Hozier taking us to church

Hozier+taking+us+to+church

It’s no surprise that yet another foreign artist has caught the attention of America; this time, an Irish singer-songwriter by the name of Andrew Hozier-Bryne, better known as just Hozier (pronounced HOE-zee-ur).

The 24-year-old artist released his first studio album, self-titled simply as Hozier. The song off of this album that has the nation captivated, though, is the dark, bluesy tune “Take Me to Church.” This same song has even been given one of the greatest musical honors of being nominated as the Song of the Year for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards. And although this honor was bestowed upon Sam Smith for his song “Stay With Me,” Hozier’s music has obviously not gone unnoticed.

With his smoky, sultry voice, Hozier belts out ballads of tortured feel that one can imagine hearing while lounging at the bar of a hazy pub.

He sings of relatable topics, such as love, but the Irishman takes a twist on it. “Take Me to Church,” for example, weaves together a very physical love with the idea of worship: His lover is the god (or perhaps his goddess would be the better term), and sex is the way he pays homage to her, hence the lyric, “My Church offers no absolutes. She tells me, ‘Worship in the bedroom.’”

Hozier is not afraid to express himself through his music, no matter what the song is about.

Not all of his music is so cynical and dark, though. Tunes like “Cherry Wine” and “From Eden” keep the album upbeat and light.

Overall, Hozier delivers an impressive arsenal of new music that stands out on its own.

The skies the limit for this Irish artist, and I can’t wait to see what he gives us next.