Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You/Castle On The Hill | Single Reviews

My first reviews post of 2017! I say this every year, but I just simply can’t wait for what the music world holds for us over the next 12 months, and to start it all off, the first big releases come from Mr. Ed Sheeran. Beloved singer/songwriter of acoustic guitar prowess, teller of stories in his music and a man quite obsessed with naming his albums after mathematical operations, Sheeran is coming back nearly three years after his previous LP, ‘x’ (or ‘Multiply’), with, not one, but TWO brand new singles that will be taken from his upcoming third effort. Judging by how this album’s been promoted so far, it wouldn’t be out of the question to say that it’ll be bestowed the name ‘÷’ (or ‘Divide’), and I would probably expect more darker undertones to be more of a theme this time around with a title such as that. His two new singles, ‘Shape Of You’ and ‘Castle On The Hill’, are certainly the Ed Sheeran we know while also becoming a more progressive artist with regards to this album’s theme (although speculated at the time of writing these reviews).

Shape Of You

R|U|S RATING: 5/10

Let’s kick off with the one that was originally meant for Rihanna, ‘Shape Of You’. Odds are that most of you listening to his song would immediately pick up on the fact that it starts off sounding like Sia’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ and ‘The Greatest’ among other pop chart hits such as ‘Rockabye’ by Clean Bandit and ‘Don’t Wanna Know’ by Maroon 5. So, we’re not off to a great start in the grand scheme of things, but there is more to admire in the lyrical variety and the toning down of pop intensity on ‘Shape Of You’ compared to these aforementioned pop singles. Like current pop songs that share this nostalgic music-box style of tropical house, ‘Shape Of You’ is a single that contains the catchiest marimba hooks that will no doubt remain memorable because of its accessible and light sound that has an air of sentiment to it. It’s definitely something different in Sheeran’s repertoire, but it’s not anything groundbreaking, especially in today’s pop music backdrop where it’s now being done to death. What really lets this song down though is the lyrical mushiness that is more often cringey and awkward than it is heartfelt, and despite Ed’s impeccable way of weaving the words together in such a smooth and delicate way, the lyrics – mostly the chorus – are just uninteresting, repetitive and dulls down on story-writing compared with ‘The a Team’ or ‘Photograph’ where raw sentiment acted as the driving force rather than the instruments. ‘Shape Of You’ will be the song out of the two that will get played on radio stations for sure, but catchiness alone doesn’t make a great song, and that’s sadly the case for this single.

Castle On The Hill

R|U|S RATING: 7/10

 

Moving on to ‘Castle On The Hill’ now and hearing this single after ‘Shape Of You’ restored some hope in the upcoming album if I am being brutally honest. It’s still not a groundbreaker compared to singles from ‘x’, but by going into another direction, Ed Sheeran channels the sounds of Mumford & Sons and brings back the emotive storytelling in his writing that reminisces on his childhood in such a life-affirming manner. With a more live sound and a more noticeable theme of friendship, this single probably has the most insight into the upcoming album out of the two, and it really shows that Sheeran still has the knack for creating tunes that can be ear-wormy and narrative-driven while evolving the story lyrically and instrumentally to gain the ultimate resonance with his fans. ‘Castle On The Hill’ is one of those rare glimpses into Ed’s life and the rawness of this track is made even more powerful in that respect, tackling the separation between reality and childhood innocence that will likely be alluding to the third LP’s probable and darker theme of division. For its anthemic quality and its heart-on-sleeve yearning, this single is the closest example to how ‘÷’ would sound like on an arena stage – as well as a full length LP – and because this single is perhaps Sheeran’s most honest to date, it could make any arena become more like an intimate gig that closes the distance between the artist and the listener. It’s like the classic Ed Sheeran but in a more authentic light and that admirable quality in his music will resonate with fans and non-fans alike should it continue throughout ‘÷’.

What did you think of Ed’s new material? Are you excited for ‘÷’? Has he saved 2017? Let me know!