"Autumn Variations" - Ed Sheeran Album Review

Acoustic Ed Sheeran is back just in time for the cozy fall season with his seventh studio album, “Autumn Variations.”

Sheeran is hot off the Mathematics World Tour, where he sold out stadiums and performed his infamous one-man show. He utilizes a pedal loop for his guitar and vocals so he doesn’t require anyone else onstage.

While his radio hits like “Shape of You,” “Bad Habits” and “Shivers” wrack up millions of Spotify streams, Sheeran’s true artistry shines through on his acoustic songs.

“Autumn Variations” is Sheeran’s first album with his new Record Label, Gingerbread Man Records, and has The National’s Aaron Dessner tacked on as a producer.

Dessner is well-known for his rhythmic, woodsy acoustic tracks, which is exactly what he brought to Sheeran’s album.

This intimacy makes “Autumn Variations” more compelling than Sheeran’s radio hits since every song on the album is about a person, place or experience in his life.

The opening track on the album, “Magical,” is a whimsical guitar ballad about the joys of being in love.

Sheeran softly sings “Is this how it feels to be in love? / This is magical, this is magical” in the chorus.

A theme of the album seems to be turning complexities into simplicities music and lyric-wise, especially on track two titled “England.”

Sheeran was born and raised in England and has covered his experience there in previous songs like “Castle On The Hill,” an example of his most powerful songwriting.

“England” transports the listener to the small Yorkshire village where Sheeran grew up, and he talks about everything that makes it special.

From the dreamy fairy lights lining the buildings to the pubs packed with locals, “England” makes the listener, well, want to visit England.

Many of the tracks on the album start slow and bloom in the chorus, especially “Plastic Bag.”

The song is an example of a bright, uplifting instrumental track accompanied by borderline depressing lyrics.

In this case, it works remarkably well because, by the end of the song, Sheeran acknowledges that he’s made it through all the hardships he faced.

Saturday nights filled with drinking and avoiding life’s problems always have to come to an end, even if it’s difficult.

“Blue” and “Page” don’t try to hide the melancholy laced through them, with Sheeran discussing how it’s hard to see life as worth living when you’re experiencing loss.

Whether that be the loss of a romantic relationship, friend or family member, all of the pain demands to be felt.

In “Blue,” Sheeran sings “Yeah, we used to set the dream alive / ‘Til the day it sunk and slowly died.”

The lyrics are simple enough to be relatable to any listener experiencing a breakup, but still infused with Sheeran’s own experience.

A beautiful thing about “Autumn Variations” is its ability to flawlessly transition between heartbreak and regrowth, especially in “Spring.”

Springtime is known for melting away the winter ice and cold and replacing it with new life, which is how the transition from “Blue” to “Spring” feels.

The chorus “I’m holding out for spring / We can’t let winter win” can be taken literally and metaphorically in this song, it’s up for interpretation by the listener.

“Autumn Variations” ends with a four-track run that’s slightly forgettable, since the acoustic songs blend together after listening to the album for just short of an hour.

“Autumn Variations” is a compelling body of work where Sheeran reconnects with his acoustic roots and makes the music he loves.

Rating: 8/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: “Plastic Bag,” “England,” “Spring”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Songs: “That’s On Me,” “Head > Heels”

Kaitlyn Murphy is a second-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email kvm6255@psu.edu