Everything is Sunshine and Rainbows on Ed Sheeran's =
Ed Sheeran has had a very eventful few years: he married his childhood sweetheart, had a daughter, turned 30, and released his fifth studio album = on October 29th.
That’s quite a few milestones in such a short period of time, and = boasts all of these big changes to Sheeran’s life. The opening lines of the first song on the album, “Tides,” clearly set the theme for the remainder of the album. “I have grown up, I am a father now / Everything has changed, but I am still the same somehow,” he sings.
The “same, but different” concept Sheeran is embracing here is mostly found in his sound; he has traded the acoustic songs that we typically associate with Sheeran’s music for more synth sounds that draw inspiration from 1980s pop music.
“Shivers” follows up the opener and is about dancing with your lover “til the sunlight cracks” and has a similar beat to the album’s lead single “Bad Habits.” The song itself isn’t all that exciting. It has little buildup and is all about late nights with strangers, and when accompanied by the music video, is clearly supposed to be a little edgy. It falls short.
By the time the same beat is recycled on “Be Right Now,” it feels overused, dull, and simply boring.
“Leave Your Life” sounds the most like the Ed Sheeran we know. The acoustic guitar is present, if slightly hidden, and the song serves dual purpose to both his wife and daughter as he pours his heart out in the way we’re most familiar with in the chorus. “I’m never gonna leave your life / Even at the times I’m miles away / You are always on my mind,” he sings.
“Visiting Hours” is easily the most meaningful track on the album and is a tribute to Sheeran’s mentor who passed away recently. In the opening of the track, Sheeran sings, “I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / So I could just show up and bring the news / That she’s getting older and I wish that you’d met her / And the things that she’ll learn from me / I got them all from you.”
Tracks like “2step,” “Love in Slow Motion,” and “First Times” are certain to haunt us all at future weddings in the coming months and years, which is appropriate considering the fact that the theme of the entire album is basically how true love will always persevere in the end. While that’s an excellent message in theory, it comes across hollow and overly sweet, like a perfect picture of life where everything is candy, rainbows, and unicorns.
Then again, who are we to judge Ed Sheeran for feeling true love and true happiness? Good for him for going into marriage and fatherhood with such blinding optimism ― I only wish it would’ve brought about a more meaningful album.
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| Ed Sheeran's = Album Cover via Spotify |
That’s quite a few milestones in such a short period of time, and = boasts all of these big changes to Sheeran’s life. The opening lines of the first song on the album, “Tides,” clearly set the theme for the remainder of the album. “I have grown up, I am a father now / Everything has changed, but I am still the same somehow,” he sings.
The “same, but different” concept Sheeran is embracing here is mostly found in his sound; he has traded the acoustic songs that we typically associate with Sheeran’s music for more synth sounds that draw inspiration from 1980s pop music.
“Shivers” follows up the opener and is about dancing with your lover “til the sunlight cracks” and has a similar beat to the album’s lead single “Bad Habits.” The song itself isn’t all that exciting. It has little buildup and is all about late nights with strangers, and when accompanied by the music video, is clearly supposed to be a little edgy. It falls short.
By the time the same beat is recycled on “Be Right Now,” it feels overused, dull, and simply boring.
“Leave Your Life” sounds the most like the Ed Sheeran we know. The acoustic guitar is present, if slightly hidden, and the song serves dual purpose to both his wife and daughter as he pours his heart out in the way we’re most familiar with in the chorus. “I’m never gonna leave your life / Even at the times I’m miles away / You are always on my mind,” he sings.
“Visiting Hours” is easily the most meaningful track on the album and is a tribute to Sheeran’s mentor who passed away recently. In the opening of the track, Sheeran sings, “I wish that Heaven had visiting hours / So I could just show up and bring the news / That she’s getting older and I wish that you’d met her / And the things that she’ll learn from me / I got them all from you.”
Tracks like “2step,” “Love in Slow Motion,” and “First Times” are certain to haunt us all at future weddings in the coming months and years, which is appropriate considering the fact that the theme of the entire album is basically how true love will always persevere in the end. While that’s an excellent message in theory, it comes across hollow and overly sweet, like a perfect picture of life where everything is candy, rainbows, and unicorns.
Then again, who are we to judge Ed Sheeran for feeling true love and true happiness? Good for him for going into marriage and fatherhood with such blinding optimism ― I only wish it would’ve brought about a more meaningful album.
Give it a listen below:
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