Divide is astonishing for its sheer ambition alone; this is a polished, well-executed effort from one of the hardest-working men in music.
His latest album is as likeable as he seems in interviews: assured but unassuming and sometimes hard to fathom. There’s probably a mathematical formula to Ed Sheeran’s success, but he’s the only one who can crunch the numbers.
Sheeran's musical history lesson is both well-timed and rip-roaringly fun, another example of his still-evolving craft.
Division is by far Sheeran’s smoothest collection.
Throughout the record, Sheeran seems assured in his smooth schtick, and that cheesy confidence, combined with the hints of new style, help make Divide his easiest album to enjoy.
If the familiarity of the album bodes well for its commercial success, key elements of Sheeran’s schtick don’t add up creatively.
In every way imaginable, ÷ is just your typical Ed Sheeran record. It would have been nice if he’d given us a reason to ditch the notion of a “typical” Sheeran album by advancing his sound in another direction, but his lack of mobility does not indicate a decline.
At best, we have a middling collection of songs that are going to sound great in a packed arena. At worst, it’s a pretty significant step back from X, and once the initial novelty of its release wears off, it’s unlikely to enjoy the popular acclaim or the longevity of its predecessor.
It relocates the Sheeran show to a bigger, brighter stage, doubling down on its predecessor’s quirky folk-pop without challenging the listener’s preconceived sensibilities.
That’s the biggest surprise here: for someone that is generally perceived as different to other popstars ... he has made the most anodyne and bland pop album possible.