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Critic Reviews
100
Guided by the National's Aaron Dessner and inspired by his depression, Sheeran has finally made the album that places him among the greats.
3y
80
Subtract strips back the flamboyance, leans into vulnerability and shines the spotlight on Sheeran’s vocals.
3y
80
On Subtract, Sheeran’s lyricism returns to the spotlight, bolstered by finely detailed music that complements his crystalline lyrics and close-confidant delivery.
3y
80
Grief and his wife’s brush with cancer inspired Sheeran to make this insular record with Aaron Dessner of the National. It’s downcast yet full of new ideas.
3y
70
Sincerity without sentimentality seems to go a surprisingly long way to papering over the cracks.
3y
70
Unsheathing himself from the gloss of his prior work, Ed Sheeran has delivered a work of great truth.
3y
60
A traumatic year that saw his wife taken ill and the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards shapes this often bleak album.
2y
60
His reliance on obvious metaphors – he’s forever listening to rain, fighting the tide and being battered by waves – means it rarely feels like he’s expressing uniquely personal pain. Subtract amounts to less than the sum of its parts.
3y
60
Framing his recent grief and depression in a gauzy wash of sound courtesy of producer Aaron Dessner, the embattled songsmith continues to deal in powerful universals.
3y
60
The final album in the singer-songwriter’s ‘maths’ series includes some beautifully pared-back musicianship, and Sheeran at his most vulnerable.
3y
60
Written with The National’s Aaron Dessner as death and depression enveloped his life, these brutal circumstances are reflected in these lo-fi missives.
3y
60
- (subtract) provides a sense of comfort that's possibly accidental; even at his darkest moments, Sheeran steers himself toward the light.
3y
60
His genius is to take very personal experiences and channel them into songs which anyone can relate to, making an album that will provide succour to many in trying times.
3y
50
Ed keeping things simple on — is a good move for him.
3y
50
Though Subtract is far from perfect and even falls into some of the same traps as every other Sheeran record before it, it represents a big step in artistic growth in an artist that, years ago, felt like a lost cause, stuck in the pop machine.
3y
40
His fifth and final mathematical gambit, - (Subtract) feels apt given his penchant for reducing genres to generic, gentrified hits.
3y
38
Ed Sheeran has bragged that he wrote seven of his new album’s songs in a combined two and a half hours. It’s easy to believe him.
3y
30
No matter how much aesthetic cosplay Sheeran is willing to engage in, though, he’s still pumping out the same cheese-filled anthems that have plagued his previous albums.
3y
30
ELEVATOR: I’ve had the market cornered on this scene of music for decades. My fingerprints are smudged on all 14 tracks of this charlatan’s album, 18 if you count the superfluous deluxe edition. The genre is named after me, for God’s sake.
3y
Lyricism - Personality = this album.
I'm no stranger to Ed Sheeran's music, not sure anyone else would be either. Ever since he made his breakthrough in late spring 2011 with The A Team, which peaked at No. 3, he's had several Top 10 hits & each of his albums prior to now reaching the No. 1 spot in the UK Albums Chart & achieving Platinum status.
I'd like to go back first and briefly explore my views on Ed's music as a whole throughout the years: with his first album + in 2011, I ... read more
EDIT: My OG score was 61 so I really didn't hate this album at all, I thought it was decent. I really want to like Ed cause he's such a chill dude, and I'm glad to say that after re-listening to this album, it's a good listen that I really enjoy for Pop standards and it's also easily his best album. Personal, simple, and introspective. He put his heart and soul into this from the pain he had to go through after losing 2 of his friends. There are no shitty Pop songs manufactured for the Radio ... read more
Ok. It’s decent and boring.
Also i cannot remember anything from this because it is so forgettable. Still a 60 though.
Best song: Colourblind: 86/100
Worst song: Dusty: 25/100
This album you wont love at first listen.
Take that for sure.
It will take several listens for you to understand and appreciate all songs in the record. That said, even afyer hearing this album +30 times, the second half of the album is rather weak for me. After "End Of Youth", the album seems to be retreading ground. Dont get me wrong, there are still BANGERS like "Curtains" and "Sparks", however, as said, at a point they mix together.
The first half however, ... read more
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MusicXXY, Pacaveli, DrGonzo86, ThomYorke2, roberth3108, jmw123456, decodey, Zarm, OPENblinds, nah_, riquitrefe, MikeOwen, gbar25, hARded2000Become a Subscriber
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Track List
| 1 | Boat 3:05 | 71 |
| 2 | Salt Water 3:59 | 67 |
| 3 | Eyes Closed 3:14 | 54 |
| 4 | Life Goes On 3:30 | 61 |
| 5 | Dusty 3:42 | 51 |
| 6 | End Of Youth 3:51 | 62 |
| 7 | Colourblind 3:29 | 56 |
| 8 | Curtains 3:44 | 64 |
| 9 | Borderline 3:57 | 58 |
| 10 | Spark 3:34 | 60 |
| 11 | Vega 2:58 | 57 |
| 12 | Sycamore 2:50 | 55 |
| 13 | No Strings 2:54 | 55 |
| 14 | The Hills of Aberfeldy 3:15 | 58 |
Total Length: 48 minutes
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