As one of the most popular and influential artists in music today, Ed Sheeran finally released his third coming album, Divide, last week. Following Multiply, Ed promised that this album would far exceed everyone’s expectations, promoting that while his previously album was very good, he could do better. Ed is a performer, songwriter, and true original in the music industry today. So how does his new music stack up to his previous work? Did he deliver on his promise of ‘better’ music than his previous two records?
The album begins with “Eraser”, a powerful opening and stark contrast to the beautifully sparse “One” from his last album. Its a bit cliche. The music industry is bad, fame isn’t what it may seem on the surface, and despite all of his success, he’ll still be the same Ed. This album is set to be a journey of not succumbing to the throws of superstardom. “Castle on a Hill” is a scrapbook in a song, which is what Ed does best & what sets him apart from every other Pop artist today. He flexes his ability to truly tell a story through song. This perfectly follows the opening track as an ode to remaining the same redheaded wannabe singer that he was before “The A Team” ripped him from his small town home.
“Dive” follows this, and reminds me of “Thinking Out Loud”, but in all the right ways. This time Ed's straining voice preaches, “Don’t call me baby, unless you mean it” - That he will move on and not feel bad about it. A hopeless romantic finally standing up for himself, in a way. I think Ed speaks for all of us when singing, “I don’t know how much I can take”. “Shape of You” aptly follows a song that is sick of romance. This is a dance-driven, club anthem, and it feels much like radio fodder, reminiscent of “Sing” - but better. Darker, sexier, and more inclined to get people up off their feet, this highlights Ed’s sheer ability to go from love ballad to dance track without ever skipping a beat.
“Perfect” is a relapse from the club-banging anthem, and shows Ed in his purest form. “We are still kids, but we’re so in love”, Ed stumbles home to see his ‘perfect’ woman waiting for him in bed, welcoming him back into her arms. This is a slow burner, and one to savor. “Happier” is - you guessed it - a tale of lost love, admittance, and despair. Ed apologizes for hurting someone, but admits that his lost love looks happier without him. “Nursing an empty bottle”, he consoles himself with a haunting chorus of “hey ya, hey ya” vocals in the background. “If he breaks your heart like lovers do, just know that I’ll be waiting here for you”. Reminds me of The Script’s “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”, but not quite as moving.
The first time I heard “What Do I Know” it really annoyed me. But the more I listened it began to feel like a John Mayer b-side. Definitely a summer tune, it is incredibly cliche, but destined to inhabit the Top 40 once the weather breaks. “Supermarket Flowers” is a devastatingly beautiful song, and somewhere I read that this was about his late-grandmother as told from his mother’s perspective. Either way, with a background chorus of “hallelujah”, this will rip your heart out and stomp on it with all the feels.
“Barcelona” and “Bibia Be Ye Ye” sound like they were ripped right from Paul Simon’s Graceland. Two of the best tracks, and another opportunity for summertime radio domination. These are a fantastically fresh songs that will make you dance and smile and wonder why this kind of music isn’t more popular than it is. Its just a shame it takes the whole album to get to these two tracks. Finally we have “Save Myself”, which is not my favorite song from Ed. It closes the album on a somber tone, a track about saving himself and not neglecting himself in the face of love, fame, and fortune. It has power and emotion, but I just don’t like songs that are so in-your-face about the meaning. Ed could’ve done better.
As a whole, this album feels lmore straight forward than his last record. This is a story of Ed now, celebrating his success and musical ability without ever losing sights of where he came from. Not every song is a ‘radio hit’, and the album isn’t perfect. I think that Ed could’ve gone further with his experimental sounds and sheer songwriting abilities. Its not bad, but I see it as very cliche at times, making it just a ‘good’ album. A solid follow-up of Multiply, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. Maybe its because we hold Ed to such a high standard and he has already made such good music that its difficult not to expect too much. Or maybe that’s just me. Either way, this feels like a natural progression of Ed’s music. What it may lack in initial impact and overall re-listening capabilities, it makes me very excited to see where he goes in the future.
