Pop star Ed Sheeran returns from one-year hiatus with third album

After taking a year off from releasing music and from social media, singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran made his long awaited return by releasing “÷” (Divide), his third album, on March 3.

His album once again impresses by showcasing his ability to produce music across different styles. Sheeran is looking for ÷ to be his second No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, which will be next announced on March 12. Less than 12 hours after it was released, his album had already reached No. 1 on iTunes.

Since his previous album “x” (Multiply) was released three years ago, Sheeran has written hundreds of songs for his third album, with just 16 making the final cut, according to an interview he did with the Guardian. One song he wrote that did not make the album was “Love Yourself,” which he gave to fellow pop star Justin Bieber and which received two Grammy Award nominations.

According to Sheeran in an interview with BBC, Sheeran got rid of his phone during his one-year social media hiatus, which he found greatly improved his life because he did not have to worry about trying to appeal to everyone’s expectations and wants. Instead, he could just focus on creating music and enjoying his life.

In “÷,” all but one of Sheeran’s songs are based on real stories from his life, making for a very personal album. He even made the cover art himself through a meeting with a spin painter. Spin painting is a process whereby a painter throws paint into a spinning machine which creates circular patterns on a canvas.

Sheeran gave fans a taste of his new music prior to the album’s drop date, releasing “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill” on Jan. 6. “Shape of You” immediately surged to popularity, with its audio video on YouTube garnering over 373 million views within two months after it was uploaded. As can be seen by the catchy rhythm set by a marimba in the background and the equally catchy chorus sang by Sheeran, it’s no wonder “Shape of You” reached the popularity that it did.

However, while “Shape of You” makes a better initial impression, Sheeran himself believes that “Castle on the Hill” will be the better song in the long run. The “Castle on the Hill” lyrics have more meaning, as they describe Sheeran’s memories of his childhood in Suffolk, England. It’s the kind of song to play while staring out the car window on a road trip, evoking feelings of nostalgia.

Two ballads on the album, “Dive” and “Perfect,” also impress. In “Dive,” Sheeran’s straining vocals touchingly convey the frustrations of being in love with someone who may or may not love you back.

“Perfect,” which Sheeran told BBC is his “best song ever written,” is the first song he wrote for the album. The song title says it all: It is the “perfect” slow song, combining romantic lyrics about how beautiful his partner looks with a soft but uplifting rhythm to match the romantic feeling.

Another love song on the album, “How Would You Feel (Paean),” also shows off Sheeran’s ability to bring out listener’s emotions through his lyrics about confessing his love to a lover. The song features a gentle guitar solo by Sheeran, along with a short repetitive melody from the piano in the background.

While Sheeran can easily evoke emotions in his songs, “Supermarket Flowers” brings out the largest emotional reaction by far. Sheeran wrote this song honoring his grandmother, who passed during his hiatus. He told MTV, “That’s my first reaction for anything that happens to me, good or bad: pick up a guitar.” Sheeran demonstrates his lyrical genius again in this song, singing that “a heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved.”

Sheeran also shows off his flexibility by writing “Happier,” which depicts the pain from loving and longing after a break-up, and “New Man,” a more upbeat and confident song claiming that Sheeran is better than his ex’s new partner. “Hearts Don’t Break Around Here” gives listeners a taste reminiscent of his older music, which consisted of slow and mellow love songs.

“What Do I Know?” which samples a catchy melody with Sheeran’s guitar, is an ode to music. Sheeran sings that while others are focused on politics, he is focused on trying to impact the world through music.

Sheeran’s most noticeable deviations in “÷” from his previous albums are the songs that invoke different cultures’ musical styles. He creates an upbeat tone in “Barcelona,” utilizing the Spanish festival-like style of music, and he even sings in Spanish for parts of the song.

Sheeran also shows African music’s influence in “Bibia Be Ye Ye” and Irish music’s influence in “Galway Girl” and “Nancy Mulligan.” “Galway Girl” almost did not make the album because Sheeran’s record company did not think the Irish fiddle sounds would be appealing, but Sheeran determinedly pushed it through to the final list, successfully demonstrating that Irish music can be appealing.

While most of his songs on “÷” are about others, Sheeran’s first and last tracks focus on self-help. Sheeran raps and sings in ‘Eraser’ about erasing pain, and advises in ‘Save Myself’ to help yourself before helping others.

While Sheeran’s album does seem like he is taking some risks by experimenting with different styles of music, he did spend years writing, discarding and rewriting songs to satisfy his desires for “÷.” Once again, Sheeran reminds everyone that he is one of the most talented singer-songwriters on the planet.

5/5 stars