Hozier’s Discography
By: Padraig Smith
PreRamble:
Hi, I’m Padraig Smith and I’m the author of this review. I am a huge fan of all types of music and love listening to albums straight through. So, naturally, I wanted to share my opinions on different albums that I think deserve recognition for either being outrageously good or outrageous terrible. Music has played a large role in my life and is also just useful to have playing while I’m doing other things. I’ve listened to hundreds of different artists all from different genres and can easily say that there’s no bad genre of music, but there are sadly bad artists. I hope you like my review and over time maybe find some new music you might like. If you want, you can email me any albums you want to see me review at [email protected] (or just use my name on Outlook).
This review is structured with 3 albums in a complete review of the artist Hozier’s entire discography (Hozier, Wasteland Baby!, and Unreal Unearth). The overall rating of each album is accompanying the title in bold. At the end of the review after the conclusion I went more in-depth on specific songs that I felt were especially good from each album plus one of Hozier’s covers. That end section is for if you want more of this review or just want specific song recommendations. But it’s not needed to get a full understanding of this review and Hozier’s discography. Enjoy!
Introduction:
Hozier’s musical journey has been one of growth, experimentation, and search. From the raw beauty of his debut Hozier to the more ambitious but inconsistent Wasteland, Baby! and the mature, cohesive Unreal Unearth Hozier has shown he can adapt and stay true to his core. His second album had a tough act to follow and Unreal Unearth cements Hozier’s place as a maestro of complex themes and haunting melodies. He balances vulnerability with power, introspection with universality, and the ethereal with the intimate. His music is not just a soundtrack to life’s ups and downs but a journey in itself. Hozier is one of the most unique voices in music and his evolution as an artist is a refinement of his craft with each album adding a new layer to his legend.
Hozier (2014) – 5/5
Hozier’s debut album is an introduction to a new voice in the indie and alternative scene and what an entrance. From the first note of “Take Me to Church” it’s clear this is something special. With folk, blues and soul all blended together Hozier’s self-titled debut feels like an exploration of human emotion and raw beauty and he handles it all with remarkable maturity for a debut artist.
“Take Me to Church” the lead single became a global anthem. The combination of religious imagery with love and sexual identity struck a chord with listeners and the gospel inspired chorus gave us a glimpse into Hozier’s ability to make deep, introspective themes into catchy, memorable songs. This song is what Hozier’s music is all about – his gift to turn vulnerability and complexity into relatable art.
The album doesn’t stop there. Tracks like “From Eden” and “Cherry Wine” balance melancholy and romance with stunning, minimalistic arrangements. Hozier’s voice is commanding and tender, delivering lyrics that are both poetic and relatable. The album feels timeless, genre-bending, and ethereal. Indie rock, blues, and folk feel organic and raw, and Hozier doesn’t shy away from complicated themes. It’s an album about love, loss, faith, and the disillusionment that comes with them but also hope reflection, and introspection.
The brilliance of Hozier isn’t just in the songwriting but in the production. It never feels overproduced or artificial. You can hear the emotion in every chord change, every breath Hozier takes between the lines. The album is seamless, one-track flows into the next and you get lost in the narrative. Each song stands alone but together the album feels like a cohesive experience that captures life and love. In hindsight, Hozier is the standout in the indie scene. Hozier’s voice, songwriting, and ability to hit the emotional sweet spot was way ahead of his time. It’s a complete album, one that’s hard to top and he wouldn’t try again for years to come. No denying the greatness of this debut and a 5/5 album that changes the course of an artist’s career and leaves a mark on the listener.
Wasteland, Baby! (2019) – 3/5
Hozier’s second album, Wasteland, Baby!, arrived five years after his debut and the pressure was on. Following the massive success of Hozier, he had to deliver a follow up that would be at least as good as the first. Unfortunately, Wasteland, Baby! doesn’t quite meet the mark but it’s not all bad.
Hozier’s voice is still a powerful force on this album, but the songs feel less cohesive than the first. The album explores darker and more complex themes but sometimes these don’t quite land. “Movement” is one of the standout tracks and has the emotional heft and soulful intensity of Hozier. But “Dinner and Diatribes” and “Would That I” don’t quite match that. They feel more like fillers rather than integral parts of the album.
