Ed Sheeran released his new album Equals on October 29, 2021. The album shows off many different styles of music including upbeat songs along with his well-known style of love songs.
Ed Sheeran’s newest music allows the listener to understand him in a way they could never have, before. Since his last album release in 2017, Sheeran has been through multiple life changing events. He got married, became a father, and went home for a break from his career. As a result, the album includes songs that sound both similar and different from all the work he has put out in the past.
Sheeran’s new album focuses on him and the things he has been through. Starting with the opening song, “Tides,” and the opening lyrics, “I am grown up, I am a father now.” The upbeat song’s message is the idea that life changes rapidly and although it is hard to keep up, it is worth it.
The personal touch that is added to this album overrides any other topic he has sung about. The song “First Times” brings the audience through his experiences of iconic events for the first time. He sings about when he proposed, when he and his – now – wife first kissed, and when they had their first child. Sheeran is expressing his personal feelings and experiences in a different way than he ever has before.
Although there are a lot of new love songs on this album, there are some really fun and upbeat songs as well. “Shivers” is an upbeat fun song with a clear goal to get the audience happy and dancing. Lyrics such as “put me together and take my heart” have the vibe of a sappy love song but the beat transforms that and makes you want to get up and dance. Lyrics such as “I wanna stay up all day and all night” bring the party-feel to life, while listening to the song.
“Love in Slow Motion,” however, is the most typical Ed Sheeran song on the album. It describes how a couple has been so busy doing their own independent things that they have not been able to have time for themselves. The song describes a long-lasting relationship where each individual is crazy about the other. The beautiful lyrics and soft music allow the listener to imagine a perfect date night.
The album is much more mature than any of Sheeran’s other work. Since his last album release in 2017, he has been able to grow as a person, husband, and father. He is, once again, able to successfully share these experiences through his music.