+ - Ed Sheeran - Album Review

Ed Sheeran came to huge success following the release of his debut album +. Since the release of the album, we've come to expect emotional lyrical songs, with perfectly simple acoustic backing. This is exactly what + gives us, with a couple of surprises thrown in there too.

The first track on the album is the debut single The A Team. This immediately sets the tone and expectation for the rest of the album. The fourth single released from the album, Drunk, is second and flows brilliantly from the previous track.
The fourth track on the album, Grade 8, strays from what we expect. The song has definite R&B influences, whilst staying in keeping with Ed Sheeran's distinctive style.
We're then taken back to classic Ed Sheeran for another 3 tracks, before being thrown another curve ball. The City isn't the strongest track in the album, but the edgy hip-hop sound is certainly a surprise. Similar to this track is You Need Me, I Don't Need You. The song again, has hip-hop influences with rap style vocals. All of Sheeran's lyrics are incredibly clever, but unlike the other deep emotional songs Sheeran writes, You Need Me, I Don't Need You is intriguing and entertaining.

The album ends with Give Me Love. This is a brilliant song to end on, as it sums up everything that Ed Sheeran's music is about. The song is reminiscent of Skinny Love by Bon Iver and is by far one of the stand out songs on the album.

Other standout songs are Lego House, The A Team, Drunk and This. These songs all, in my opinion, showcase everything that Ed Sheeran is about. I would have included Small Bump in this selection, however I feel the acoustic version of this song is far better. The composition of the version released on the album is overworked and takes away from the emotion of the song. As with most of Ed's songs, it's the simplicity of the instrumental that strips the lyrics bare and allows us listeners to really feel the emotion of the song.

Overall, the album is a brilliant debut, which is why I'm not surprised it's been such a huge success. The album showcases Sheeran's talent as most of the album isn't overproduced. His voice is easy to listen to and the overall vibe of the album is very chilled. The deep meaning in his songs doesn't feel heavy or depressing  and are perfect for when you're in a reflective mood.