Hozier
There’s something about Hozier’s self-titled debut that makes it feel less like an album and more like an experience. It’s one of those records you throw on and suddenly you’re somewhere else—maybe in a dimly lit blues bar, maybe in the middle of an Irish folk tale, or maybe just in your feelings at 2 AM. Hozier has this insane ability to shape-shift between genres without ever feeling like he’s trying too hard. Every track is soaked in soul, blues, rock, folk—you name it. But instead of coming across as scattered, it all melts together into something that sounds completely his own.
And then, of course, there’s his voice. Hozier could sing the phone book and it would still send shivers down your spine. His vocals are rich, raw, and ridiculously versatile—sometimes he’s crooning like an old blues legend, sometimes he’s belting like a gospel singer on the verge of tears. No matter what he’s doing, he always sounds effortless.
Lyrically, the man doesn’t miss. He writes like someone who’s spent his whole life studying poetry and classic literature, but not in a way that feels pretentious—just natural. His songs feel like myths, like stories passed down through generations. One minute he’s tackling love and desire with religious imagery that’ll have you questioning everything, the next he’s painting haunting, cinematic pictures of loss, sin, and redemption. Some of his lines are so good they almost hurt. Like, how do you even come up with that?
I know some people only associate this album with “Take Me to Church,” and I get it—that song was everywhere. But if you stop at that, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice. The rest of this album is packed with songs that are just as powerful, if not more. “From Eden” is pure poetry, “Cherry Wine” is devastating in the best way, and “Angel of Small Death” has this hypnotic, stomping energy that pulls you right in. Every song adds something new to the mix, and somehow it all works.
I’ll be honest, I used to mess around with songwriting and guitar back in the day, but I kind of let it fade out of my life. Then I heard Hozier, and suddenly I felt that itch again—the one that makes you want to pick up an instrument and figure out how music can make people feel something that deeply. I haven’t actually gone back to writing yet, but if there’s any artist out there that makes me want to, it’s him.
Some artists are great singers, some are great writers, and some know how to craft a vibe so immersive it feels like a whole world. Hozier? He does all three—and his debut album is proof of it.
HOZIER - HOZIER
RATING - 9.6./10
FAVORITE TRACK - From Eden, Someone New
GENRE - Blues, Soul, Indie Rock