‘Divided’ themes in Ed Sheeran’s new release

So, Ed Sheeran has come out with his latest album, titled “Divide.” He painted the icy blue cover himself at a friend’s art studio, something  he disclosed in a radio interview.

Personally, I think his single “Shape of You” is fairly catchy and it makes me want to dance, though I know not everyone may feel the same way. There is an array of vibes in this album. There are upbeat songs such as “What Do I Know?” which tends to make me want to tap my feet and hum the lyrics.

He does have several romantic songs reminiscent to his single “Thinking Out Loud” from his previous album “X” with the message of lifetime love and companionship, which hits me right in the feels! This emotional impact is found in the song titled “Perfect,” one of my favorites from the album. Other examples include “Hearts Don’t Break Around Here” and “How Would You Feel (Paean).”

Interesting tidbit, the latter track almost didn’t make it on the album. Luckily, Sheeran asked his girlfriend what her favorite song was and she told him, “You forgot it existed.” The song was created by Sheeran before his girl was traveling back to New York for her job, and wrote it spontaneously as something for her to listen to on her trip. Another tidbit: paean means a song of praise or triumph. How sweet!

There are tones of heartbreak in the album, as well, in the songs “Dive” and “Happier.” These are typical of the artist’s main subject matter here – that is, mixed emotions – but the whole album is not like this, which is refreshing. There seems to be a sense of love ending and new love beginning and lasting, which, as a sucker for passionate, committed love, really appeals to me.

Warning: If you want to stay away from songs that will make you cry at the loss of your mother, don’t listen to “Supermarket Flowers”!

There also are instrumental and lyrical aspects of songs that are more related to Sheeran’s heritage. A lot of the album’s inspiration comes from Sheeran’s past and family life, rather than just the typical heartbreak theme.

You will get more of a range in the deluxe version of the album, which has 16 tracks, compared to the standard version with only 12.

Overall, it’s a decent album which follows the artist’s typical acoustic instrumental style. I recommend giving it a listen while you work on assignments or study for finals week. The deluxe album can be found on Spotify if you’re interested in giving it a try before possibly purchasing the Sheeran’s latest produced sounds.