By Bailey Rankin, special to the News
If you say you don’t know who Hozier is, I bet you know at least one of his songs. Ever heard of Take Me to Church? You know, “Take me to church, I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies, I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife.” That’s Hozier!
And although you may not have heard much more from him, he actually has two full studio albums. So, strap in Rankin Review Readers, because Hozier is one of my favorite artists. And you? You’re my captive audience.
If you’re looking for a few song suggestions, I’ve got those for you, but honestly, I recommend listening to the entire album. Hozier is chalk full of literary references, mentions of Hozier’s own musical influences (“Jackie and Wilson”), and direct criticisms of society (“Take Me to Church,” “To Be Alone” and “Sedated”).
Not only is he a gifted musician, but he shines as an amazing storyteller by using different points of view, like in “From Eden,” when he sings as the snake who tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. Or in “In a Week,” as he tells the story of two lovers lying in a field…but with a twist.
But Hozier’s true gift is his songwriting skills. If his lyrics weren’t set to music, they would be printed in a poetry book. And that’s why he’s one of my favorite artists! To understand Hozier and the message he is trying to deliver through his songs, you have to take the time to actively listen and actually think.
Hozier gives us incredibly loving songs with “Work Song” and the lyrics “when my time comes around lay me gently in the cold dark earth, no grave can hold my body down, I’ll crawl home to her.” He also delivers with the beautifully tragic “Cherry Wine” which illustrates the on goings of an abusive relationship with, “qualms of guilty thrown at me, all while she stains the sheets of some other, thrown at me so powerfully just like she throws with the arm of her brother,” and reminds us that “blood is red and sweet as cherry wine.”
Although not always the most upbeat lyricist, Hozier and his accompanying musicians created an amazing album sonically. The underlying organs and church choirs fill the songs out well and help highlight the ethereal harmonies that join in with Hozier’s husky baritone.