The production of Wasteland, Baby! is ambitious. The album is more layered than his debut with electronic and ambient elements added to the blues and folk. But sometimes this experimentation doesn’t work in his favor. The album can feel a bit too scatterbrained, unsure of whether it wants to be pop, soul, or indie rock. Some tracks feel overproduced which takes away from the intimacy of the debut.
Lyrically Wasteland, Baby! is Hozier at his most introspective, dealing with personal turmoil, disillusionment, and social issues. But sometimes the lyrics are too abstract and cryptic, and you can’t connect emotionally. It’s an album that needs patience and multiple listens but even then, it feels like he’s trying to recapture the magic of the debut without quite succeeding.
One of the album’s strengths is its ambition. Wasteland, Baby! doesn’t shy away from complexity, it’s an album that explores deep philosophical and personal themes. But despite the themes it feels uneven. The occasional brilliance is overshadowed by the overall inconsistency. So Wasteland, Baby! is a 3/5 album, not a bad one but not as good as the debut.
Unreal Unearth (2023) – 5/5
Hozier’s Unreal Unearth finally arrived in 2023 and it feels like he’s back in his full form. This is a great return to form for the artist, showcasing everything that made his debut so great and refining his sound and style. With Unreal Unearth Hozier finds a good balance between the haunting soulfulness of his earlier work and a new sense of clarity and direction.
From the opening you can tell Hozier has grown as a songwriter and producer. The dark ethereal vibe of the album is present from the start. Unreal Unearth is expansive and intimate at the same time, with deep philosophical lyrics and powerful emotional melodies. The production is top notch, blending modern sounds with his folk and blues influences. Tracks like “All Things End” and “Who We Are” are yearning and reflective.
Hozier’s voice is more commanding than ever, with a sense of urgency and vulnerability that makes every song feel personal. The themes of love, loss, and existential uncertainty are explored with a maturity that makes the album more profound than his previous works. What sets Unreal Unearth apart is the cohesion.
Unlike Wasteland, Baby! this feels like a complete story, each track serves a purpose. The songwriting is sharp, poetic, and often heartbreaking but also hopeful and transcendent. Hozier’s lyrics are more focused, and the production is lush without being overdone. The album is cinematic in scope but still personal and relatable. In many ways, it’s his most mature album to date. It captures the darkness and the light of the human experience, balancing the melancholy with moments of optimism and joy.
The 5/5 score reflects the depth and strength of the music. It’s an album that rewards repeat listens, reveals new layers with each play, and solidifies Hozier as one of the most unique voices in music today.
Conclusion
Hozier has been on a journey of growth, experimentation, and self-discovery. From the raw, beautiful debut Hozier to the ambitious but inconsistent Wasteland, Baby! and the mature, cohesive Unreal Unearth he’s always been able to adapt and stay true to his emotional and lyrical core. His second album struggled to live up to the debut’s standards, but Unreal Unearth solidifies Hozier’s position as the king of marrying complex themes with haunting melodies. He can balance vulnerability with power, introspection with universality, and the ethereal with the intimate. His music is more than a soundtrack to life’s ups and downs it’s a journey in itself. Hozier is one of the most singular voices in music, his evolution as an artist is a continuous refinement of his craft and each album adds another layer to his incredible career.
Jackie & Wilson- Hozier
“Jackie & Wilson”, one of the stand-out tracks from Hozier’s self-titled debut album, is a whole lot of love songs, full of youthful energy and rebellion. The song introduces a relationship that’s equal parts passion and chaos, a desire to break free from the monotony of life.
The song starts with self-doubt and frustration, Hozier singing: “So tired trying to see from behind the red in my eyes / No better version of me I could pretend to be tonight.” He’s a restless soul, caught in a cycle of emotional turmoil and self-recrimination. But then the free-spirited woman arrives, and he’s saved: “She blows outta nowhere, roman candle of the wild.” Her sudden presence is like a light in his dark world, the jolt of excitement and freedom he needs.
