Ed Christopher Sheeran, from West Yorkshire is a twenty year old singer songwriter who began recording in 2005 when he was just fourteen. After auditioning for Britannia High in 2008, playing over 300 gigs in 2009, and releasing several EPs, Sheeran’s fan base swelled without connection to any label or management team. His final independent EP, ‘No. 5 Collaborations Project’ reached number 1 in the iTunes chart, selling over 7,000 copies in its first week alone, even coining his own genre, 'acoustihop'.
+, Sheeran’s first full length studio album commences with ‘The A Team’, which was also the first single to be released from the album on 10th June 2011, peaking in the UK singles chart at number 3. Although, hypothetically, a debut single is the first welcome to listeners to a debut album, this track is the most beautiful and best written on the entire compilation. Telling the story of a drug addicted prostitute and is stunning in its sheer simplicity, ‘slowly sinking, wasting, crumbling like pastries, and they scream, the worst things in life come free to us.’
Second track, ‘Drunk’ reveals Ed Sheeran’s hip-hop edge and although he currently has a major label assisting with production, every track is written by Sheeran himself. Despite the presumption that any song with ‘Drunk’ within the title is likely to concern how wasted you feel, Sheeran opts for in depth personal emotion, ‘I wanna hold your heart in both hands, I’ll watch it fizzle at the bottom of a Coke can...’. Thankfully, Sheeran has taken notice of that fact that personal songwriting creates unique songs that are likely to help sell more records and establish an emotional connection with the listener.
‘U.N.I.’ illustrates an interesting aspect of Ed Sheeran’s musical style, which is his rap based elements coinciding with classic acoustic elements. He has the ability to vary tempo very rapidly without allowing it to affect the quality of the track or disallowing the listener to actually understand what is being sung. He also utilises a technique that is traditionally only used by artists of the hip-hop and rap world; the use of unusual metaphorical references, ‘they’re more like tsunami tides in my eyes...’. After listening to just three tracks, it is clear, whether material from a singer songwriter is your cup of tea or not, that Ed Sheeran is a unique talent.
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| '+': Artwork (A pastel drawing by Phillip Butah, London) |
‘U.N.I.’ illustrates an interesting aspect of Ed Sheeran’s musical style, which is his rap based elements coinciding with classic acoustic elements. He has the ability to vary tempo very rapidly without allowing it to affect the quality of the track or disallowing the listener to actually understand what is being sung. He also utilises a technique that is traditionally only used by artists of the hip-hop and rap world; the use of unusual metaphorical references, ‘they’re more like tsunami tides in my eyes...’. After listening to just three tracks, it is clear, whether material from a singer songwriter is your cup of tea or not, that Ed Sheeran is a unique talent.
Fourth track, ‘Grade 8’ cyclic, concise and catchy without need for fancy production or voice and instrument editing. ‘Wake Me Up’ is one of the most minimal tracks you will ever listen to. Although it does involve occasional strumming and chords, Sheeran employs his distinctive method of speaking in tune. Without using distinctive rhyming patterns or cheesy symbolism, this track dives into the mind and heart of Ed Sheeran, allowing the listener to understand precisely how he felt when he wrote this song, ‘And I know you love Shrek ‘cause we’ve watched it twelve times. But maybe you’re hoping for a fairytale too...’.
The art of storytelling through songwriting is a rarity nowadays and from someone as young as twenty, it is groundbreaking. ‘Small Bump’, unsurprisingly, tells the story of an unborn child,’ you can wrap your fingers round my thumb...’ that is ‘torn from life’ after just four months. As well as his ability to break your heart with his narrative portrayals, this track also showcases Sheeran’s stunning singing voice. ‘This’ is similar in style to ‘Wake Me Up’ as there is very little addition to the timeless combination of guitar and voice, allowing the listener to comprehend the purity of Ed’s talent.
‘The City’ is a welcomed variation within the record, revealing more hip-hop and rap based influences, specifically, beatboxing. Along with a drumming back beat, 80s style guitar chords, piano and backing vocals, the poppiest track of the album is constructed. Set to be released this month (September 2011), ‘Lego House’ reverts back to the guitar and vocal combination, as well the occasional rapid tempo providing rap based vocals, ‘and of all these things I’ve done I think I love you better now...’. All in all, this track is stunning. ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ is also sold separately as a single from 26th August 2011 and is the best produced track of the record and well as the most rap based; an angry song without screamo or heavy guitar riffs, ‘Does he write his own tune? Does he write his own verse?
‘Kiss Me’ is a calming and exquisite ballad; uncomplicated in every way but the emotion it depicts. Like the title itself, lyrically this song is fantastic, ‘cover me up, cuddle me in, lie down with me, hold me in your arms...’, ‘...lips pressed to my neck, I’ve fallen for your eyes, but they don’t know me yet.’ Although, ‘Kiss Me’ would have been a welcomed finale to the record, ‘Give Me Love’ follows and completes the CD admirably, and if nothing else, is inspirational. Hidden track ‘The Parting Glass’ commences with its obvious tribal inspirations, drum beat and immense harmonies.
The deluxe version of ‘+’ consists of ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Little Birds’ and ‘Sunburn’ depict distinctive and gentle yet soulful vocals whereas ‘Gold Rush’ has a similar reggae style introduction to Bruno Mars’ ‘The Lazy Song’. However subtle it is a bad idea to release a track that alike to another. Luckily, ‘Gold Rush’ is primarily occupational and relationship based, ‘I never told her that I liked the way she dances slightly out of time...’. Ed Sheeran is lucky to possess the rare capability to write cute, edgy love songs without being cheesy.
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| Ed Sheeran |
The deluxe version of ‘+’ consists of ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Little Birds’ and ‘Sunburn’ depict distinctive and gentle yet soulful vocals whereas ‘Gold Rush’ has a similar reggae style introduction to Bruno Mars’ ‘The Lazy Song’. However subtle it is a bad idea to release a track that alike to another. Luckily, ‘Gold Rush’ is primarily occupational and relationship based, ‘I never told her that I liked the way she dances slightly out of time...’. Ed Sheeran is lucky to possess the rare capability to write cute, edgy love songs without being cheesy.
Arugably, the individual singles should be spread throughout the record, as well as the variety of themes and techniques in order to make the album flow better. Although charming, after five or six tracks, acoustic songs can often become very monotonous, but with Sheeran’s hip-hop influences, and curious vocal abilities this is simply not the case. For a debut, this record is astonishing, and Sheeran’s EPs have clearly provided him with priceless musical and recording experience as well as intent to be unique without transforming into the likes of Lady Gaga. It has been a long journey thus far to this peak, but Ed Sheeran’s future is as bright as his hair.
4/5
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