By this point, the peak of Ed Sheeran’s mammoth career has passed. Still, his influence musically, commercially and in terms of sales and music streams has been undeniably important, even well into the 2020s. Even so, his releases have been relatively popular commercial successes during this time. The original Autumn Variations album was released in late 2023, with the expanded version of this album being the subject of this review released just a few days after. The idea behind this expanded double album was to record new music and donate the proceeds to the non-profit Save The Music music education organisation. Seems like Ed Sheeran himself has a philanthropic side. The first half is made of new songs and the second half has some random live versions of each new song, recorded in Sheerios living rooms (Sheerios is the nickname for Ed Sheeran fans). Quite an ambitious project in itself. Let’s take a listen and hear the music and we can hope that it is a very enjoyable listening experience indeed.

Magical begins with some crisp acoustic guitars and pretty singing from Ed Sheeran. Brilliant lyrics are present here, along with loose kick drum beats and a pretty string section to match. This is a decent song about romance and love-based concepts. A very good listen, although a little Coldplay-esque here. Nonetheless, this is the sort of thing we have grown to expect from Ed Sheeran by this point in time. A really lovely, beautiful and awesome tune and this music is a side of Ed Sheeran that should be explored more often. A pleasant listen, this sounds refreshing listening. A great three-minute-long Pop/Rock piece that is not heard that much on the radio today. Surprisingly pleasant.

England begins with some cut-up and strange guitar sounds, followed quickly by electric guitar chords and decent singing from Ed Sheeran. A really good listening experience, showcasing a talent who pays homage to his own home country. This does sound good for what it is, even if Ed himself admittedly isn’t exploring particularly new territory musically here. It does sound sweet though, and the musical arrangements on this album are some of the best yet for Ed Sheeran. A pleasant, enjoyable and loveable tune, this is really full of emotional energy that few can come close to. It seems that Ed learned from having Bad Habits and is now back on track musically. Nonetheless, a refreshing and interesting listening experience that is worth hearing. It ends with some awesome drum fills and layered keyboards. Good job man.

Amazing begins with pounding drum beats, and loose musical fragments and has some great singing by Ed Sheeran here. He sings from the heart here about his life experiences. The chorus enters fairly quickly here, and it sounds really upbeat, fresh and pleasant listening throughout. A really cool tune to enjoy, this proves that Ed Sheeran still has a load of brilliant talent within him. A great, great tune. This is worth repeat listens in your car on your way to and from work, or in a similar scenario. It is difficult not to appreciate such a fine and awesome listen here. This is the better and more underappreciated side of Ed we have not really heard him explore until 2023. An upbeat, pretty and top-notch listen, this sounds emotionally and spiritually uplifting as a piece of music. The main melodies throughout sound really cool. Great song, no question about it.

Plastic Bag begins with some dual-tracked crisp fingerpicked acoustic guitars and launches into another easy-listening style tune. This is a fairly straightforward and simpler tune that deserves to be heard from Ed Sheeran. The chorus launches into Electronic sounds, breakbeats and other neat production elements as Ed Sheeran puts in a touching and pretty listen. His singing on this album shows that he has put some decent improvement into his craft as a singer, songwriter and musician galore. Nonetheless, this is a journey through an autobiographical side of Ed that makes some sense to Sheerios and the listening public. Pretty, joyful and interesting, this is a better deal than we have grown to accept over the previous two albums of Ed Sheeran’s. Nonetheless, a good listen, once again.

Blue begins with strummed acoustic guitar and dual-tracked vocals by Ed Sheeran. He sings about a love long lost, and he delivers another consistent and fantastic musical statement. It seems like Ed himself has some serious demons within, and this is a gorgeous and fantastic listen. This is so far likely the best album by Ed Sheeran so far this decade. Going back to his acoustic musical roots, he makes a beautiful yet sad ballad for millions to enjoy. The string section in the background and the raw and naked lyricism here have Ed getting older and having regrets about life. It is short at only two and a half minutes long, but worth it.

American Town begins sounding like an awkward musical jumble, but one that works nicely. This is about being on tour in the USA, and some weird resulting situations with Ed’s lover as a result. This one is a rather strange listen, indebted to some Spanish American music as well. An oddity in Ed Sheeran’s back catalogue, but something still worth hearing. To be fair, this is one of the better 2023 album releases, and Ed himself should be happily proud of this album and the individual songs within. A really pretty and awesome listening experience, this has a strange but interesting twist with semi-Rapped lyrics in amongst the solid music here. Definitely worth hearing, despite its quirkiness. Decent.

