Ed Sheeran’s Equals And A Rainy Friday
Courtesy of Ed Sheeran’s Instagram @teddysphotos
By Trinity Ruiz
Released on Friday, October 29, Ed Sheeran’s fifth studio album Equals kicks off the season of new music releases. Due to Adele’s upcoming album release, Sheeran decided to release his album early, rightly so, with Taylor Swift’s upcoming re-release of Red on November 12. Nevertheless, Equals is receiving the attention it deserves.
The album was released on a gloomy, windbreaker, and umbrella kind of day, but the brisk air synthesized with Sheeran made for a heartfelt transition into the fall.
Starting with the opening track, Tides, one notices its similarity to Castle on the Hill. In only the first few seconds, the song gives off the same sense of revelatory happiness that Castle on the Hill provides, only, Sheeran is “grown up” and “a father now” to his one-year-old daughter, Lyra. Tides almost acts as a sequel to the hit song that showed us the value of childhood and the impact of our upbringing.
“Bad Habits” and “Shivers,” having been number one in the UK charts for 15 weeks combined, are the hits that establish Sheeran’s desired theme for the album. This motif is furthered by “The Joker and the Queen,” a track that lyrically mimics “Bad Habits’” music video, in which Sheeran plays his own version of The Joker. On the UK charts today, Equals is currently number one surpassing Coldplay and Elton John’s new albums.
“Love in Slow Motion” hits its peak when listened to three times; for the third time a song is played is when the love for it is truly established. Dedicated, like “First Times,” to his spouse, this song exemplifies the time that is crucial to keep a relationship alive—the necessary pauses devoted to one another that excludes the tumult of everyday life.
“Visiting Hours,” performed by Sheeran live for the first time in late March, is a tribute to his very close friend and musical mentor, Michael Gudinski, who passed earlier this year. Listening to the live version of “Visiting Hours” is a far more powerful experience that every audience member should have because it intrinsically exceeds the track in every emotional manner.
Equals holds a mix of Multiply’s acoustic, coffee-shop feel, and Divide’s pop aspect. Multiply kept Sheeran’s soft acoustics with songs like “One,” “Photograph,” and “Tenerife Sea” while introducing the pop, R&B genre he hoped to implement in further works with songs such as “Don’t” and hit-single “Sing.” Divide was unique in Sheeran’s integration of folk and Irish pop in “Nancy Mulligan” and “Galway Girl.”
However, almost every track in Equals can be compared with tracks from his previous albums. This leaves little room for distinguishing this album from that of his previous albums’ successes. While “2Step” draws from his No. 6 Collaborations album released in 2019, “Overpass Graffiti” is the only song that stands out and represents the outwardly edgy theme Sheeran hoped to convey; it provides an 80s-esque beat that is akin to The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and is distinctive from any of his previous music.
Nevertheless, digging deeper into his lyrics, this album allows listeners to consider the importance of slowing down in the midst of chaos. “Leave Your Life” serves as an upfront apology for the times he will inevitably leave his family due to tour, but a confirmation of his devotion to them. “Be Right Now” more simply says, “nothing else matters” but the present moment. Whether his Equals tour is as successful as Divide’s remains to be seen. However, though Equals can be closely compared with Divide, it is discerned by its maturity. Music critics have deemed this album critic-proof because Sheeran was never one to leave his audience expecting a grand alteration of sound (think Taylor Swift’s transition into Reputation). His popularity comes from his authenticity.
