If there is any artist out there who could manage to go completely off the grid for an entire year, pop back in to announce new music as if no time had passed, and drop two singles at once “just ‘cause,” it’s Ed Sheeran. With the announcement of Sheeran’s third album entitled “Divide” back in January, the music gods have answered our prayers. The gingerbread man is back.
This album’s sound is different from anything we’ve ever heard from him. “Divide” as a whole has a more eclectic vibe, veering off from his signature acoustic sound. This change was one of his smartest moves though, because Sheeran just delivered an album we desperately needed in the middle of a pop music drought.
“Divide” seems to have a song for every mood you could possibly be in. Sheeran has a way of sending you through a full range of emotions fast enough to give you whiplash, like when he thought it would be okay to put a song like “Supermarket Flowers” directly before “Barcelona.” You’re mourning the loss of Sheeran’s grandmother one minute and dancing to a romantic Spanish bop the next. What gave this boy the nerve to toy with our emotions like this?
We all know our favorite ginger can write a love song, but he’s never been afraid to cover other topics with his music in a way that makes them resonate with anyone. We saw it on his previous albums with songs like “The A Team” and “Small Bump,” and he’s gone even deeper this time around. “Divide” has all the phenomenal love songs like “Perfect” and “How Would You Feel” that make this album so classically Ed Sheeran, but it jumps just as fast to nostalgic melodies like “Castle on the Hill” and “Nancy Mulligan.”
“I like the idea of having a song that everyone can understand, and it’s not necessarily a language thing,” Sheeran said. “I’d like each song to have an emotional effect on people.”
Well if that was his goal, he knocked it out of the park, per usual. We may never know exactly how a song can make you feel 84 percent more Irish or cry for the love you never actually lost, but “Nancy Mulligan” and “Happier” have managed to do both. The brilliance of this album is that no matter who you are, there is a song you can relate to on some level.
The first leg of this worldwide tour kicked off on March 17 with dates scheduled up through Oct. 6 so far. Sheeran is known for his intimate performances with just his guitar and a mic, so an album with such a varied sound will make for an interesting tour, likely different from anything he’s done before.
As Sheeran said, “I genuinely believe this is the best work that I’ve done.” I’m inclined to agree with him.
