Ed Sheeran – Divide (Deluxe Edition) (2017)

Ed Sheeran is most likely the most popular musician alive today. He has had a winning streak throughout the 2010s and is now so wealthy that he is almost a billionaire. This album is a great album in postmodern contemporary music, so let’s dive in and check it out.

Eraser kicks off the album with a message that tells of Ed Sheeran’s difficulties coping with fame. It’s a fairly straightforward tale of rock and roll excess, with Ed Sheeran stating that he finds comfort in his pain. It’s a disturbing but catchy enough song.

Castle On The Hill is another catchy piece which tells of a childhood haunt of our main man. It’s a decent song, and one not far away from Penny Lane or Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles. Nice to hear that sort of influence.

The following song, Dive, talks about the sacred nature of love. It’s a beautiful piece with Ed Sheeran pleading for reassurance from his lover before he dives right into her. Ed Sheeran recently married, so it’s safe to assume that this song is about his new lover.

After that, we have the tropical sounding Shape Of You, a huge hit upon release as a single. It’s lyrically perverse but catchy as anything. It’s a very solid piece, and demands repeated listening. “I’m in love with your body,” says Ed. Brilliant.

Perfect is the most beautiful song ever done by Ed Sheeran, and also truly one of the most beautiful songs ever made. It’s a tearjerking ballad but so well done that it hits the spot very, very well. Perfect, indeed.

Galway Girl is a take on Irish music and a great job of it. It’s a good listen with some Irish fiddles in it and seems very anthemic. A nice leftfield tune by Ed Sheeran. Ideal for anyone who likes this sort of folk-like thing, it’s great for that purpose.

The follow-up Happier is a strange sort of message about lost love, but feeling better about it after some time. Hence the title of the song. It’s not a nasty message though, in fact, it is reassuring. It is a slower piece but as good as what has come before on this album.

After that song, we have New Man. This song is about a pretentious sort of guy who doesn’t get respect from Ed Sheeran. A simple meaning over an acoustic pop background is here and chugs along nicely.

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here is a simple sentiment about getting the right woman to be with to love. Not since The Beatles has the world of pop music encountered such brilliantly done romanticism. It’s effective, to say the least.

What Do I Know? is a hipster-like song with a philosophical bent. It’s one of the best statements you will hear in pop/rock music today. It simply talks about the power of music and love, “…but what do I know?” asks Ed Sheeran. It’s not a definite statement of self-importance, but a good one nonetheless.

The Coldplay-like How Would You Feel (Paean) is a wonderful song about love and companionship. It’s a slightly weaker song, but it’s still quality nonetheless.

The very sad sounding Supermarket Flowers is an ode to Ed Sheeran’s mum. It’s a nice way to reveal to the world about he feels about his own mother. “You were an angel in the shape of my mum”. Ed Sheeran – a brilliant musician indeed.

Barcelona is a catchy and upbeat song which is very good poppy stuff. It’s about Barcelona itself and has a very good and catchy chorus. Mint.

Bibia Be Ye Ye is a nice sort of song about the aftermath of getting trashed after a night out. It’s not throw away at all, despite the fact it is not a hit single. It’s still solid and does very well with some quacky guitar sounds in it.

The next song is Nancy Mulligan, a fictional story about running off with said girl to get married to her. It’s an interesting piece with fiddles again. Never a dull moment on this album whatsoever.

The most direct and recognisable statement is Save Myself. It’s a great way to finish off this album and makes one feel satisfied after this listen. It’s a great album no doubt.

This album went stratospheric after its release. Ed Sheeran is now all over virtually every radio station and has become a household name. After all – he deserves it. This is a quintessential and great album.

9/10