21.8.14

Album Review - Ed Sheeran 'X'.



Ed Sheeran has always been an unconventional singer/song writer since the beginning of his career that was set alight through the release of the song ‘The A Team.’ Since disregarding the conventions of pop culture and focusing entirely on the music he as a singer wants to produce, Sheeran has risen to greater heights, and is known for being a genuine person loved by many. The mix of rap and soulful but folk melodies has also helped to lead Ed to selling out major arenas and I had the sheer delight of seeing him a number of years ago before he became the star he is today; (although he was just as incredible back then as a performer.) This album, ‘X’ is a smash-hit selection of mournful songs that sing of love, inebriation, deceit, lies and pain. It is beautifully soulful and there have been a number of interesting rumours about the origins of the songs that I will delve into later.

The first song ‘One,’ appears to be a song to ease listeners back into the new album. It’s been a little while since Ed produced and released any music so this acts as a reminder of what made us fall in love with him in the first place. The song is quite sad, but heartfelt with lyrics asking a female to ‘promise [she’ll] always be a friend.’ It is a little desperate at times but it lulls the listeners back into Ed’s laidback funk. The ‘star’ song of the album that has been playing all over the radio for the last few months is the song, ‘Sing,’ produced by Pharrel Williams, it is a jumpy and bouncy song that you cannot help but get stuck in your head. The hook is incredibly catchy and you can sense the Pharrel Williams undertones that rock the harmony. It is definitely a winner on the album and it is one of the reasons that the album has been number one for so many weeks.

One of my favourite tracks on the album is the widely loved ‘Don’t.’ Apparently written about the burgeoning singer Ellie Goulding who is rumoured to have dated Ed for a small time, the song sings of the troubles that can arise when dating someone from the music industry. The song has some rather explicit lines; “I never saw him as a threat/Until you disappeared with him to have sex,” of course, which gives the song bite. The song has some minor rapping parts that allow Ed to bring in the pain and the emotion that has obviously arisen. You cannot help find yourself singing along to this bouncy but disheartening song. My favourite song from the album is the incredibly emotional ‘Afire Love.’ This song packs an emotional punch, and no wonder. Written about Ed’s late Grandfather the song uses strings as a background to the beautiful heartfelt lyrics.

Now if you were missing the segments of rapping that were a prominent feature in the last album then you will love ‘The Man.’ another heartfelt and emotional song, Ed raps with dexterity and emotion. The song sings of the difficulties that arise when working in the music industry. The song focuses on a past relationship that has broken down, however, could have been different if he had taken a different path out of the limelight. It’s a powerful song and it really struck a chord with me. The chorus sings, ‘I don’t love you anymore,’ but Ed admits that he has lied in the chorus and really he is finding it tough to stop thinking of what could have been. It is this honesty that has propelled him to greater heights; the song is emotional, gritty and actually reminded me of the Streets. The line "I'm just disgusted with the skeletons you sleep with in your closet’ is one way the blatant pain is conveyed. ‘Nina’ is another song that looks at the rumours surrounding the singers love life and this time he is not so worried to hide the identity of said lover. Apparently about singer Nina Nesbitt who stars in the video ‘Drunk’ the song is another painful collaboration that conveys the pain that he is feeling. It seems that this album is a round up of Ed’s life; relationships, job, fame and family.

I think what has really given this album so much hype is the sheer emotion that Ed manages to pack into each of his songs. The album lets us really delve into the hopes and fears of the famous singer, and lets us see that things aren’t as joyful as they appear on the surface. The album creates some ripples in the personal life of the singer and it helps to pack a punch of emotion however they are kept upbeat with strong melodies and rapping segments. I love this album and have been playing it on repeat for weeks and I hope you do too!

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