That’s On Me launches right into a bit of a rant by Ed Sheeran with some interesting clean guitar parts and atmospheric sounds in the background. This paints Ed as being quite unhappy and fed up with his life, and he doesn’t sound really happy in this song. Still, this has signature elements of Ed Sheeran-styled music and he delivers a good but angry-sounding listening experience on this song. This eventually leads to an emotional and crowd-pleasing chorus that works well. Ed Sheeran reveals himself to be just the same as the rest of us with hopes, dreams and ambitions that should not be ignored. This is another great tune with some cool percussion in it towards the end that is worth listening out for. Excellent.

Page begins with some nicely strummed acoustic guitar that has a very percussive feel to it, quickly followed by powerful drum beats and singing by Ed. This is another rather unhappy-sounding song where he admits that, without a lover, he isn’t doing too well. Another raw and confrontational listening experience by Ed Sheeran, and he doesn’t sound really happy on this album, despite what you may otherwise think. Regardless, this is a good song about being alone and miserable without love. Admittedly, it is Ed Sheeran whining about his own personal problems, but it is set to such beautiful music that it is enjoyable to listen to. For the casual music fan, one can easily hear Ed’s hopes and dreams in life crashing back down to earth in a bad way. In any case, another good and decent listening experience. Worth your time and ears.

Midnight begins with some rapid-fire drum machine beats, fast-paced fingerpicked acoustic guitar and Ed Sheeran singing about the night after a crazy night before. He is showing a better and more romantic side to his self that was rarely expressed before this album release. This has some interesting production and textures throughout, just sounding super awesome and sweet. This may not exactly be the Pop hit side of Ed Sheeran (such as Shape Of You) but he does articulate pain and suffering into a great song. Enjoyable throughout, even for only three minutes. Another solid musical effort.

Spring is a pleasant listen from the start with fingerpicked acoustic guitar, and Ed Sheeran begins singing about the shift in seasons and the changes over the year beforehand. This has some nice string sections in the distant background, which sound soothing and lovely. Ed doesn’t really sound overly positive or joyous on this album, and he may be experiencing some personal issues in his life at this point. Regardless, he channels it into his great music and this is no doubt a lovely listen. There is a pretty section in the second half that emphasises Ed’s vocals over the instrumentation, as he hopes for springtime to come. A really gorgeous and pleasant listen, and a better tune from this album. Worth it totally.

Punchline begins with some acoustic guitar strumming and Ed Sheeran singing smoothly. This is another good quality and decent listening experience that sounds quite awesome. Ed sings from a deep place and reflects on the past here. There are no overdubs nor other textures to support it, it just has Ed Sheeran singing and strummed guitars. A lovely sounding tune, again, reflecting deeper emotions within. Another fairly underrated song is present here. It does have a sweet set of melodies and sounds gorgeous as a result. Drums and percussion eventually enter, and this tune builds up to a loud crescendo of sound with electric guitars to support it. A moving and excellent listen from Ed Sheeran, this has a build-up to a climax at the end with multitracked vocals. Great.

When Will I Be Alright begins with more softly strummed and picked acoustic guitars. It quickly launches into a piece of music that has Ed Sheeran questioning his life and actions at hand. This is Ed Sheeran showing a raw, naked musical expression that is deep and honest. There are touches of string instrumentation here as well, making this tune a different listen. If Ed himself is going through a rough patch, let’s hope that he does not pass away early like many musicians before him in the history of music. A sad-sounding tune, but another winner nonetheless. Great to hear, let’s hope things look up for Ed Sheeran sooner rather than later.

The Day I Was Born launches straight into a piano and acoustic guitar-led ballad that is all about Ed Sheeran here. This is a good listening experience with Ed reflecting on the life that he has had before him. Ed Sheeran must be chasing past glories here but pulls it off with melodicism and professionalism that few can match. A very good listen regardless, this is a good listen with more string sections to illuminate the darkness musically here. Another good tune, it sounds like Ed Sheeran needs a good therapist ASAP. In any case, this is one for those of you who are struggling out there. A cool tune with a neat and clean guitar solo to match. Pleasant enjoyable regardless, and definitely worth your ears. A good staple of this album, ending with strings. Sweet.

