We’re still in the Wasteland, Baby: Hozier has announced a special vinyl release of his second studio album Wasteland, Baby! to celebrate the record’s 5th anniversary. While the album technically celebrates its fifth birthday on March 1, the vinyl will be released on April 19.
Pre-order the Wasteland, Baby! 5th Anniversary Vinyl
The vinyl package will be available in Ultra Clear & Transparent Green discs. The printing will include the album in all its glory on sides A-C, while side D will feature tracks from his Nina Cried Power EP, a stunning live version of “Shrike” from Dublin’s Windmill Lane Studios, an acoustic version of “Be” (available to listen to today), and an extremely special unheard track “Why Would You Be Loved” – recorded at the time of Wasteland, Baby!
Hozier’s second album debuted atop the Billboard 200 upon its release, making it the singer-songwriter’s first U.S. number one record. Following the release of his debut record and the massive success of the single “Take Me To Church,” Hozier took a one-year break from his work to move back to Ireland. It was during this time that he gathered inspiration for Wasteland, Baby!, which he wrote between 2017 and 2019. The record produced the singles “Nina Cried Power” (referring to one Nina Simone) featuring Mavis Staples, “Movement,” “Almost (Sweet Music),” and “Dinner & Diatribes.”
The album reconciles apocalyptic imagery with themes of hope. Back in 2019, Hozier shared that the record is about “finding some silver lining, something to hang onto, and something that provides you with some amount of hope and gives you some sense of faith in people and faith in the kindness that people are capable of…That’s what a lot of the songs on the record were trying to reach for.”
In August of last year Hozier scored his first ever UK number 1 with his third studio album Unreal Unearth. He outsold the entire UK Top 5 combined in release week and also scored the top spot in Ireland, as well as securing his first ever number 1 album in the Netherlands and top 5 spots in the USA and Germany.