The playful imagery throughout the song, “We’ll steal her Lexus, be detectives / Ride ’round picking up clues,” adds to the carefree spirit of the song. Hozier is painting a picture of two people who are ready to break free from society and live life on their terms. Naming their kids “Jackie and Wilson” and raising them on “rhythm and blues” is further evidence of living outside the norms, a life built on music, love and rebellion.
The chorus is tender and intense, his lover promising to “save me, call me ‘baby,’ / Run her hands through my hair / She’ll know me crazy, soothe me daily / Better yet, she wouldn’t care.” These lines suggest a deep acceptance and unconditional love, neither of them has to be perfect, just fully embrace each other, flaws and all.
The song doesn’t shy away from the complexity of relationships. There’s an undercurrent of impermanence, Hozier singing about “cut clean from the dream at night, let my mind reset” and digging up the yard for what’s left of their love. These lines suggest that while the love feels pure and youthful, all things must come to an end. In short, “Jackie & Wilson” is a love song, full of youthful abandon and fleeting love and freedom. With its hooks, soul, and words it shows Hozier can make joy and sadness fit in one song. With playful words and a bluesy backing, he’s given us an anthem for anyone who wants to escape and feel loved big time.
Someone New- Hozier
“Someone New” from Hozier’s self-titled album shows the complexity and impermanence of love and how he can blend emotional depth with cynicism. Through this song he’s exploring the idea of falling in and out of love with others—always seeking connection but never fully committing to one. The repeated lyric “I fall in love just a little, oh, a little bit / Every day with someone new” is both a reflection of short-term infatuations and a commentary on modern relationships.
The first verse sets the tone for this theme of detachment and awareness: “Go and take this the wrong way / You knew who I was with every step that I ran to you / Only blue or black days / Electin’ strange perfections in any stranger I choose.” Hozier is presenting a narrator who knows his habit of choosing distractions over deeper connections. The contrast of “blue or black days” and “strange perfections” in others suggests a constant search for meaning in relationships even when those connections feel hollow or temporary.
The pre-chorus reinforces this inner conflict: “Would things be easier if there was a right way? / Honey, there is no right way.” Hozier is saying that, whatever society might romanticize about perfect love or ideal relationships, there’s no one correct way to love—an idea that resonates with listeners who might also feel lost or disillusioned with the complexity of modern romance.
The bridge is a particularly vulnerable moment with the line “I wake at the first cringe of morning / And my heart’s already sinned”—meaning love or lack of commitment is a moral failure. The reference to “Aretha” and the plea “That you would pray for him” shows a sense of longing and remorse, that deep down the narrator might want a deeper connection despite his pattern of superficial love. Hozier’s soulful vocals and delivery make the emotions even more raw. The repeated chorus and refrain, with the line “Love with every stranger / The stranger the better,” shows the cycle of the narrator’s behavior. The refrain is the paradox of seeking love from others but being unable or unwilling to let it go deep.
Almost (Sweet Music) – Wasteland, Baby!
Hozier’s “Almost (Sweet Music)” is romantic nostalgia and emotional vulnerability personified. The song starts with a raw reflection on life’s fleeting joys as the narrator is all burned out from a joy ride and finds solace in the ashes of his past love. The juxtaposition of joy and sadness is heightened by the reference to the jazz standard “Stella by Starlight” which is the narrator’s heart and the rhythms of his inner world. The pre-chorus “The same kind of music haunts her bedroom / I’m almost me again, she’s almost you” are longing, the narrator is torn between memories and present connections. The chorus “I wouldn’t know where to start / Sweet music playing in the dark” is the uncertainty and vulnerability of love where the heart hesitates to fully be in the moment.
In the second verse, Hozier weaves in references to jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Chet Baker and it’s timeless, romantic. The line “Let smoke rings from this paper, doll / Blow sweet and thick till every thought of it don’t mean a thing” is surrender to the moment, the music is a sanctuary from the worries of life. The repeated chorus is a plea to protect the intimacy between the two lovers as the narrator doesn’t want to ruin the connection with his restless heart.
