Hozier (Bonus Tracks) (Colv) (Gate) (Aniv)

by Hozier

Overview

The recipient of much hype and praise for his breakthrough single "Take Me to Church," Ireland's Hozier does plenty to back it up on his self-titled debut LP. A soulful voice and a brooding mystique can get you a long way but fortunately, most of the material here is well-written enough to warrant a deeper look at the young artist many have labeled an old soul. Like fellow Irishman Van Morrison did decades before, Hozier (Andrew Hozier-Byrne) draws on the soul and R&B of Jackie Wilson and runs it through the mystery white-boy filter of Jeff Buckley, adding a touch of Bon Iver's rural indie aesthetic to mix into his own dark cocktail. Moodcraft and vibe are where Hozier is at his most effective and he hits his mark on the eerie, midnight-hour blues of "Angel of Small Death & the Codeine Scene" with its subtle layers of creepy choir boy and gospel vocals. It's the logical sequel to his equally haunting "Take Me to Church," which leads off this set. Coming in at 53 minutes and 13 tracks, the record is probably a bit too lengthy. The album's best tracks, like the warm, laid-back "Someone New" and the grandiose shuffling of "From Eden" are all front loaded in the first half, while side two feels a bit weighed down with a few too many slow, contemplative pieces. When you're dealing with the kind of spells Hozier is casting, it's always best to leave them wanting more. Still, the dirge blues of "It Will Come Back," with its dirty fiddle and electric guitar pairing, manages to rattle the church pews enough to help anchor the back half. In spite of its extra padding and occasional foibles, it's a strong debut and Hozier is far more commanding and convincing than so many other blues-inspired young turks lurking conspicuously in the alleyways of indiedom. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	05/16/2025
Label:	Sony Legacy
UPC:	0196588710414

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Hozier   Primary Artist
Andrew Hozier-Byrne   Synthesizer,Multi Instruments,Bass,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals
Karen Cowley   Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Fiachra Kinder   Drums,Percussion
Matt Rafter   Cello
Caoimhe Barry   Vocals (Background)
Alex Ryan   Bass,Piano,Bass,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Mia Fitzgerald   Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Rob Kirwan   Percussion
Kate Ellis   Cello
Steven Appleby   Fonts
Rory Doyle   Drums,Vocals,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Ken Rice   Viola,Violin
Lorraine Barnes   Vocals (Background)
Niall Muckian   Director
Andre Antunes   Drums,Percussion
Alana Henderson   Cello,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Rachel Lampa   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Andrew Hozier-Byrne   Lyricist,Producer,Mixing Engineer,Mixing,Composer,Engineer
Sallay Matu Garnett   Composer,Lyricist
Raine Hozier-Byrne   Artwork
Gavin Muddiman   Engineer
Ben Walker   Producer
Rob Kirwan   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Robert Plant   Composer,Lyricist
Willie Dixon   Composer,Lyricist
Savan Kotecha   Composer,Lyricist
Simone Lombardi   Engineer
Roger Quail   A&R,Producer
Steven Appleby   Logo
Nathaniel Hale   Composer,Lyricist
Warren Griffin III   Composer,Lyricist
Elvin Smith   Composer,Lyricist
John Hemingway   Engineer
Eoin Aherne   Producer
Ariana Grande   Composer,Lyricist
Andrew Rogers   Engineer,Producer
Mark James   Design
Sam Smith   Composer,Lyricist
James Napier   Composer,Lyricist
Patrick Karnik   Mastering Engineer
Ilya Salmanzadeh   Composer,Lyricist
Niall Muckian   Producer
Amethyst Kelly   Composer,Lyricist
James Darkin   Mixing Engineer
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Andrew Scheps   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Jimmy Page   Composer,Lyricist
John Bonham   Composer,Lyricist
John Paul Jones   Composer,Lyricist
Junior Kimbrough   Composer,Lyricist
Jerry Leiber   Composer,Lyricist
Max Martin   Composer,Lyricist
Mike Stoller   Composer,Lyricist
Alex Turner   Composer,Lyricist
Michael Manning   Assistant Engineer
Ray Staff   Mastering Engineer