The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
16
new
SPILL FEATURE: FAREWELL TO THE EINSTEINS OF CONSCIOUSNESS – A CONVERSATION WITH TORONTO’S UBIQUITOUS SYNERGY SEEKER
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: REGNVM ANIMALE – IGNIS SACER
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – “CHILD OF GOD”
SPILL FEATURE: TOMORROW COMES FROM TODAY – A CONVERSATION WITH CHARLIE ANGUS OF GRIEVOUS ANGELS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RHYE – HOME
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SCOTT KLEIN – “WHAT’S MY NAME”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: SOUTH OF FRANCE – “SIDEWALK”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: HOT LIPS – “FEMICIDE”
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: KATEY MORLEY – HEARTS & HEADS & THOUGHTS & DEEDS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LEAHY – “GOOD WATER”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BILL JR. JR. (A.K.A. VANCOUVER SINGER-SONGWRITER RUSSELL GENDRON) TO RELEASE ‘HOMEBODY’ ON JANUARY 26 | SINGLE “DEAR NEIGHBOUR” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: CAPE TOWN PUNK-DUO THE SOAPGIRLS RELEASE “HEART IN BLOOM” – A LOCKDOWN TRIBUTE TO HOPE AND LOVE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: STRIPPERS UNION RETURN AFTER 10 YEAR HIATUS WITH NEW DOUBLE-LP ‘THE UNDERTAKING’ VIA THE ORCHARD | FIRST SINGLE “WE ARE THE UNDERWORLD” RELEASED
SPILL NEW MUSIC: ROCK HEARTTHROB RICK SPRINGFIELD MEETS CLASSIC ROCK HEROES BADFINGER FOR A SPECIAL NEW SINGLE “LOVE IS GONNA COME AT LAST”
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: THE LUXURIOUS FAUX FURS – LIKE A REAL SHADOW
SPILL ALBUM PREMIERE: UNMANNED – UNMANNED
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
REGISTER
@
LOGIN
Album Reviews
2279
previous article
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: THE WAVERLYS - "GOOD GIRL"
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LIL BERETE - ICEBREAKER

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOZIER – NINA CRIED POWER

Hozier

Hozier
Nina Cried Power
Sony Music

It’s been four years since the release of Hozier’s debut self-titled album, save for a single cinematic track, “Better Love,” penned for the 2016’s “The Legend of Tarzan”.

Now, Hozier has finally and mercifully obliged to fans’ pleas for new music, gracing us with his latest four-track EP, Nina Cried Power.

The first and title track prematurely confirmed my fears that Hozier’s music would shift away from the lo-fi attic production of his first album into a higher-produced “Better Love” era. However, “Nina Cried Power”, a power ballad complete with swelling choir vocals, presents a message and emotive effect far stronger than any made-for-soundtrack love song could.

Soul legend Mavis Staples’ vocal addition adds a strength, desperation, and urgency never before heard in Hozier’s work. Hozier’s own vocals are also at their strongest, as the singer falls effortlessly back on his choral roots. The song is an anthem for activism and uprising: according to Hozier’s email newsletter, his goal was “to credit the actuality of hope, solidarity and love found in the human spirit at a time when their opposites were being given a mainstream platform 24/7.” Name-dropping Nina Simone, B.B King, James Brown, and John Lennon, “Nina Cried Power” fulfills this goal in a new era that needs hope now as ever.

The second track, “NFWMB”, is decidedly softer, relieving any fears that Hozier’s new direction would mean an album made solely of anthemia ballads. The start of “NFWMB” begins with a familiar sound, reminiscent of the guitar riff previously found on “It Will Come Back”, though the track overall has a softer, more Icelandic feel. Lyrically, stating that, “Nothing fucks with baby”, Hozier returns to arguably his greatest strength: romanticizing darkness, death, and turmoil to create a contrastingly gentle ode to a lover.

The next track, “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue)” is the most upbeat of the album; if you were ever going to dance to a Hozier song (but you probably weren’t) this would be the one, and, in case you couldn’t tell by the bluesy riffs, swinging rhythm, subtle yet sordid lyrics, and its impeccably satisfying climax, the song is about sex. Considering this and its religious allusions, it’s undeniably the “Take Me to Church” of the EP, and a standout track amongst the four.

