Sheeran Innovates Successfully on "X"

Three years after the success of his debut album, “+,” Ed Sheeran, the beloved British singer-songwriter, has returned with “X” (pronounced “Multiply”). Notorious for quaint, acoustic songs dripping with emotion, Sheeran maintains his fundamental identity in this second outing. However, it is quite clear that Sheeran has taken pronounced creative risks—he balances his traditional guitar pieces and overbearing vocals with mainstream rhythms, while discussing more personal events in his songs. These choices have given rise to a bold, refreshing album that displays Sheeran’s versatility and maturity.

“X” elevates Sheeran from his folkish roots into more mainstream pop. This is most apparent in the lead single, “Sing,” an upbeat, peppy track produced by Pharrell Williams. Many have already likened “Sing” to Justin Timberlake’s solo debut single, “Like I Love You,” and the comparison is justified. “Sing” presents a more confident Sheeran who employs R&B and hip-hop-inspired, funky rhythms. The stellar vocals are expected of Sheeran, but the expanded use of percussive instruments and the more rabid techno feel of the song mark a welcome departure from Sheeran’s previous album.

Despite the novel influences, Sheeran also incorporates many of the core elements that made “+” a success. Numerous songs in the album follow the traditional Sheeran formula—rich vocals accompanied by soft guitar riffs—that fans have come to expect. However, the context of the songs have definitely changed: three years later, Sheeran has matured not only as a musician, but also as an individual, and this transition is well reflected in his sophomore album. Whereas the songs in “+” seemed more impersonal, Sheeran drew from real-life experiences in writing the songs for “X,” revealing a more private side of his life, battling loneliness in “I’m A Mess” and desperation in “Bloodstream.” In these narratives, Sheeran channels his raw emotions and this gives the overall album a greater impact.

Indeed, as a collection, Sheeran’s album paints a portrait of an artist questioning his work and his surroundings as he experiences heartache and loss. The most scathing of these songs is “Don’t,” a song about an anonymized significant other who cheated on Sheeran. “I never saw him as a threat / Until you disappeared with him to have sex, of course,” Sheeran explicitly reveals in one of the verses. “Don’t” is no exception; other songs such as “I’m A Mess” and “Bloodstream” continue this theme of heartbreak and disorientation. Despite a consistent theme, each song is musically unique—“I’m A Mess” relies heavily on Sheeran’s powerful voice, whereas “Don’t” and “Bloodstream” make use of more upbeat rhythms with a diverse array of instruments and subtle techno mixes, building off Sheeran’s work in “Sing.”

After a slew of such pessimistic songs, Sheeran returns to the positive qualities of redemption and love in the closing tracks. This is most apparent in what is easily the highlight of the album, “Afire Love.” Drawing from his experiences with his grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s, Sheeran arranges an impressive song that reflects his versatility as a musician. He begins with a quiet and reflective voice as he sings, “Things were all good yesterday / And then the devil took your memory.” The pounding percussive instruments are prominent over Sheeran’s somber voice. As the song progresses, however, Sheeran begins to appreciate his own memories of his grandfather and recognizes the support and love of his family. This realization marks a decisive shift—Sheeran’s voice increases in volume and is accompanied by background vocalists and a diverse range of string instruments. The song ultimately concludes in an enthralling fashion with collective repetition of “All of my family rise from their seats to sing Hallelujah.” The use of the loop station is especially effective in this conclusion as it allows Sheeran to add impressive vocal embellishments.

Of course, no Sheeran album is complete without ballads and “X” does not disappoint. In particular, “Thinking Out Loud,” a dreamy ballad about growing old with a significant other, follows the footsteps of previous Sheeran classics such as “Kiss Me” in celebrating the magic that is love—“I’m thinking out loud / That maybe we found love right where we are.” Sheeran has revealed in interviews that “Thinking Out Loud” is his favorite song on the album, and it is easy to see why. The emphasis is placed on Sheeran’s lyrics and vocals, in stark contrast to (and balancing) the funky rhythms of “Sing.”

Sheeran’s “X” is a bold, ingenious album that builds off the success of his debut album in surprisingly innovative ways. Sheeran excels at what most other artists are wary of—he explicitly opens his life to the public eye by using direct experiences as influences for his songs. In doing so, Sheeran has crafted a masterful record that will be remembered as a pivotal transition in the development of his musical career.

—Staff writer Sahil Agrawal can be reached at sahilagrawal@college.harvard.edu.