Hozier is an Irish musician who might best be known for his 2013 debut hit “Take Me to Church”. In 2018, he returned with a new EP titled “Nina Cried Power” while recording his second studio album, which he released in March of 2019. It was called “Wasteland, Baby!” and was met with highly positive reviews from fans and critics alike. Today I will be reviewing the full album and stating whether I recommend it or not.

Nina Cried Power: This song feels so raw, one of the most open songs screaming to be heard that I have ever heard. It pays homage to civil rights leaders/MLK supporters who also doubled as legendary African American musicians who’ve inspired Hozier, especially paying tribute to Nina Simone, for whom the track is titled. Hozier’s typical Irish folk sound blends beautifully with the American rock and blues twang in this song, and it’s a great one to listen to while angry. 7.5/10.

Almost (Sweet Music): An ode to the jazz era, this song has a great, happy feel to it that makes you almost want to get up and dance or sing along to while clapping your hands. Hozier calls it “the experience of listening to music”, and I can absolutely understand that. The lyrics and music of the song make you feel like you’re in one of those old-timey pubs where locals would dance, drink, and have fun after a long day. 9/10.

Movement: Hozier’s vocal ability really shines through here. There is some gospel inspiration tied in with American rock present in this song and his lyrics are like traditional Irish folk music, once again twisting musical genres together again. It’s a bit more chorus-heavy than the others, which can get repetitive, but the sheer beauty of the music does not make the song sound tired or overrun at all. 7/10.

No Plan: This is a more smooth, bluesy song. The guitar at the beginning and little intervals throughout the song really make it for me. The lyrics, such as “There’s no plan/There’s no race to be run/The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun/There’s no plan/There’s no kingdom to come/I’ll be your man if you got love to get done/Sit in and watch the sunlight fade/Honey, enjoy, it’s gettin’ late”, make it feel quite relaxed and remind the listener to just live and enjoy life and that the sun rises and falls every day, so don’t worry so much. 7.5/10.

Nobody: This sound is very distinctly Hozier, from the guitar to the way his voice is constantly changing to achieve a different kind of feeling at different parts of the song. His high note caught me off guard, but I liked it. The lyrics are not as poetic as some of his other music, however it is amazing musically, pushing boundaries of what can and cannot be performed. For lack of better words, it’s “vibey” and puts the listener in a good mood. 8/10.

To Noise Making (Sing): This song has more of an old-timey feel to it, like in those old movies when men would walk through the door and start singing to their families and/or friends. It almost feels like there should be dancers to the song whenever one listens to it. The gospel feel is back in this song, emphasized especially by the background singers as Hozier gently croons, “Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing, sing…” It feels a little less unique, but it’s still a really cool sound and awesome to listen to! 7/10.

As It Was: There is a darker mood in this one, highlighted by Hozier’s whispers and broody lyrics, like “Whenever I’d had life enough/My heart is screaming of”. There is an almost eerie feel to it, and I’m not quite sure if “Lord of the Rings” would be applicable, but it very much feels as if it could have been a part of the soundtrack. The feeling of walking through the woods is inexplicable but palpable. 8/10.

Shrike: This song is one of the more folk-traditional ones, and Hozier sings about rebirth and becoming a bird in his next life. It’s more on the mellower side and encompasses his musical roots in Ireland. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about it, but it only makes the song that much more likeable. 7/10.

Talk: The whimsical feel of this song is unparalleled, where he sings about the sad tale of Orpheus and Eurydice and how his love is a myth. He laments his poor lost love and the fact that he has lost his way on his path to God. The music is very simple in this song, but the solid bass line maintains the lower, less happy emotions this song conveys. 7.5/10.

Be: From the getgo, I really like the instrumentals. A good guitar solo is a classic, respected way to start a song and I still love it. Hozier sings about the conception of Adam and to “be as you’ve always been”, staying true to yourself but with a more twisted delivery than most pop songs have. The vibes for this song are like a chill indie concert, where the song is amazing and yet is not the kind where it wants you to jump up and down in excitement. It’s also quite catchy and very fun to sing along to. 10/10.

Dinner and Diatribes: I really love the instrumentals in this song as well, maybe even more than the last one because the guitar is very energetic and matches with Hozier’s vocals beautifully. The lyrics aren’t as poetic as the other songs, but the delivery is phenomenal and I could absolutely see myself listening to this song on the daily. 10/10.

Would That I: If I’d said one of the songs above was whimsical, this is even more so. This song is an anthem of a boy declaring his love to a girl a very long time ago. He keeps saying she’s good to him but cries out his woes and pain, until he finally lets go of his past loves and lets her be a part of him. 9.5/10.

Sunlight: The rhythm of this song is really cool, especially when Hozier uses very similar-sounding rhyming words to bounce off one another. The lyrics are brilliant, and I especially love that he seems to tell a story of a boy who fell in love with sunlight but flew too close and was burned. The music is also top-notch, making this song very pleasing to listen to. 8.5/10.

Wasteland, Baby!: Yet another song on the mellower side. However, this one tells the tale of a slowly overtaking, terrifying fear of heartbreak. Hozier sings about falling in love so deeply with someone in the wasteland of the world and knowing that eventually they will have to break that love because his heart is also the wasteland. It’s a heartbreaking song to listen to but deeply emotional and beautifully poetic. 9/10.

Overall, I would recommend this album to anyone who likes indie artists (although he may be more mainstream now, Hozier still very much embodies an indie sound) who sample and mix different genres and types of music. I rate this album a 9/10!