The final track, “Shrike” closes the EP with further folky romanticism, and, unlike much of Hozier’s work, brings apparent his native Irish accent. For the award-winning artist, “Shrike” is nothing groundbreaking, but its melancholic melody and regretful musing serves as the perfect balance to the opening track and a thoughtful close to the EP.

If Nina Cried Power, particularly considering the momentum of the monstrous opening track, is indicative of what we can expect of Hozier’s incoming second LP, then we’re potentially anticipating what could be his greatest upcoming musical release to date.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOZIER – NINA CRIED POWER

Author

Alexandra Houle

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
9.2
8.0
Total Spill Rating
9.2
Total Fan Rating
29 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewshoziermavis staplesnina cried powersony music
album review, album reviews, hozier, mavis staples, nina cried power, sony music
About the Author
Alexandra Houle
Alexandra Houle
Alex was born in Hamilton, Ontario, but has until now spent most of her adult life moonlighting as a music journalist in Sydney, Australia. If her Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, and Rolling Stones tattoos aren't a tip-off, she's a lover of all things rock and roll, and, should writing/journalism not pan out, intends to fall back on her laurels and marry Robert Plant.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewshozier
 
7.0
Regnvm Animale
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: REGNVM ANIMALE – IGNIS SACER

by Bryan Williston on January 24, 2021
Regnvm Animale Ignis Sacer Deutsche Bulvan Bolag ‘Unchecked growth sees capitalist greed choking democracy, while global temperatures rise at an alarming rate.’ With such a [...]
 
7.0
Rhye

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RHYE – HOME

by Robert Defina on January 22, 2021
Rhye Home Last Gang Records Toronto-born Michael Milosh has been able to cultivate something both unique and engaging with Rhye–a sultry, soothing mix of R&B and indie pop which toes the line [...]
 
7.0
Azure Ray

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AZURE RAY – AZURE RAY (20th ANNIVERSARY VINYL EDITION)

by Samantha Stevens on January 16, 2021
Azure Ray Azure Ray (20th Anniversary Vinyl Edition) Flower Moon Records To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of their self-titled debut album, Azure Ray has some [...]
 
10
Danielle Durack

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DANIELLE DURACK – NO PLACE

by Nathan Pike on January 15, 2021
Danielle Durack No Place Undertow Music “Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re [...]
 
8.0
Front Line Assembly
5.7

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL

by Trista Whitman on January 15, 2021
Front Line Assembly Mechanical Soul Metropolis Records After over three decades of music from industrial greats Front Line Assembly, they’ve now released their 17th album, [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: REGNVM ANIMALE – IGNIS SACER
7.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RHYE – HOME
7.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AZURE RAY – AZURE RAY (20th ANNIVERSARY V...
7.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DANIELLE DURACK – NO PLACE
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
8.0
5.7
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on January 7, 2021
88
 

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – ‘KVITRAVN’ PRESENTATION (ONLINE PERFORMANCE)

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
158
 
Evanescence

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: EVANESCENCE @ ROCK FALCON STUDIO, NASHVILLE (TN)

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
48
 
Alice In Chains

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MoPOP PRESENTS: ALICE IN CHAINS @ MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE, SEATTLE (WA)

by Gerrod Harris on December 1, 2020
62
 
Lowest Of The Low

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LOWEST OF THE LOW @ LEE’S PALACE, TORONTO

by John Graham on November 28, 2020
1296
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: REMEMBERING LEX GORE: A SPILL MAGAZINE MEMORIAL – TRIBUTE BY SUSANA MEZA
2710
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN LENNON – GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES
651
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARY HOPKIN – ANOTHER ROAD
596
 
SPILL FEATURE: THAT GOOD OLD FASHIONED RAZZMATAZZ – A CONVERSATION WITH DALLON WEEKES OF I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
589
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
559
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
542
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
518
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY 2.0
498
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
479
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON ANDERSON – 1000 HANDS
468
 
SPILL FEATURE: TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY – A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
446
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
437
 
SPILL FEATURE: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME – A CONVERSATION WITH CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
365
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES