Hozier - Unreal Unearth
HOZIER’S long-awaited new album Unreal Unearth is a brave if uneven release from the Irish indie rocker.
It has been four years since Andrew Hozier-Byrne, better known by his stage name, released Wasteland, Baby!
Since then, fans have been left desperate for a new release.
Jumping from genre to genre, at turns folk, blues, electro-pop, and ’80s classic rock, Unreal Unearth pushes the envelope of the singer’s usual style.
The album starts slow with two-parter De Selby. Lilting sweetly in Irish, listeners are left begging for more.
However, the album swiftly returns to bluesy form with First Time. Singing that “some part of me must have died the final time you called me baby”, the song is vintage Hozier, exactly the kind of song that propelled him to stardom with his self-titled debut album in 2014.
Unreal Unearth really takes off when Brandi Carlile lends soaring vocals to Damage Gets Done, Hozier’s poppiest song yet. Reminiscent of Robyn, it is a certified pop ballad.
All in all Unreal Unearth suffers from being overproduced… perhaps the next one should spend less time in the oven.
FOUR STARS
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Aerosmith - Greatest Hits
Celebrating 50 years since their eponymous debut album, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame members Aerosmith have released a career-spanning Greatest Hits compilation.
The Boston quintet, led by lead singer Steven Tyler, have sold more than 150 million albums to claim the title of best-selling American hard rock band, winning four Grammy Awards on the way.
Each era of the band is explored through Greatest Hits, from their ’70s beginnings through their ’90s dominance of MTV and rock radio stations to their most recent studio album, which was released in 2012. As expected, all the band’s classic tracks are featured such as Dream On, Walk This Way and I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.
Available in a range of formats, the most appealing to collectors will be the four-LP Super Deluxe Edition which features packaging curated by the band with a book-style sleeve and contains 44 tracks.
As their latest compilation comes 43 years after their first Greatest Hits collection, the majority of fans will already be well-versed in what the latest one has to offer; however, it provides a fantastic starting point for anyone looking to begin exploring the band’s vast discography.
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Dizzy - Dizzy
Canadian indie band Dizzy have made a real breakthrough with the melodic dream pop of their third album, which is about to propel them into the big leagues.
Singer Katie Munshaw and instrumentalists Alex, Mackenzie and Charlie Spencer specialise in shimmering songs with insistent hooks that make an instant impact.
This self-titled album delivers an opening salvo of Birthmark, Close and Open Up Wide, before Starling heralds a change of pace, gradually building from a minimal start.
Knock The Wind is acoustic guitar and barely-there vocals, and Stupid 4 U a love song ballad, Munshaw singing “I think you are my family now” and referencing Wilco’s classic Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.
The angry breakup song Birthmark mentions singer-songwriter Soccer Mommy, while fans of another Ontario band Alvvays will likely find Dizzy kindred spirits.
Increasingly confident live, as proved in a short UK tour in May, they’ll be playing in much bigger rooms when they return.
The final track asks Are You Sick Of Me Yet? but the truth is Dizzy are only just getting started.
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Renee Rapp - Snow Angel
Actress Renee Rapp, known for her TV role in The Sex Lives Of College Girls and playing Regina George in Mean Girls: The Musical on Broadway, has focused her creativity into confessional debut music album Snow Angel.
The infectious opening pop track Talk Too Much speaks to the relatable insecurities behind a seemingly self-assured woman, including recorded dialogue to an ex-partner inserted into the song, making it both quirky and honest.
The album has Rapp’s heart tattooed on to every track, flagrantly speaking her truth in both catchy pop songs such as Poison Poison and So What Now, as well as emotional ballads including I Hate Boston and Willow.
Title track Snow Angel begins with a deceptively tranquil piano and a subdued voice before building into a powerful ballad with lyrics that preach resilience while also traversing raw vulnerability.
The album’s stand-out track, I Wish is the epitome of honest and poignant lyrics that connect with the listener and provide solace, along with Tummy Hurts.
The album showcases Rapp’s emotive range, mastered from her time in musical theatre, while serving as a reminder of the power in exposing your vulnerability.
FOUR STARS
