It took half a decade, but the musical sensation that took the indie-rock scene by storm in 2014 is back.
Hozier — also known as Andrew Hozier-Byrne — succeeded in almost every possible way with his debut album “Hozier” five years ago. With the iconic “Take Me to Church” serving as the hit single, Hozier shot into stardom thanks in part to his diverse musical abilities. The rookie album had it all, from his signature style of gritty, imperfect blues like “Take Me to Church” and “Angel of Small Death” to smooth, almost angelic melodies like “Cherry Wine,” complete with the soft chirping of birds in the background to really hit home the sense of inner peace.
But regardless of style, nearly all of Hozier’s songs centered on one theme: despair. And while he keeps in time with that same sentiment in his second album — “Wasteland, Baby!” — he also explores new territory, which is what makes his sophomore success so unexpectedly enjoyable.
Brandon Hill | Argonaut
The album begins with easily the most powerful tour de force in Hozier’s wheelhouse. “Nina Cried Power” celebrates jazz and rock and roll legends with odes to James Brown, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Mavis Staples provides the necessary soulful rasp to get even the most casual listener’s heart pounding.
From there, Hozier only improves with “Almost,” a single simply made for easy listening on warm spring days. The upbeat rhythm mixed with Hozier’s beautiful drifting vocals makes “Almost” one of his all-time best tunes.
After the first two entries, the album seems to split between low-tempo acoustic melodies Hozier so well established in his first album interluded with upbeat, nearly hopeful songs that add just a dash of mainstream to his overwhelmingly indie style.
“Would That I” begins with a similar sound to “Cherry Wine” with acoustic guitar softly drifting in between a powerful anthem-style chorus. Meanwhile, the harsh piano hits in “To Noise Making” bring to mind the hits of the early 2010s.
In 2014, I found myself downloading all but two of Hozier’s songs from his first album. “Hozier” proved to be a great all-around success, something that on its own would be incredibly difficult to recapture.
So instead of mimicking what made him successful, Hozier blazed new trails in his second album. The result leads to some missteps and forgettable tracks, such as “As It Was,” but also gives the audience some of his best work yet.
The album altogether is both very different and eerily similar to his first foray. Both “Hozier” and “Wasteland, Baby!” shine as tributes to blues, rock and jazz. Hozier, in both albums, displays his talent for paying tribute to the genres that came before him while exploring new musical territory.
And while “Hozier” laid the groundwork for the musician best known for soft, understated melodies, “Wasteland, Baby!” hits the listener hard with powerful rhythms. The music is different, but the same. It’s peaceful, but exciting.
At its core, this second album is a masterful experiment.
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @brandonmtnhill