Feet in grey socks standing on stairs surrounded by autumnal leaves, a book, and a pumpkin.

Ashley Thieme

On the 29th September, Ed Sheeran released his seventh studio album, Autumn Variations – perfect seasonal listening for getting cozy with a cup of tea. This 14-track studio album is his first album to be released under his own record label, Gingerbread Man Records.

Autumn Variations (2023) is an ode to the seasonal depression that autumn can bring, capturing the essence of dark evenings and frosty mornings. However, the album’s cover art also celebrates the season’s potential for coziness, as we are met with sketches of cups of tea and pumpkins, which sit alongside imagery of dark thoughts and moments of sadness.

https://twitter.com/edsheeran/status/1707641911723336009

 

Coming Full Circle

It is easy to see why fans who have been listening to Sheeran for the past nine years, or since the release of Divide, may be disappointed by this album. It certainly departs from the upbeat tempo of tracks such as ‘Shape Of You’ or ‘Shivers’.

“He is embracing the mellow roots of his early career”

However, as a long-time fan of his Loose Change EP, I am glad to see his career coming full circle. He is embracing the mellow roots of his early career. To that end, track six, ‘American Town’, is a song about reconnecting with a past love. The lyric “Live the life we saw in Friends” refers back to the song ‘Sofa’ from his 2011 EP, which features the line “So kick off the day with Friends on T4”. This creates the impression that Sheeran is spending the autumn months reflecting on his life and career, as many of us do. Thankfully, he is also bringing his fans along with him on this trip down memory lane.

https://twitter.com/edsheeran/status/1712874456144658753

Standout Tracks

Track three, ‘Amazing’, sees Sheeran fully open up in a way we haven’t heard for a while. With lyrics like “I know I’m on the edge and one push of the wind/Will send me flying deep into the unknown”, he bears his wounds to the listener and shows that he too is at the mercy of life’s ups and downs.

“We really feel what he has been through”

As reported previously, Sheeran has been through some dark times in recent years. In this album, we really feel what he has been through. For example, ‘Plastic Bag’ sees Sheeran singing about the death of his friend. When romantic love eventually finds him, this tragedy renders him “too numb to feel it”.

My personal favourite track on the new album is ‘That’s On Me’.  It uses his iconic mix of vocal harmonies and rough guitar. The track offers comfort that “this is just a bump in the ride”, and that the dark feelings can pass.

A close second to this would be ‘The Day I Was Born’, about feeling lonely on your birthday and watching everyone around you better themselves while you feel stuck. This track is all too relatable as feeling like the people you surround yourself with are higher-achieving at their age can leave you feeling gloomy – like an autumn day.

The album as a whole takes the listener on a journey. Sheeran begins and ends the album with a love song: ‘Magical’ and  ‘Head > Heels’. ‘Magical’ is all about the excitement of a new relationship as he asks “is this how it feels to be in love?/This is magical”. ‘Head > Heels’ then journeys to the breakdown and rebuilding of a relationship, “crashing in, head then heels”.

Inspirations

Speaking with Rolling Stone about the album, Sheeran said that he was inspired by Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations. He said: “The 14 compositions each reflected a different figure in Elgar’s life.” It seems that Autumn Variations does the same thing.

“Autumnal vibes and Aaron Dessner just go hand in hand”

The album is produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, who certainly knows how to produce a mellow, autumnal record. Dessner previously collaborated with Sheeran’s friend Taylor Swift on Folklore and Evermore. Autumnal vibes and Aaron Dessner just go hand in hand.

We really hear the influence of producer, Dessner, and co-writer, Foy Vance, in track five, ‘Blue’. The guitar in this song is brighter, making it truly beautiful to listen to. It sounds hopeful, and whilst the lyrics are vague, it is seemingly about the need to talk about your troubling feelings with someone close.

Demonstrating his dedication to the album, Sheeran plans to perform two shows at the Royal Albert Hall on the 18th and 19th December. He will play the new album accompanied by a live band and string section.

https://twitter.com/RoyalAlbertHall/status/1700057656843456579

This is an album for those who are looking to embrace the attitude of the season. So, grab a cup of tea and a blanket, and settle in to listen to this autumnal record. It is sure to be regarded as a classic in years to come.

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Featured image courtesy of Alex Geerts via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Ashley is a Masters student at Cardiff University studying Magazine Journalism.

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