2 years and 8 months. 987 days.141 weeks. No, this is not a random collection of numbers,but the amount of time since Ed Sheeran has made us all wait in much anticipation for his new album. In the trilogy of math symbols, Divide was recently released on March 3rd. Both the world and I are still trying to figure out how we lasted this long without his music.
I have been an Ed Sheeran fan for the greater portion of my adult life and each time he releases a new album, I tend to get more excited than I got for the last.
But before Divide dropped on Itunes, I was extremely nervous when Ed finally broke his social media silence.
Whenever your favorite artists drops a new song or album, there is always this worry in the back of your mind that it will never measure up to previous works, and it will leave you feeling disappointed.
However, Ed Sheeran can do no wrong- proven by his latest release of the new album; my worries were put to rest with the first single from Divide, called, Shape of You. Even though it’s melodically different from the Ed Sheeran style of music we are accustomed to, it gave us a taste of what we were in for.
After my repeat button almost breaking with the amount of times I have listened to these songs, here is my review of my favorites off of Divide.
The first song off the album made me excited to hear the rest. Eraser is a song that I have listened to repeatedly with the volume full blast. Eraser also has the rap vibe that Ed likes to include in a few of his songs, and while the song still showcases the guitar playing that is prevalent in much of Ed’s music, it has a different sound.
Castle on the Hill was also a single that Ed Sheeran released before he dropped Divide. This one is more of a nod to the music we expect from him. I will admit, compared to Shape of You which he released around the same time, I didn’t dedicate as much attention to it. However, after he put out the music video, it changed everything for me. The song illustrates Ed as he heads back to the town he’s from and shows the types of people he has grown up around. This is a song many of us can relate to as we reflect on where we are now and where we once have been.
Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan are the two songs off the album that make me instantly happy when I listen to them. These songs transport me to the streets of Ireland with a beer in hand, though the only reference I have to this feeling are the songs themselves. Still, I am booking my flight to Ireland as I’m typing this.
A personal favorite of mine off the album is New Man. I’m not sure why I love this one so much but it features Ed Sheeran “rapping,” and it is one of the more fast paced songs on the album. Plus, some of the lyrics are pretty hilarious.
Speaking of booking a flight to Ireland, Ed’s song Barcelona is one of the more upbeat songs off the album. It makes you want to be spun around in a flowy dress by a gorgeous latin guy. That could just be my fantasy, but it’s hard not to dream of that while listening to this song. Also, Ed has a few lines in Spanish, which is really interesting to hear from an English guy. This is a great song to sing along to with your friends in the car.
It would not be an Ed Sheeran album without those songs where you could just lock yourself in a room for hours and just cry. The two songs off that album that had this effect on me are Save Myself and Supermarket Flowers. Save Myself is pretty straightforward with the title, but Supermarket Flowers you just need to listen to yourself. Fair Warning: It’s sad.
These are just a few of the songs off Divide that really stood out to me, however it doesn’t mean the other songs are not equally as good. As with any album, it is going to take me a few more solid listens to have my concrete favorites, and maybe acquire some new ones.
Other HerCampus writers had this to say about his new album, Divide:
“All of Ed Sheeran’s songs have me loving someone I have never even met.” – Shayla Fajardo
“Ed Sheeran’s return to the music scene has been nothing more than a breath of fresh air. His lyrics are genuine and show that there are still artists in the industry that do this for the artistry and passion rather than for the money and fame. A lyric that stuck with me was his interpretation on what life is like from the song What Do I Know, ‘It’s love and understanding, positivity.’” -Vanessa Rivera
Even though Ed Sheeran was completely absent from our lives for a year, and hadn’t released an album for even longer, I guess you could say it was worth the wait. Although, next time you need a break from the industry Ed, try going to a spa for a weekend, for your fans’ sake.
HCXOXO,
Imani Craig
Photo Sources:
http://www.officialcharts.com/imagegen.ashx?image=/media/652018/ed-sheeran-2017.jpg&width=796