Hozier has long been renowned as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, especially when it comes to music focusing on romance, desire, caring and loyalty, and deep passion between those in a relationship.
His latest release, “Too Sweet”, is no exception to this, although the track takes an unexpected route from the majority of his discography.
Opening with a strong baseline and hypnotic drum sequence, Hozier’s soft, yet hauntingly powerful vocals cut in early, reflecting on his sleeping habits and how they differ from his partner’s, with himself identifying as a night owl, much to the dismay of his love who prefers to sleep with the night, rather than the mid-night or early day as he does.
Background vocals add to the evocative tone of these verses, fueling a sense of wonder as Hozier considers these differences, as well as his lover’s opposition to the freedom and spontaneity he exudes, before dramatically cutting to the chorus and returning to the original base and drums introduction.
Hozier expresses his desire to move throughout life straight-up, on his own simple terms, illustrated through drinking whiskey neat with no chaser or mixer, going to bed when he pleases, and consuming black coffee with no additions. These are all, notably, bitter experiences.
Upon these confessions, he states that this woman is “too sweet” for him, causing a rift in their relationship through their differing lifestyles and values, now once again supported by his choir, sporting a more upbeat tone.
As well, Hozier’s vocals strengthen in their power and volume, representing his assuredness with this message for his beloved.
He continues on, reassuring his lifestyle and values by stating that he aims low, aims true, and affirming that “the ground’s where I (he) go(es).” He also expresses his satisfaction with jobs getting done, working late on his own time frame without worry or stress, which is shown to be quite the juxtaposition to his lover’s mindset. He comments on the hypocrisy of treating her mouth as “Heaven’s Gate” while holding a much stricter standard with her body, employing a comparison to the TSA.
Finally, Hozier admits that he wishes they could be more compatible and mesh their lifestyles together better due to her positive attributes (bright as the morning, soft as the rain, pretty as a vine, sweet as a grape).
However, he questions if she could sit in a barrel, waiting until a day when she could ferment into wine, which is more palatable to him, while still retaining a degree of sweetness that attracted him to her in the first place.
Finishing the song with a repeat of the chorus, Hozier once again confirms that as of now, his lover is still too sweet for him, and there will have to be changes made, by one of them or both, if they hope to see their relationship thrive.
