★★★★☆
From the haunting echoes of Irish folklore to the pulsating beats of indie pop, this is Hozier at his artistic peak. Read our Unreal Unearth review.
Hozier boomed to the top of the cultural conversation when he released ‘Take Me To Church’ in 2013. He was music’s new beatnik, held up as a true pop culture poet who cracked the mainstream despite his commitment to literary lyricism. His 2014 self-titled debut proved it, rising to the top of the charts despite containing wordy, deep tracks about death, religion, abuse and personal decay.
He’s stayed famous. There is no questioning that. But his second album didn’t reach the same dizzying, epic heights as this third album, Unreal Unearth, in which Hozier soars again.
With the same dichotomy as his debut, Unreal Unearth balances poetry with pop. As a long record of 16 tracks, there is the risk of skippable fillers. I’d argue that 2019’s Wasteland, Baby!, fell foul of that. But there’s none of that here. Setting the singles aside, the album tracks keep you hooked and stunned.
READ MORE: ★★★★☆ Hozier at Alexandra Palace review | Rich resplendence from the Irish troubadour
Helping pad out the contrasting sounds Hozier delivers as you fly from folk to soulful RnB to classic rock on the hits, album tracks like the Elton John-esque ballad ‘To Someone From A Warmer Climate’ or the rolling classic rock of ‘Who We Are’ carry you from mood to mood. Hence, nothing is ever jarring or at odds. Even the instrumental track ‘Son Of Nyx’ is so beautiful you wouldn’t dare hit next.
A major stand-out and true hidden gem for fans to discover when the full album drops is his collaboration with Brandi Carlile. Rarely one to bring another vocal onto his albums or into his distinctive artistic world, ‘Damage Gets Done’ is unlike anything we’ve heard from Hozier before. Straying into total indie pop territory, reminiscent of 80s pop rather than Irish folklore, this modern track is a surprising treat.
But the beauty of Unreal Unearth is its variety. Similar to how 2014’s Hozier raced from radio-ready hits to gothic cuts or sparse acoustic numbers, this new album isn’t afraid of being vast. Opening up into a broad record of many genres and sounds, it’s great to see Hozier’s incredible range on full display. Harking back to ‘To Eden’ on the jovial ‘Anything But’ or the soul of ‘Jackie and Wilson’ on the sexy ‘De Selby (Part 2)’ – it’s like Hozier has remembered that he’s in a lane of his own and he was swerving around the road if he wants.
If you were under any doubt that Hozier has returned to greatness, you have to listen to ‘Francesca’. A song so epic it could blow ‘Take Me To Church’ out of the water as his biggest anthem, ‘Francesca’ is a mythical rock ballad, bursting open bigger and better with every chorus. Played live at Glastonbury and his recent tour dates, ‘Francesca’ is one of his biggest tracks to date and truly a crown jewel on the record.
The same goes for ‘Unknown / nth’, but in an entirely different way. Hooking fans from day one when a demo leaked on TikTok, the opening lines of ‘you know the distance never made a difference to me’ are a perfect example of Hozier’s simple yet stunning storytelling ability.
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Storytelling seems important here. Referencing Dante’s The Divine Comedy on ‘Francesca’, Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal on ‘Eat Your Young’, Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman on ‘De Selby’ and a whole host of mythical, folkloric figures throughout, Unreal Unearth is a deeply literate album. Keeping hold of his crown as pop culture’s favourite literature boy, Hozier refuses to be dumbed down. Even on this album’s most radio-friendly singles, lengthy spiralling outros, whispering backing vocals and niche literary references hold steady.
Never over-explaining himself or overdoing his intellect, Hozier holds a unique place, inviting you into his vast creative world with its many callbacks and references but never alienating those less well-read than him. You can enjoy this album on whatever level you like. You can read his entire bookshelf to know every metaphor inside out or simply sing along. On either level, it’s stunning, audibly delightful and varied enough to keep you hooked for 16 lengthy songs.