Head > Heels is the last main track on the first half of this album release. It begins with some gorgeous singing, piano and electronic drumbeats. Ed Sheeran sings about being deeply in love, and he does so in a lovely and passionate way. He puts his heart on his sleeve right here, and he delivers a pretty and lovely musical statement throughout. A great tune for those romantic moments with a partner, this sounds really awesome and extraordinary for such a song. The fact that this has been largely unspoken of as a song means that it should be heard by more people out there. A melancholy, sweet and lovely listening experience, this one is a bit of a tearjerker. If you are not moved here by this song, then that is largely surprising. A gorgeous ballad, and proof that Ed Sheeran has his mojo back. A very pretty, lovely and beautiful musical statement.

Magical – Live from Brantlie’s Living Room begins the second half of the album. It launches right into it with crisp acoustic guitar playing, and Ed Sheeran singing nicely on this version of the song. A live album by Ed Sheeran needs to be delivered at some point, but this is as close as we get to that. He sounds like a good singer/strummer and delivers nicely a strong musical sentiment. A really beautiful and gracious-sounding rendition of the original song, it works wonders. A really good tune to hear, and definitely a good listen. Pretty and simple music, there needs to be more of it out there in today’s music market. It ends quickly.

England – Live from Maynard’s Living Room begins with more fingerpicked acoustic guitar and quickly launches into a better version of this song than the original. Ed Sheeran’s voice floats above it all, and he proves that a stripped-back acoustic version of his music is sometimes better than the production that he puts some of his songs through. This is the opposite of the No.6 Collaborations Project album, it is just Ed singing with his guitar. You can literally hear how good these songs are in this format. A joyous, pretty and a great ode to England itself, warts and all. A very lovely and pleasant listen, Ed moves people emotionally with his music. Good on him, this is another great example of his talent. Fantastic.

Amazing – Live from Kia’s Living Room begins with upbeat strumming and singing nicely here. This is more Poppy and mainstream-oriented to listen to than before, but still, it works incredibly well. This is perfect music for Sheerios and Hipsters out there who dig minimalist Folk Rock-styled music. A wonderful, joyous and really passionate performance by Ed Sheeran, this is a good take on the original song. Ed Sheeran sounds like he is on fire musically here, and delivers another tuneful and well played and sung piece. A really pleasant listen, and worth hearing 100% of the way. A great tune.

Plastic Bag – Live from Alex’s Living Room launches into a moody and fingerpicked acoustic piece with some precise singing. To be fair, Ed Sheeran does not need extra production or autotune, he delivers perfectly well as an artist and musician here. Singing about seeking to find happiness, he pours out his heart and soul into melodramatic music. A very lively, beautiful and different listen. Even the lesser-known tracks from Autumn Variations make their impact extremely well throughout. An awesome and different listening experience, this is indeed joyous and lovely. Ed’s falsetto in the second half is fantastic. A job well done, and this is one for those who are tired of life and need a break from the mainstream road. Brilliant.

Blue – Live from Sarom’s Living Room begins with more uptempo acoustic strumming and Ed Sheeran singing nicely here. This is a good take on desperation in one’s life. Ed sounds in absolutely fine form here, he sings and plays guitar in a very unique way. Pretty, awesome and easy listening, these songs prove that the Fan Living Room Sessions was undeniably a great idea and a success musically. These fans were extra privileged to hear these wonderful songs in person. Again, wonderful.

American Town – Live from Kari’s Living Room begins with some moody singing and melodic acoustic guitar playing throughout. This is yet another excellent piece of music that sounds really awesome and sweet. Although Ed Sheeran is singing about difficulties in his personal life, he makes such a great and pretty musical statement that more people should sit up and pay attention to. An awesome and catchy tuneful listen, Ed Sheeran could be a Bob Dylan-styled artist if he wishes to. He succeeds very well here, a tuneful and enjoyable listening experience that is very lovely. A really awesome piece of music with rapid flow singing in the chorus. Sweet and awesome to hear from start to finish.

That’s On Me – Live from Narine’s Living Room sounds direct and aggressive here, which is a little odd for his style. Still, he delivers a punchy and fantastic piece of musicianship that sounds great. When the chorus hits, we are taken to the next level of musical appreciation. Ed Sheeran proves he still has an amazing talent and a better understanding of what works musically more than most. Another short, sweet and above all, excellent listen. Really great to hear, through and through. All in all, Ed directly paints his life and his future ahead of him. A really top-notch listen, with Ed Sheeran hitting the high notes extremely well. Great.

