First stepping into the music world last October, cialis Andrew Hozier-Byrne is back with what could easily be called one of the most anticipated Irish albums of the year. With a host of celebrity fans (Taylor Swift, cialis One Republic and Fearne Cotton to name but a few), a whopping 9 million Youtube views on ‘Take Me to Church.’ and record deals in both the UK and America things are looking pretty good for the boy from Bray.
Hozier is a breath of fresh air to the music industry. He has managed to revamp the genre of blues, delivering his songs with an air of passion and purity that capture the rawness of the 24 year olds talent. The songs vary from sweet and soft to more powerful, enthusiastic tracks. His album, a self-titled work, dropped last week and it doesn’t disappoint. 14 songs, 53 minutes and a boat load of soul, Hozier has managed to produce a raw, stripped back album, a rarity nowadays. The production makes his voice, which has a magnetizing element, the star of the show and one can’t help but be drawn into every lyric.
Opening with “Take me to Church”, the song which earned him his massive following, and reached No. 2 in the Irish charts, remaining there for four weeks, is followed by “From Eden”, off his second EP. “Sedated” features as track number 3. A song laced with dark emotion, coping with the serious issue of addiction. Next up is “Angel of Small Death & the Codeine Scene” a love song of sorts featuring an upbeat and poignant chorus, with slower, more contemporary verses.
The album delves into a host of different genres, yet it always manages to stay in touch with Hozier’s delta blues roots. ‘Someone New’ is a burst of pop while ‘Jackie and Wilson’, with an upbeat tempo is more on the rock n’ roll side of things, whilst also paying homage to rhythm and blues. “We’ll name our children Jackie and Wilson and raise em’ on rhythm ‘n’ blues” Hozier sings, gleefully whilst accompanied by a buoyant backbeat. The song is a tribute of sorts to the performer Jackie Wilson who helped with the transition from R&B to soul.
The pace of the album does begin to slow toward the end, with many of the more upbeat songs being confined to the beginning. It is for this reason that I would have preferred the album to perhaps offer 10 tracks instead of 14 as it felt drawn out at times. All in all however the hype and anticipation that was surrounding the release of this album is justified.
By Jessica Bennett
