REVIEW: Ed Sheeran returns to dominate pop with ‘=’
Ed Sheeran’s album ÷ was so widely played and internationally successful it’s hard to believe it’s been over three and a half years since its release. Though he did produce No. 6 Collaborations Project, an entirely collaborative, genre-expansive endeavor, it didn’t follow the same format or sound as his string of mathematically titled releases, buoyed by his talent on an acoustic guitar. On = (pronounced “equals”) he returns to form, finding inspiration in a string of energetic pop songs where he tells of tender and wholesome moments from the last few years.
=
Ed Sheeran
Atlantic, Oct. 28
7/10
A lot has changed since the release of ÷. He got married and had his first baby, a daughter named Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran. Right off the bat, it’s clear his new family is where he found inspiration for the album’s lyrical journeys. In the first line of the opening track “Tides,” he sings, “I have grown up/ I am a father now,” telling us directly that he’s matured and embarrassed of things he did in his youth. It’s the first of several songs with tender lyrics directed at his daughter.
“Sandman,” perhaps the sweetest song of the album, plays like a lullaby for her. Guitars and percussion collide alongside Sheeran’s high-pitched vocals to sound almost like a mobile swinging above a crib. “Fall in the world of your song/ Whatever you feel can never be wrong/ Come along for the ride/ And in the shake of a lamb’s tail we’ll go,” he sings. It’s nice to hear a tribute to his kid, though it’s not likely to take over the world like his romantic tributes like “Thinking Out Loud.”
Many songs on the album do sound very similar to previous releases from Sheeran, particularly “2 step,” where he does his traditional rap-singing alongside acoustic guitar, highly reminiscent of one of his earliest hits like “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You.” Or take “Love In Slow Motion,” which reminisces on nights with friends and too much to drink, as he plucks his guitar gently, then rapidly. This has more folky energy, similar to that on “Castle On The Hill.”
Sheeran does push for a new sound at points, mostly formed through the album’s singles, both of which are currently snuggled in the top 10 of the Billboard 10o. “Bad Habits” has an almost ticking beat that picks up as the lyrics spiral into late nights and conversations with strangers before he realizes, “I got nothin’ left to lose, or use, or do.” During the refrain, he employs an electronic and thumping beat to underly his harmonizing. “Shivers” also features a sharp electronic clap as he sings of another night of partying that blends into the morning. The accompanying video features a wide-eyed AnnaSophia Robb as his love interest. Ed Sheeran dons various outfits inspired by one of the few British singers who’ve done all he’s done, if not more: Elton John.
The absolute highlight of the album comes on “Overpass Graffiti,” which starts with a deep and fast-paced beat while Sheeran sings of a relationship that feels as permanent as the graffiti sprayed across highways and bridges. It follows in the vein of the singles, with tinges of electronic and R&B merging with his poppy refined and romantic songwriting. “You were the first full stop that will never leave,” is perhaps the best line to reflect his ability with versatile lyrics with double meanings.
Though = might not offer an entirely new sound for Sheeran, it’s a welcome return for the singer-songwriter whose music has the ability and sensitivity to work across generations and borders.
Follow Domenic Strazzabosco at Twitter.com/domenicstrazz and Instagram.com/domenicstrazz.