★★★☆☆
Ed Sheeran has cemented himself as one of the most prolific artists of his time, he ranks within Billboard’s top 100 artists of all time and is the male artist with the most Spotify followers. His prominence in the pop culture genre made him a staple in the music industry.
But on his album Autumn Variations, released on Sept. 29, Sheeran takes a break from his normal pop persona to put out a very unique collection of songs reflecting himself. While refreshing in its novelty, the album is in the end unexceptional.
Autumn Variations is the second album Sheeran has released this year, and while his four-month old album – (Subtract) follows his tried and true mix of either upbeat or slowed down rhythms about love, this album is different. With the background of Sheeran having suddenly lost his closest friend, his wife suffering from a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, and his personal struggles with mental illness, this album unsurprisingly centers around candid reflection.
With these expectations going in, it is quite the shock that Sheeran begins the album with a stereotypical love song. The song, entitled “Magical,” is quite charming but lacks the interest needed to reel the listener into the album and demonstrate what the overall themes are going to be. While lyrics like “Mornings, white mist / So delicate covers as we begin” and “Is this how it feels to be in love? This is magical” do tug at the heartstrings, it feels lackluster for the first song on an album meant to really hit the deeper emotions.
In contrast, “Amazing” is both lyrically and rhythmically enticing. Sheeran outwardly delves into his struggles regarding mental health in an admirable sincerity on this track. In abandoning the highly layered sound he is often known for, the subtlety of this album causes lyrics like “wish I could feel amazing / But this is all that I can feel today” to truly leave an impact on listeners. With a more basic instrumental background compared to those found in his hits, Sheeran’s poetic words are left to pack more of a punch and simmer in the listener’s mind.
Sheeran took a great creative risk with this album, focusing not on the demands of pop music but more on his theme of dealing with struggle and hardship, which he and those closest to him had faced prior to the album’s creation. The issue, however, begins to arise with the execution of this vision, where particular songs like “Magical” seem to fall short and songs like “Amazing” seem truly remarkable. The duality brings the album in its entirety to a state of mediocrity.
The second song on the album, “England,” is a love letter to Sheeran’s home, which not only goes against the theme that Sheeran seems to strive for, but is not exactly the most interesting topic as a whole. Although “England” is a cute, sympathetic song, and the descriptions of the overlooked beauty of the country do not bring the album justice.
“This country of mine gets a bad reputation / Of bein’ cold and gray,” Sheeran sings.
It is instead songs like “When Will I Be Alright” that hit the listener—and hit them hard—with its talks of feeling the end of life nearing, yet perpetually feeling that “God is not on my side” and that he needs to “Redefine / When will I be alright.” Both are perfect examples of what this album is all about.
Sheeran’s thoughtful lyrics are spoken right from the heart in the songs like “When Will I Be Alright,” with his own personal experiences coming to the surface for the listener to feel themself.
“Listen to my heart beatin’ / Why is there this empty feeling? / Losin’ hope and all reason / When will I be alright?” Sheeran sings.
As a whole, the album can really be split into two. One half, the better, focuses on the theme of overcoming the challenges of life, with the separation from the world of pop music making Sheeran’s lyrics more effective. This half achieves what Sheeran set out to do, which was write an album about real feelings felt by real people—something that was different from his previous work.
The other half is what makes this album second-rate. Whether it be a subject matter disconnected from the theme or whether it be a dull melody, this half drags the rest of the album down with it.
It is unfortunate that ultimately this album lacks cohesion. Sheeran’s turn toward a new sound and deeper message, despite being a respectable decision, have not been executed well. Autumn Variations may not be the album of the season after all.
