work Song / Like Real People Do / It Will Come Back / Foreigner's God / Cherry Wine (Live) //
Hozier has had
a very good couple of years since his first single release, Take Me
To Church, which skyrocketed the charts and was constantly played on
the radio. Even with this start, his album shows that he isn't a
one-hit-wonder. Following his first single with Someone New,
which still has the underlining bluesy feel that most of his music does, but
it's lighter and more uplifting than Take Me To Church -
with staccato bass lines, organs and lively choral harmonies that progresses
into the upbeat chorus of "and so I fall in love just a little, oh a
little bit everyday with someone new".
As much as
people within music are moving towards the more electronic genres, there seems
to have been a boost in the more traditional roots of musicians being
instrumentalists. I was lucky enough to see Hozier live at the
O2 Academy Newcastle in May. At first, I was dubious as to whether he would
live up to the expectations that his album has already given him, but he did.
He's engaging as a performer and not just engaging within the boundaries of his
music and musical abilities. That big soulful voice that you hear consistently
throughout the album is as good live and as engaging and emotive as it is on
the recorded album. Throughout the album, his voice seems like something he
exploits - and rightly so - it's strong, capable of swooping from highs to lows
with great depth.
This
strength within his voice is mirrored in the musical accompaniment. Clearly a
lot of care and time has been taken to make the accompaniment the best that it
can be - he's clever with the levels of orchestration and texture layered
behind him. Along with the standard band that usually accompanies - drums,
bass, and guitar - he adds strings (cellos, violins) and utilises the ambiance
that strings that give with their use of techniques - strong pizzicato
passages, tremolo sections, and smooth melody lines to lead into new sections.
The simple, but sometimes dense texture supports the music well leading way to
depths of passionate sound.
The album
incorporates blues, a genre of great interest to Hozier, which he
discusses with Neil McCormick while being interviewed for The Telegraph about
how he became interested in that area of music past his initial introduction as
his father was a blues drummer. "I got really obsessed with Delta
blues, one man and his guitar, and the Lomax field recordings, broadening out
into soul and jazz, the building blocks of popular music." Jackie
And Wilson and From Eden demonstrate the
interest that he has with blues.
Song writing
is an important part of music to Hozier, which is an obvious element when
listening to his songs. "I have never known peace like the damp grass
that yields to me / I have never known hunger like these insects that feast on
me" (In A Week), "I watch the work of my kin
bold and boyful / Toying somewhere between love and abuse / Calling to join
them the wretched and joyful / Shaking the wings of their terrible youth"
(Angel Of Small Death & The Codeine Scene). His lyrical style
is strong, with the songs on the album covering topics from mortality to
survival. "I think there is a difference between making music and
writing songs, and to me the words are the core, that's where the character and
story is. I'm fascinated with what a song can be in the eyes of history, a snapshot
of an era, almost like a photograph of the times the songwriter lived in.
Whether that's songs from the early 20th century mentioning rations and lines
for food or Justin Bieber singing baby, baby, baby, you get an insight into the
cultural mentality and society's values, hopes and fears."
There are
connotations to religious themes within his songs, although Hozier is
an atheist it is a topic that is current and affects everyone. From
Eden is another song other than Take Me To Church that
has these implications throughout: "From Eden is spoken from the
Devil's point of view. I always loved in blues music how the Devil can be a
character who walks and talks. So awful is your state that it seems to be a
presence around you. I don't really spend time thinking about the nature of God
but I'm interested in what people say about God, how it is used to control
people and change policies in the physical realm."
Hozier's debut
album is strong and uncompromising, consistent and engaging and demonstrates
how much potential he has and how far he can go with the music that he will
produce.
forteloud rating: 5/5
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