For the longest time, “Take Me to Church” was the only song by Hozier that I knew.

Eventually, “Cherry Wine” was added to the list as it was another one of his popular pieces.

However, since I had nothing better to do during the pandemic shutdown, my eyes were opened to a whole new realm of music as I dug deeper into Hozier’s discography. It was then that I had found another artist to add to my favorites.

Since then, I have been waiting for Hozier to release new music. That was in 2020, three years ago, and his most recent album, Wasteland, Baby!, was released in 2019. After five agonizing years for his long-time fans and three years for myself, we were finally gifted with three new songs in his EP, Eat Your Young. 

The first track has the same name as the EP title, “Eat Your Young.” This song is quite different from some of his past music. There is a larger hint of pop in the musicality than the typical acoustics that I am used to hearing from him. Now, this is definitely not a bad thing; it is new to the ear after hearing such a different side of him.

Along with that, there are many layers to this song lyrically. The song definitely has some lyrics that are more erotic, but he also makes plenty of references to gluttony and greed in the world. One lyric, “puttin’ food on the table sellin’ bombs and guns,” pertains to the gluttony of war and how a capitalistic society ends up with the selling of weapons being regulated by the same people who regulate food sales. The way that Hozier is able to peel layers off of a song like an onion will never cease to astound me. While this song introduces a new side to Hozier that I have never seen before, I absolutely love it.

The second track on Eat Your Young is called “All Things End.” This song, unlike “Eat Your Young,” returns back to Hozier’s roots. His beautiful, booming voice is accompanied by a cacophony of background singers, which enhances the song immensely. The musicality of this song is dominated by the piano, but the chorale adds more depth to the song, creating a gift for the ears.

The meaning of this song is much easier to decipher but is still incredible nonetheless. As the song entails, nothing lasts forever. Throughout the track, Hozier expresses his heartbreak over this realization. One of my favorite lines is when Hozier sings, “All that we intend is scrawled in sand / or slips right through our hands.” Through these lyrics, Hozier poetically depicts how nothing is permanent. Sand can easily slip through the gaps between our fingers, be washed away by the tide, or blown away by the wind, just like something that seems to be going perfectly in life. What I love most about this song is how everyone can relate to this. Everyone has felt the heartbreak of a truly good thing leaving their life, and this song is something that can resonate with many people.

The third and final song on the EP is titled “Through Me (The Flood).” The musicality of this song definitely has a more upbeat tone to it as it has a faster speed than the other two tracks. Much like “All Things End,” “Through Me (The Flood)” also is accompanied by a chorale, but this time, the additional voices invoke a tone of power rather than togetherness and melancholy. 

“Through Me (The Flood)” is a song about a man—most likely Hozier—experiencing a wave of defeat. Hozier uses the metaphor of a man attempting to swim in the ocean to depict his unfaithful plights. He explains through this metaphor that no matter how many times his strength fails him, he will gather it once more and try again until he is victorious. It is even more evident that Hozier is referring to himself in this song after he switches his use of pronouns from third person to first person. My favorite line in the song is when he sings, “Anytime I’d struggle on / against the course out on my own / every time I’d burn through the world, I see / that the world, it burns through me.” Hozier is saying that though he is fighting whatever obstacles on his own, he has the strength for the world to throw anything at him and for him to still not fall. 

Once again, many listeners can relate to “Through Me (The Flood)” as many people have faced defeat at some point in their lives. With the message of strength that is portrayed through this song, the musicality paired with it adds optimism and power to the entire track. It is truly a remarkable song.

Hozier will never disappoint me with his music. Though we were only given three new songs of his, I was blown away by each. Hozier is able to perfectly pair musicality with lyrics, which in turn, results in fantastic music. With his impending tour that was announced following the release of this EP, I can only assume that more music is to come. And, if it is anything like Eat Your Young, then I will be more than satisfied.