Page – Live from Deborah’s Living Room begins with some crisp acoustic guitar strumming and launches right into the magical music at hand. Ed Sheeran sings from a really heartfelt place here, as he questions his life and actions throughout. Still, this stripped-back performance is a beautiful and wonderful listening experience that sounds incredibly touching. Ed doesn’t really need studio trickery to make his point, he is at his best singing and strumming away, as he proves here. A gorgeous tune that is full of melancholy and regret, he sings and plays extremely well in these sessions. A really joyful and pleasant tune to listen to, this is a pretty and awesome tune. Worth it to listen to, definitely. A good piece of music.

Midnight – Live from John’s Living Room sounds remarkably more upbeat. Ed Sheeran sings and plays sweetly here, and he is a very great emotionally sensitive musician on these songs. He sings and plays, not simply to make money, but to showcase to the world that he has some great songs to share with others. The music here is really something unique in its own way. A good, upbeat and listenable tune that has Ed being frank and honest about his own life. A wonderful and joyous tune to boot. Ed wins hearts and minds over in these performances. Fantastic.

Spring – Live from Emily’s Living Room begins with some more fingerpicked acoustic guitar and Ed Sheeran sings about the progress one observes throughout their own life. He delivers a deep, emotional and unique listening experience on this song. Great to hear, once again, this is a good take on the original songs on this double album. Really awesome, pure and emotionally lovely music, this puts a lot of Coldplay’s back catalogue to shame. This works and makes one intently listen to every single melody present in this song. A great and thoroughly good tune throughout.

Punchline – Live from Holly’s Living Room begins with some slower and more melodic acoustic guitar strumming and has a dark song renditioned acoustic and in a lighter way. Ed Sheeran’s singing is really touching and reflective throughout the story of his life. This double album proves that not just Ed has talent himself, but the proof that minimalism (i.e. less is more) can really work out nicely. An awesome and tuneful piece of musicianship. When Ed sings pleading for forgiveness, one cannot feel that we are deeply moved by the sentiment here musically. A really awesome listening experience from start to finish.

When Will I Be Alright – Live from Kristen’s Living Room begins with some great acoustic guitar playing and launches into a decent and soulful rendition of the original tune. Great to hear, once again, he makes a relatable listening experience that sounds really pretty and lovely. An awesome tune about the worst of experiences in a relationship, our man Ed delivers a fine and fantastic performance just by himself. The hummed harmonies sound deliciously good here. This is followed by a great musical crescendo by Ed Sheeran to conclude with. Great.

The Day I Was Born – Live from Danielle’s Living Room launches straight into the tune at hand with some raw emotional vocals and percussively strummed acoustic guitar. This is yet another great musical performance by Ed Sheeran that makes sense if you celebrate your birthday by yourself and you have no real friends to speak of. Nonetheless, this is still a very enjoyable and tuneful listening experience for those of you who can relate to isolation and loneliness on a special occasion. Really decent and listenable music, this is another touching musical listening experience from start to finish. A really good rendition musically that sounds special and enjoyable throughout. Great to hear.

Head > Heels – Live from Keira’s Living Room is the last song on this double album. It launches into a deeply and emotionally moving song about being in love. Really excellent and fantastic musically speaking, this is exactly what great musicianship is about. Ed Sheeran sings in a really enjoyable and sweet fashion that will make you smile and be happy upon hearing this song. A really romantic tune, this makes perfect sense if you have a partner out there or a loved one you care about deeply. This finishes the album on a high note and proves that Ed Sheeran does not need extra production or studio trickery on his music. He does well enough on this song. A worthy listening experience that does not disappoint. Fantastic to hear, the outro is extremely pretty and moving.

This double album is a winner. Although it has had less recognition than other Ed Sheeran albums before it and therefore, less attention, it is his best release in many years. The two sides of the album perfectly reflect his musical personality and regardless of whichever side you prefer, this is a great postmodern album release that will stand tall. Where to next for Ed Sheeran? We don’t know at this point in time but in the meantime, this is a special album. Should you listen to this album? Absolutely, especially if you care about the future of music.

Fantastically varied and thoroughly enjoyable.

9/10