Hozier

This love story starts with "Cherry Wine," couched perfectly, with its beautiful quietude accented by subtle bird sounds, on the Wish I Was Here Soundtrack. It started with listening to that album frequently, and then became me circling back to track four repeatedly until it was my absolute favorite song for this moment of my life. So I was predisposed to affection, to say the least.And still I was surprised, bowled over, when deciding to REALLY listen to "Take Me To Church," lyrics laid out in front of me. It has mood, it has message, it has the deepest groove of sexual worship, punctuated with the purest moments of impassioned "Amen." The music became necessity, and I haven't stop listening.Hozier's first full-length album blends the most immediate instrumental and lyrical details with an elaborate web of traditional musical roots. This body of work reaches out wide to draw in the blues, gospel, folk, rock and flamenco, with a touch of the troubadour in it. Think the gritty blues of Elmore James, think Paul Simon, think choirs, think chain gangs. The result is a fully realized collection of songs that take you on an artful journey, with the highest of highs and wretched lows - sometimes at the same time.On the surface, someone looking for a casual listen could just ease into some of this gorgeous feast and enjoy, but my god, why would you leave it there? Even the deceptively simpler songs have some unexpected joy for even the most jaded listener. The heavier tracks - often a dark decent into gritty blues - capture the most sustained ache that can live like a weight in the belly for a long time after listening.As a lover of words, lyrics can be the absolute cincher for me. Once I started hearing these songs, there was no going back. A literal free-fall of swooning ensued. In theme, Hozier tackles overarching concepts that are not new and could easily slip into ordinary in less skilled hands: love, sex, religion, addiction. They never do here. The lyrics take these lofty, nebulous themes and bring them straight to the soil-churned earth, close enough to touch. The deliberate telling of specific details, so freshly rendered through word choice, is what secures the story of each song in your mind."I was three days on a drunken sinI woke with her walls around meNothin' in her room but an empty crib""Calls of guilty thrown at meAll while she stainsThe sheets of some otherThrown at me so powerfullyJust like she throws with the arm of her brother""I have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to meI have never known hunger like these insects that feast on meA thousand teeth and yours among them, I knowOur hungers appeased, our heart beats becoming slow"More than once, Hozier presents a dichotomy of beautiful, gentle melody suggesting a classic love song, then pairs it with scenes of violence, death and decay. `"In a Week," for instance, is about two lovers laying peacefully in a field - because they're dead. But even the morbid truth of the dead flesh is elevated, and at the same time, they're returning to nature and going "home." Sometimes you have to work for the meat of it, but it's nothing short of brilliant.Religion and sex intertwine in metaphor, snaking back and forth between which is the literal one at the time. The naked, raw devotion to the body exposed in many of the songs is just irresistible to witness, and it's usually accompanied by a rhythm that makes you understand it in your very bones.All of this is anchored with a voice that displays exquisite range in both pitch and power. In many tracks, Hozier can be downright angelic. At other times, it's deep, rich and shiver inducing. It matches every emotional challenge of the styles of songs in between.One of my favorite things in this world is a body of music that makes me want to abandon everything else for a while, makes me want to share it with almost everyone I know. This one does it, and does it fiercely. "This is hungry work."Amen.

Sounds good!!

I have this on vinyl and now cd. I listened to his song “Take Me To Church” a year ago and didn’t listen to any of his others. In April of 2024 I was looking for someone new🤣 to listen too, and I thought I’ll give him I try. He quickly became my favorite artist other than “David Kushner.” I love this album so much. “From Eden” is my #1 favorite song on this album. His music has such a unique feeling to it. It’s like soulful, haunting, and beautiful. I realized that you need to give some of his songs a chance on this album. For an example I didn’t like “From Eden” until I listened to it a few times. Now it’s my favorite song!I just wanted to let everyone know that the vinyl comes with the cd! I had the vinyl for 3 months and didn’t even know!

One of his best. I love this album. Bought it as a gift for my boyfriend as he is a huge vinyl fan.

I've always been an alternative kind of girl, and I love a good dark and tragic, romantic kind of soul, but frankly, I was afraid to buy this album. I was petrified. For some reason, I thought I might not like it. You know how you sometimes buy an album for one song? Well, that was me. Of course, Take Me To Church made my heart pound (and a few other things), but I was so unsure. It's like a blind date, you know? You can't just go and do it! You have to agonize over it and make all kinds of crazy scenarios in your mind. I thought, well, if it sucks, I'll just have wasted some money and time, but hey, he's gorgeous, so what the hell? Looks have to count for something, right? When I listened to some of the other track samples, I was intrigued, so I decided to take a chance. Well, I'm really, really glad I did.But seriously, when I hear artists like Hozier, I latch on, because there are so few really good ones. Listening to this album, to the fantastic (nothing short of amazing) guitar work, the grooves, the vocals, and the WRITING (oh.my.god.), I think of artists like Eddie Vedder, Robert Plant, Jim Morrison, and yes, in a weird way, Rob Zombie. ALL of those artists are like gods of the music industry, and Hozier will be just as great, if not greater. My favorite songs on this album are (aside from the obvious) To Be Alone (oh, so bluesy!!), Cherry Wine, and Work Song. These are fantastic, off the beaten path, and just effing romantic. This man's sexy, gritty, dark and distinctive voice and lyrics, and the musical arrangement just make my insides melt. He voices what most women wish they really heard from the men they love. There's such emotion here, it just seems to seep from the ear buds into my bloodstream and into my very soul. (It makes me a little sad that men don't really feel this way and it's all a fairy tale - unless you happen to look like Uma Thurman, but hey, I can still hope.)Bottom line: this album, to me, IS a religious experience. He's taking YOU to church, for sure, and you'll feel it if you have an ounce of feeling in your soul.

I should probably wait a couple months to write this review, because for a new type of artist (new to me, that is), it often takes me a couple months to learn to like it. Not quite there yet, but definitely enjoying the journey.

Product was delivered in a timely fashion. Sounds great on the spinner.

Gift for my granddaughter