Imagine this: a hammock, sunshine and Hozier. You know what that sounds like to me? Pretty perfect.
Hozier's album "Unreal Unearth" released August 18th 2023. Via Hozier.
Hozier released his new album “Unreal Unearth” in August this year and, like all music, it received mixed reviews. Some people love it, calling it “characteristically charming” and admiring his ability to use music as a social commentary. Others call it cliché and disconnected. I am admittedly in the first group. Either way, it’s worth talking about.
Stated simply, Hozier’s music is fascinating. Call it what you will … profound, eclectic, disjointed, the list is endless. It can definitely hold its own against the rest of modern music. The quiet intimacy of his voice, paired with the complexity of the back track, produces a sound that is almost ethereal. His voice unifies the plethora of sounds behind it, providing the perfect balance between it blending into and standing apart from the background. Not only that, he incorporates other people’s voices into his music, whether it’s Brandi Carlile in “Damage Gets Done” or the gospel choir in “All Things End.”
This is a common theme in this album: the coming together of many voices to produce a cohesive whole. One critic said that this created a scattered feeling throughout the songs, and that the two songs where Hozier was the solo lyricist (“Butchered Tongue” and “Unknown/Nth”) far surpass the others in lyric quality and depth. While I agree to a certain extent, I think there is beauty to be found in the rest of the album as well.
Hozier as a musical artist is highly influenced by his upbringing. He grew up in the Protestant Quaker church, and, as another critic put it: “nary a song goes by without some mention of heaven, angels or God.'' It is intriguing to watch the way he wrestles with these themes. While he now identifies as agnostic, he himself says he is highly influenced by spirituality.
I think this is a common theme in a lot of secular music in general; the simultaneous fascination with and apprehension of God and spirituality. Hozier comes from an interesting standpoint in that he has an awareness and understanding of christianity from his childhood, but the disagreements he had with it led to an ultimate rejection of it. As believers, this should cause us to mourn. It should also lead to caution when listening to it. Secular music can definitely be appreciated and enjoyed, but I think we should be careful with how much we take it to heart.
All in all, music has a way of unifying people and sparking both creativity and conversation. Hozier is no different, and I for one am happy to be living in a time when some of those conversations are centered around him and his music.
Hozier is currently on tour for his new album, traveling through Europe, North America and South America. The tour is expected to finish mid-2024.