By ABBY BRAVO
Editor-in-Chief
Irish singer songwriter Hozier released his EP, “Unheard,” on March 22 which includes songs that were originally cut from his full length album “Unreal Unearth” that was released in August of 2023.
There are four songs total on the EP, “Too Sweet” being the one to take social media by storm. This was a highly anticipated song as a teaser for it was posted a month before the release which kickstarted a slew of TikTok trends and talks of the release. The most popular song on the EP by far and the third most popular on the entire extended album, this song did not disappoint with the angsty and slightly erotic energy.
Similes are littered through this song saying the love interest is “Bright as the morning; As soft as the rain; Pretty as a vine; As sweet as a grape,” among others. But, the notable lyrics that have swept across social media read “I take my whiskey neat; My coffee black and my bed at three; You’re too sweet for me” which are clear in the sense that they are proving that a partner may be too good for him.
Personally, “Too Sweet” is not the song that took the top spot on my ranking like I had expected. For me, the third song on the EP, “Empire Now,” was an absolutely jaw dropping listen. From its western inspired guitar to the chilling beat drops throughout the song, it is a masterpiece to say the least. On top of that, Hozier has always been an activist for important causes and often adds political undertones to his music, this song carries on that theme with lyrics like “The martyrs of our revolution; Their spinnin’ caused the earth to shake; The problem brought its own solution; They power now the world we’ve made.”
These kinds of lyrics call back to songs of his like “Nina Cried Power,” which he recorded with well known activist and singer Mavis Staples, which heavily references the Civil Rights Movement and the more recent Black Lives Matter movement. He also adds a lyric pointing at the climate crisis; “If it falls, I would hold on for all it’s worth; The future’s so bright it’s burnin’,” which can be interpreted as either the future is on fire if what we are doing doesn’t change, or its worth changing and it is possible. In my opinion, this song has not gotten nearly enough love for the work of art it is so if you haven’t listened to it yet, I highly recommend it as words can only describe so much.
Backing up to the second song on the EP, “Wildflowers and Barley,” which features Allison Rusell. This song takes on a different style from “Too Sweet” and “Empire Now” and features sounds from nature and talks of springtime, fitting into the earthy tones of the album as a whole. The lyrics are fit to ring in the warm weather (that we have experienced very little of here in Albany) while also holding a beautifully morbid undertone seen in lyrics like “this year, I swear it will be buried in words (The diggers are diggin’ the earth); Some close to the surface, some close to the casket.” This song also vaguely references the River Styx and the ferryman Chiron from Greek mythology, a recurring character in Hozier’s songs, in the lyrics “Riverboat, wheelbarrow, wildflower and barley,” signifying the death of winter and making room for the coming of spring.
This song also holds the only mention of the album namesake singing “I feel as useful as dirt, unreal unearth.” All in all, this song seems to symbolize all that Unreal Unearth was reaching for, which makes leaving it out from the original album an interesting choice.
The final song on the EP, “Fare Well” holds a similar energy to “Wildflowers and Barley” with a calming and uplifting tone but still slightly morbid. He references many different situations thought to end in disaster, or not “fare well,” in his lyrics such as “Hedgehog-under-a-van-wheel kind of wouldn’t fare well; And I, I wouldn’t fare well; A kitten-cozy-in-the-engine type of wouldn’t fare well; A dog-deep-into-the-chocolate kind of wouldn’t fare well,” which he alludes to him as he attempts to “feel good again.” The song, while seemingly pessimistic, concludes with a sweet sentiment, ‘Joy, disaster, come unbound here; I’ll deny me none while I’m allowed; With all things above the ground,” which is a reminder common in his lyrics that our time on Earth is limited and we should experience life to the fullest, which includes both the good and the bad.
All in all, I am a firm believer that Hozier has no bad songs and this EP and album overall holds true to that. There is a very good mix of vibes between the songs in the EP alone, from edgy and raw to serene and gentle which fall into line with the rest of the songs on the album. How these songs were cut from the full album originally is beyond me.
There is now a full album titled “Unreal Unearth: Unheard,” where you can listen to the full album with the four added songs from the new EP from start to finish. The album amazed me from the first time I heard it and it only got better with each listen so I urge anyone who has found anything I’ve said intriguing to listen.
Hozier is currently touring and will be in the United States this summer and, while his tour is sold out in our area, if you manage to get your hands on some tickets it will be an unforgettable experience. As someone who has seen his show for this album live already, it is truly a must-see. It was a more laid back atmosphere but you will find yourself completely immersed in both the sound and the visuals. And yes, he sounds even better live.
