Album Review: Ed Sheeran – Divide

Ed Sheeran is back with his third album and taking the top 40 by storm, but is the album any good? ‘Divide’ opens with the rap-heavy ‘Eraser’ which is a bit of an abrupt and strange opener to the album, not setting it off on a strong foot (outside of the references near the end of being away), but the track itself is solid enough thanks to its layered production, blending of genres and strong chorus., though I’m still unsure with Sheeran as a rapper. ‘Castle on the Hill’ follows, the better of the lead singles in my opinion, the record dripping in nostalgia which works well and feels more like classic Sheeran. With a soaring singable chorus this is one of the best songs on the album.

‘Dive’ is more of a traditional ballad but is a bit too close to ‘Thinking Out Loud’ to be truly original but its lyrical swagger and guitar elements help it along. ‘Shape of You’ follows and is quite obviously a big single this year but I’m still not convinced by it. Aside from it now being too overplayed to be enjoyable to listen to the lyrics are a little poor and tired compared to his other songs and it’s too close to ‘Sing’, but it still has a good beat and a catchy set of lyrics. ‘Perfect’, which follows, is a much stronger ballad, with its slow dance-pace and soaring strings, and ticks the box for the heartfelt song.

Latest song ‘Galway Girl’ at track six is my favourite track on the album and certainly proves to be the karaoke favourite with a strong Irish-influenced rhythm and some fun, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and a good mix of styles and genres. ‘Happier’ is another strong ballad before we switch back to the raps with ‘New Man’ which again throws in modern references into a fast-paced vocal style with a catchy chorus, which is a fun listen but a little familiar, though the vinyl effects near the end offer a bit of freshness for the time they’re on.

Entering the final third of the main album ‘Hearts Don't Break Around Here’ switches back to the slower style and is nice enough but not as memorable as earlier numbers. ‘What Do I Know’ is one of the best songs on the album, its fast pace and stripped-back sound with interesting lyrics make it stand out from the rest and offers something a little fresher at this point in the album whilst ‘How Would You feel (Paean)’ is a solid enough ballad to follow it with. Final track ‘Supermarket Flowers’ keeps it slow but works better with more touching lyrics and a better structure and style, the simple piano riff working well.

For those who slapped cash down for the deluxe edition you get four extra tracks. ‘Barcelona’ with its sunny Caribbean style proves to be catchier and more fun than some of the main tracks with some more energy in Sheeran’s vocals and a more optimistic music style. The interestingly titled ‘Bibia Be Ye Ye’ continues this summery feel with another fun and bouncy track that will put a smile on your face. ‘Nancy Mulligan’ is another Irish-themed track that riffs on a classic tune, combining a retro feel with something a little more modern, feeling like a spiritual successor to ‘Galway Girl’ but more traditional whilst ‘Save Myself’ is a touching end to the record.

Ed Sheeran’s latest album is a good collection of 12 (or 16) songs but it doesn’t quite have the flow you’d expect from an LP, jumping around constantly between different tempos and styles so it gets a little tiring, and some of the better tracks appear in the bonus section. There are definite highlights to the record but it certainly feels more like a package of songs rather than a cohesive album, which is possibly indicative of music in 2017. (7/10)