From the moment Ed Sheeran released the first two singles off his new album, Divide, it was clear that the identity of the album was going to remain unclear until the entire album dropped.
"Shape of You," the album's most radio-friendly dance track and the passionate anecdotal melody performed on "Castle on the Hill," are hardly a cohesive pairing, yet they work, just like the fourteen other songs on Divide.
What Divide does best is showcase the wide variety of Sheeran's talent, while also appealing to a vast array of music listeners. The slow love song, "Perfect," is followed by "Galway Girl," a fun song reminiscent of an Irish jig. The truth is, if a listener did not know any better, they would assume the songs were on two separate albums and sung by completely different people. Any listener can find a favorite song on this album, as Sheeran was seemingly expert in constructing it so that no two songs in a row are too upbeat, too slow, sad or too "Top 40."
The album begins with "Eraser," a rap song with a catchy beat and chorus that alerts any listener that Sheeran is not here to mess around. However, it is followed by "Castle on the Hill," which gently brings the listener back into a traditional Sheeran emotional place in preparation for track three, "Dive." The first slow song on the album, "Dive" is a love song about entering a relationship with someone who may not feel the same way. Sheeran's vocals are incredibly strong once he builds up to the chorus, as he reminds everyone that he is a triple threat.
"Shape of You" takes the fourth spot on the album, quickly bringing the mood up from the emotional experience of "Dive." "Perfect," however, acts as a deterrent to anyone wishing to remain dancing. This '50s-esque song is the second slow number on the album and highlights Sheeran's apparent interest with the decade of music. "Dive" and "Perfect" both have the effect of making a listener feel as though they are slow dancing in the diner from Grease in the best possible way.
"Galway Girl" may just be the best song on Divide. Listed at track 6, this modern Irish jig is just as catchy as it is fun, and does its job to lift the spirits of any listener still reeling from "Perfect." Not so fast, though, because the most poignant and powerful melody on Divide comes next. In "Happier" Sheeran sings to a girl he knows he hurt as he painfully watches her move on. The song is the closest thing there is to "Photograph" on the album and succeeds in breaking the hearts of any listener.
"New Man" and "Hearts Don't Break Around Here" come next and are largely generic but beautiful additions to the album. "What Do I Know" is a catchy and amusing nod to the world and how easy it would be to change the world with love. The penultimate song on the album, "How Would You Feel," is another slow ballad that does not stand out amongst the rest.
It is the last song on Divide that changes up the pace. "Supermarket Flowers," marks the first time the album lists two slow songs back-to-back and ends the album on a sad but pretty note. The ballad is a tribute to Sheeran's grandmother as he told MTV UK, "She was in a hospital near my house where I was making the album so I saw her quite a lot while making the album and she passed away while I was in the studio. So that's my first reaction for anything that happens to me, good or bad, pick up a guitar." Yes. The song is as touching as you'd guess.
The deluxe version of Divide contains four extra songs, all worth listening to. "Barcelona," "Bibia Be Ye Ye," "Nancy Mulligan," and "Save Myself," are all catchy additions to the album and more than the previous songs, showcase Sheeran's range of musical interest. The songs, all the farthest thing from generic, give listeners a chance to pick themselves up off the floor after "Supermarket Flowers." "Nancy Mulligan," in particular, stands out as one of the strongest songs on the album. The upbeat forbidden love story between Sheeran and the titular woman is a charmingly exciting extra tune.
Ed Sheeran has been known as one of the best in the business, but with Divide, he sets a new bar in pop music. His refusal to live by pop's cultural standards has allowed him to create one of the best albums in a long time and begs the question, what really is pop?
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