Pop sensation Ed Sheeran is back at it again with another new album that sounds a little too similar to his last. Four years after the release of “Divide”, “Equals” is a new album with the same energy, but it’s one that’s impossible to quit playing on repeat. Photo fair use of An Asylum Records UK release, a division of Atlantic Records UK, ® 2021 Warner Music UK Limited
Don’t get excited! After four years of releasing no new music, Ed Sheeran has created a new album that sounds exactly like his last one (and the one before that).
Released on Oct. 29, pop sensation Ed Sheeran’s “Equals” is perfect for fans wanting something similar to the previous four studio-produced albums he has released, but won’t satisfy fans eager for new music.
Let’s reminisce about the past. After all, who could forget 2019’s radio hits “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill”? They’re almost impossible to forget when Sheeran’s newest collection of songs sound almost exactly the same.
The similarities between Sheeran’s newest album, “Equals” and the previously released “Divide” are disappointing. “Shivers”, released as a single on Sept. 10 prior to the album, conveys the same repetitive message as 2017’s “Shape of You”, both focusing on Sheeran’s long-lasting relationship with his wife, Cherry Seaborn.
While “Shivers” has an exciting electronic-based beat, the acoustic guitar rhythm in the background is distracting and inconsistent. The verses are repetitive, but the song manages to capture that upbeat, Ed Sheeran attitude, making it just as addictive as it’s incredibly popular, aforementioned predecessor.
Despite this, originality and vulnerability are still apparent in songs such as “Visiting Hours”, which provides a small glimpse into the personal world of the red-headed hero as he sings about wishing to talk to a loved one who passed.
The lyrics convey a sense of emotional maturity because what Sheeran sings about is deeply personal at times—especially in “Visiting Hours”— but the musical accompaniment is reminiscent of Justin Bieber’s early era, which makes it difficult to enjoy the lyrics.
Sheeran should have pushed himself to evolve musically and leaned more into his new ideas, instead of repeating the energy of his previous work.
Unfortunately, the flow of the tracks in “Equals”’ simply don’t intertwine to create a cohesive album. There are outstanding individual songs, like the fast-paced, energetic “2step”, but the quality tracks are offset by others like “Bad Habits”, where the individual rhythms of the lyrics and the beat do not intertwine.
Overall, Sheeran should have pushed himself to evolve musically and leaned more into his new ideas, instead of repeating the energy of his previous work. Four years is a lot of time, and even though he seems to have limited himself creatively (except while filming the “Bad Habits” music video), Sheeran has once again created an album with many amazing songs.
