“Divide” Unites Us All

After much anticipation, Ed Sheeran finally released his third studio album “Divide" on March 3, 2017. Succeeding his first studio album "Plus" and his second studio album "Multiply," Sheeran mathematically continues a pattern of pure genius.

Sheeran’s album features 16 songs, including the three teasers, “Shape of You,” “Castle on the Hill,” and “How Would You Feel (Paean),” that were dropped about a month prior to the album’s official release date. The songs are a beautiful amalgamation of hip-hop, rap, Irish folk, traditional folk, pop, and acoustic tunes, proving that anyone could find a genre that they enjoy just within one album.

Out of five stars, “Divide” deserves well over 400 bajillion. To describe the album in one word: wow. Ed Sheeran truly never disappoints. The heavens have opened and blessed the world with a red-haired, ketchup-bottle-tattooed angel.

Beginning with the upbeat tune “Eraser,” Sheeran tells his story of being a small town boy reaching the epitome of fame and all of the tribulations that occurred along his journey in a hip-hop and melodic combination. He seamlessly transitions to “Castle on a Hill,” which preaches homebound messages and conjures nostalgia. The album concludes with “Save Myself,” which describes Sheeran’s feckless efforts to destroy his soul in order to save someone else’s.

Both heartbreaking and inspiring, Sheeran’s songs evoke a plethora of emotions for listeners. While it is nearly impossible to pick a favorite, “Dive” really elevates the album to new heights. A tear-jerking ballad about a lost love, Sheeran propels not only his voice to an impossibly high range, but the album to what I predict will for sure be in Billboard’s Top 10 by next week.

Even though it is only March, “Divide” may be the best album of 2017. I predict that these 16 songs will be played on repeat for the next millennium. Even if you are not a fan of Ed Sheeran, I recommend listening to the album simply because its diversity of styles can appease anyone. “Divide” is truly a work of art, and the music industry is lucky to have an individual such as Ed Sheeran.

photo via Dezmariah