Almost (Sweet Music)
{{short description|2018 song by Hozier}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Almost (Sweet Music)
| cover = File:Almost Sweet Music.jpg
| type = single
| artist = Hozier
| album = Wasteland, Baby!
| released = 16 January 2019
| recorded =
| genre =
| length = 3:37
| label =
| writer = Hozier
| producer =
| prev_title = Movement
| prev_year = 2018
| next_title = Dinner & Diatribes
| next_year = 2019
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|JJ9IX4zgyLs|"Almost (Sweet Music)"}}}}
}}
"Almost (Sweet Music)" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier for his second studio album, Wasteland, Baby! It was released on 16 January 2019 as the third single from the record, peaking at number eight on the Irish Singles Chart.
Writing and composition
{{listen
|filename=Almost_Sweet_Music.ogg
|pos= left
|title= "Almost (Sweet Music)"
|description=The track is framed by handclaps and storytelling through song titles and names of jazz artists; the lyric "that was my heart/the drums that start off "Night and Day"" references "Prelude to a Kiss" by Duke Ellington.}}
"Almost (Sweet Music)" is the second track on the album, written by Hozier alone.{{cite web |title=Almost (Sweet Music) |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/almost-sweet-music-mt0056437134 |website=AllMusic |access-date=13 January 2021}} "Almost (Sweet Music)" is a folk song with handclaps, "honey-rich" vocals, and gospel choral backing.{{cite web |title=Wasteland, Baby! Review |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-hozier-deepens-his-folk-soul-sound-on-wasteland-baby-801152/ |website=Rolling Stone |access-date=13 January 2021}}{{cite web |title=Hozier: Wasteland, Baby! |url=https://www.popmatters.com/hozier-wasteland-baby-review-2630193793.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1 |website=PopMatters |access-date=13 January 2021}} The lyrics tell a story by paying homage to artists of jazz tradition, including Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, asking "do I owe each kiss to lip and cheek/as soft as Chet can sing"?{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hozier-pays-tribute-to-jazz-traditions-in-almost-sweet-music-823172/|title=Hoziers Pay Tribute to Jazz Traditions in 'Almost (Sweet Music)'|website=Rolling Stone|date=16 April 2019|accessdate=18 December 2020}}
The track also "provides a glimpse into his personal journey between the two full-length studio albums" with vocals of both jubilation and exhaustion.
On the song, Hozier stated that "since the song references music so much and is about the experience of listening to music, the concept of this video is kind of drawing from the jazz tradition and just a lot of musicians and a lot of dancers whose disciplines stem from that tradition.”
Critical reception
The song received generally positive reviews. The Irish Times stated that "the melody is lifted by a multi-voiced choir bursting straight out of the Pearly Gates"{{cite web |title=Wasteland, Baby! Review |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/hozier-wasteland-baby-track-by-track-review-of-his-new-album-1.3791141 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=13 January 2021}} and The Arts Desk states that "the verse is beautifully mumbled and the whole lot just sways", comparing it to a Van Morrison track.{{cite web |title=CD: Hozier - Wasteland Baby! |url=https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/cd-hozier-wasteland-baby |website=The Arts Desk |access-date=13 January 2021}} PopMatters concluded that the song captured "deep personal sentiment" and illustrated the "fullness and richness of Hozier's timbre" while Rolling Stone dismissed track among "songs that pile on folksy handclaps and [..] gospel choirs in the hopes of landing on a-coffeehouse playlist."{{cite web |title=Hozier, Wasteland Baby |url=https://www.popmatters.com/hozier-wasteland-baby-review-2630193793.html |website=PopMatters}}
Commercial performance
The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Rock Digital Sales Chart and number eight on the Irish Singles Chart.{{cite web |title=Almost (Sweet Music) |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/hozier/chart-history/rkt/ |website=Billboard |access-date=13 January 2021}} The song was certified gold in the UK.{{cite web |title=Almost (Sweet Music) |url=https://www.top-charts.com/s/almost-sweet-music-hozier1 |website=Top Charts |access-date=13 January 2021}}{{cite web |title=Hozier Certifications |url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/ |website=BPI}} Billboard described the track as a "love letter to jazz" and a "a bright and cheery homage to the "sweet music" that shaped his growth as a songwriter."
Music video
The official music video for "Almost (Sweet Music)" was released on 16 April 2019. The video was directed by Blythe Thomas and stars dancers Cameron Boyce and Christine Flores. {{cite web |title=FEATURE IN HOZIER MUSIC VIDEO, ALMOST (SWEET MUSIC) |url=http://www.susandmandel.com/news/2019/5/1/feature-in-hozier-music-video-almost-sweet-music |website=Susan P. Mandel |access-date=13 January 2021}} It intertwines footage of Hozier playing guitar in an empty warehouse with performers interpretive dancing to a "rhythm that works in every environment, from a raucous house party to [..] a cellist practicing in a cozy library."{{cite web |title=Hozier releases "Almost" Music Video |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8507413/hozier-almost-sweet-music-video |website=Billboard |access-date=13 January 2021}} The video has garnered over 12 million views on YouTube.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ9IX4zgyLs|title=Hozier – Almost (Sweet Music) (Official Video)|via=YouTube|accessdate=19 March 2021}}
Personnel
Personnel from "Wasteland, Baby!" liner notes{{Cite AV media notes |title=Wasteland, Baby! |others=Hozier |date= 2019 |type= CD liner notes}}
- A. Hozier-Byrne – vocals, guitar, piano, claps, snaps, shaker
- Alex Ryan – bass, Wurlitzer, claps, snaps
- Rory Doyle – kick drum, claps, snaps
- Booker T. Jones – organ
- Paul Clarvis – tambourine
Charts
=Weekly charts=
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2019/hot-rock-songs/|title=Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2019|work=Billboard|accessdate=July 25, 2022}}
| 30 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Hozier|title=Almost (Sweet Music)|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2018|certyear=2024|access-date=12 March 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Hozier|title=Almost (Sweet Music)|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=20 January 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Hozier|title=Almost (Sweet Music)|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=15 March 2024|id=16920-3978-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Hozier|title=Almost (Sweet Music)|relyear=2019|certyear=2024|access-date=13 September 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Hozier}}