The final verse is a reflection, the narrator is thinking about his love and realizes some nights he can get along without her but the memory of her lingers. The line “A love supreme seems far removed” is the emotional distance he feels but the longing remains especially when the radio plays “Russian lullabies”. The vulnerability continues as the narrator’s partner asks, “Is everything alright?” and it’s like the question unravels the internal tension between them.
Overall “Almost (Sweet Music)” is a layered song, full of emotion and musical references, it’s a beautiful exploration of love, loss and time. Through the jazzy introspection and soulful longing Hozier is inviting us to be in the moment and the music with it, and to recognize some connections no matter how deep are fragile and hard to understand.
No Plan- Wasteland, Baby!
In “No Plan”, Hozier talks about life, love, and the lack of direction. The song is a meditation on the chaos of the world and accepting uncertainty. The opening lines are about the fleetingness of emotions, and the tension between being broken and whole:
“What a waste to say the heart could feel apart / Or feel complete, baby.” This sets the tone for the whole of No Plan—life’s not meant to be followed a blueprint, we should just accept the randomness and the bitter sweetness of our emotions.
He then talks about trapping your spirit with unnecessary burdens or self-imposed limitations, symbolized in the lines “Why would you make out of words / A cage for your own bird?” We get caught up in societal expectations or personal regrets when freedom and peace are just being present.
The repeated line “There’s no plan, there’s no race to be run” is the essence of the song—life is unpredictable and there’s no grand plan or “kingdom to come” just the present moment and we should live in it. The contrast between “the harder the rain” and “the sweeter the sun” shows suffering and joy are part of the same cycle and we need both to appreciate the beauty in life.
The lyrics go on to talk about the fleetingness of life with references to secrets being kept safe and the inevitable death. The metaphor of planting seeds in the line “if secrets were like seeds / Keep my body from the fire / Hire a gardener for my grave” is that in the end we are all connected by time and what we leave behind—our memories, our love and our truth—can grow in unexpected ways.
Ultimately the song is one of calm acceptance. The repeated lines “My heart is thrilled by the still of your hand / It’s how I know now that you understand” is a longing for a deep intimate connection that transcends plans or promises, just mutual understanding and the simple joy of being together.
No Plan is a reminder that life’s unpredictability should be accepted, and love should be lived without end goals—just living in the moment with all its ups and downs.
Abstract (Psychopomp) – Unreal Unearth
In “Abstract (Psychopomp)” from Unreal Unearth, Hozier gets lost in a meditation on memory, love, and the moments that shape us. The song is a beautiful exercise in the tension between beauty and loss, with vivid imagery and emotional reverence. The lyrics “Sometimes it returns / Like rain that you slept through / That washed off the world,” capture how memories, even the ones we don’t consciously think about, can surface and shift our perception of the past. The rain imagery is cleansing and renewal but also melancholy—a theme that runs throughout the song.
The core of the song is sadness, the narrator acknowledging the deep emotional scarring of a love that’s gone but remains. The line “The memory hurts / But does me no harm,” is that bittersweet feeling: the pain of remembering is inevitable, but it doesn’t define the narrator’s experience—it’s just a part of him, something he carries without being consumed by it. Hozier’s descriptions “Your hand in my pocket / To keep us both warm,” paint a picture of intimacy, of a momentary connection that still feels alive in the narrator’s memory.
The title Psychopomp is the guide of the soul’s journey to the afterlife and here it hints at the song’s theme of transition—how one moment, one connection can change the course of a life. Hozier paints a street scene “Streetlights in the dark blue,” and the image of a creature moving slowly in the narrator’s arms, death or departure but also care, protection, and love. “The fear in its eyes / Gone out in an instant,” is the fragility of life and the quiet power of love and compassion in the face of fear or loss. The refrain “See how it shines” is repeated throughout the song, it’s an almost cosmic view of beauty and tragedy. It’s the narrator looking at life from afar, from a small intimate place between love and terror. The last lines “Darling, there’s a part of me / I’m afraid will always be / Trapped within an abstract from a moment of my life”— bring it full circle, that certain moments are suspended in time, imprinted in the soul. The idea of an abstract, a moment that’s fleeting yet impactful, is how love and loss live within us, shaping our lives even when we try to move on.
Francesca- Unreal Unearth
In “Francesca,” Hozier delivers a poignant reflection on love’s complexity, resilience, and the acceptance of its impermanence. With rich, emotional depth, the song explores a love that is turbulent yet undeniable, one that transcends hardship and remains unforgettable, even in the face of loss. The lyrics “Do you think I’d give up / That this might’ve shook the love from me / Or that I was on the brink?” immediately set the tone, conveying defiance in the face of adversity and an unwavering commitment to love despite its trials. The song’s central theme is the idea that love, while often tumultuous and challenging, is something worth enduring.
Hozier’s voice weaves through the chorus with an aching intensity as he sings, “If someone asked me at the end / I’ll tell them put me back in it / Darling, I would do it again,” underscoring the devotion he feels toward the relationship, even with all its pain. The repetition of “I would do it again” speaks to a love so powerful that its trials and heartbreaks are not something to regret, but rather experiences that solidify the bond. His willingness to revisit the tumultuous love—“Darling, I would do it again”— emphasizes the depth of his attachment and the profound belief that every moment, no matter how painful, was worth the experience.
The song also touches on the inevitability of loss, with lines like “It was too soon / When that part of you was ripped away” echoing a sense of mourning for what has been lost. However, Hozier captures the essence of unconditional love, suggesting that the relationship, despite its inevitable end, was beautiful and meaningful. The metaphor of the love is like a “cancer that grows” — “each piece of your body that it takes” — highlights the consuming nature of this love, but also the way it shapes the narrator’s very being.
The refrain “Heaven is not fit to house a love / Like you and I” elevates the song to a celestial level, emphasizing the idea that their love was so pure, raw, and unique that it couldn’t be confined to earthly concepts of perfection. This transcendent love exists outside the boundaries of life and death, and for Hozier, it’s a love worth cherishing, even in its loss. His declaration, “I would not change it each time,” reflects a profound acceptance and understanding that despite the heartache, this love was transformative and meaningful.
Ultimately, “Francesca” is a tribute to the enduring nature of love, one that doesn’t shy away from pain, but embraces it as part of a deeper, unbreakable connection. Through powerful, evocative lyrics, Hozier crafts a song that reminds us that love, in its rawest form, is worth experiencing, no matter the cost. The aching beauty of this song lies in its exploration of the human experience—how love, even in its imperfection and eventual loss, can shape us in ways that nothing else can.
Do I Wanna Know? – Cover of Arctic Monkeys
Hozier’s cover of “Do I Wanna Know?” by Arctic Monkeys is a beautiful reworking of the original rock track into a soulful, emotional ballad. The stripped-back, intimate arrangement lets Hozier’s rich, haunting voice take center stage, and he brings a sense of vulnerability and yearning that fits perfectly into his style.
From the first note, Hozier’s version has the feel of the original but it’s his vocal delivery that makes this cover unique. His deep, gravelly tones bring out the melancholy in the lyrics and add an emotional depth that lingers long after the song is over. The instrumentation is subtle, with gentle guitar strums and soft percussion that lets Hozier’s voice shine through without distraction.
Where Arctic Monkeys’ version has swagger and grit, Hozier takes a more introspective approach and gives the song a tender, almost longing quality. The intensity is still there, but it’s filtered through a soul and blues lens with a pace that invites you to reflect. Hozier’s ability to slow down the song and infuse it with his style highlights the emotional turmoil and confusion in the lyrics and makes it feel fresh but still true to the original.
The way Hozier inhabits the emotions of the song is brilliant. In lines like “Do I wanna know if this feeling flows both ways?” he lingers on the words with doubt and desire and adds layers to each phrase. This cover is hauntingly beautiful and painfully real and shows Hozier’s ability to breathe new life into well-known songs while staying true to the emotional heart of the original.
Overall Hozier’s cover of “Do I Wanna Know?” is a testament to his skill and his ability to make deeply moving versions of already iconic songs. It’s a must listen for Hozier fans and fans of the original, and a fresh take on a beloved track while staying true to the longing and complexity of the song.
