★★★☆☆

In his first solo album since 2017, Ed Sheeran encapsulates the love, life and loss in his world throughout the last four years with “=.” Though Sheeran may not have completed the mathematical quartet by adding “–” to “+,” “x” and “÷,” the title “=,” or “Equals,” represents exactly what Sheeran intends to convey emotionally and lyrically with the album. 

Since his last album release, Sheeran quietly married Cherry Seaborn, a woman he has known since high school. She recently gave birth to their baby daughter, Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran. The title “=” not only reflects how the popstar’s home life has finally come together, but also embodies the album’s balance between Sheeran’s classic, acoustic sound and his future as an artist.

The album opens intensely and almost aggressively with the electric guitar on “Tides.” The song catches the listener’s attention and immediately clarifies the subject of the album: the changing tides in Sheeran’s life: “I have grown up, I am a father now.” It is reminiscent of “Castle on the Hill,” a hit from his last solo album, “÷.” “Tides” will one day make an excellent concert opener.

Although “=” itself opens on a strong note, a majority of the singles with which Sheeran introduced the album were underwhelming. The first single off the album, “Bad Habits,” was strategically released at the beginning of the summer. This chart-topper echoes a catchy, electronically developed synth-pop beat that is uncharacteristic of Sheeran’s solo work. Though Sheeran does tell a story about his past with substance abuse, “Bad Habits” is built for radio and does not exhibit the songwriting capabilities that true fans expect of the artist. 

In spite of this disappointing and basic introduction to “=,” Sheeran redeems himself with his expressive, layered vocals in songs like “Visiting Hours.” The single is a heart-wrenching song about the late Michael Gudinski, who was a father figure, mentor and friend to Sheeran. In the ballad, Sheeran reflects on the lessons Gudinski taught him and how he will pass them on to his own daughter. He croons, “[That] she’s getting older and I wish that you’d met her / The things that she’ll learn from me / I got them all from you.” The song is reminiscent of 2017’s “Supermarket Flowers,” in which he sings to his late grandmother. “Visiting Hours” is a lyrically personal and emotional ballad that is excellently written and produced, making it a star off of “=.”

In a step beyond his typical acoustic style, Sheeran successfully incorporates his lyricism into tunes that are relatively innovative and pop-forward. “Collide” recounts tender, loving memories between Sheeran and his wife while maintaining a catchy, upbeat vibe. “Overpass Graffiti” is about an old love whose memory never fades, with a pop sound and vocals that are expressive and meaningful.

Unfortunately, Sheeran disappoints on songs that are clearly intended to be meaningful to his wife and daughter by packing them with cliches. Though “Shivers” is certainly a fun love song fit for radio success, it is sonically generic and the lyrics lack depth and originality. “Sandman” is a precious lullaby, but it is quite plucky and chock full of commonplace lyrics: “You were loved before you had arrived … And loving you is easy.” “Leave Your Life” is plainly unexciting. 

Sheeran also misses the mark on “The Joker And The Queen,” in which he names himself a “Joker” to analogize his marriage to a deck of cards. Though the metaphor is literarily strong, the listener will likely fall asleep before having the chance to understand it. 

“=” closes with “Be Right Now,” a feel-good bop that effectively eases the listener out of the album, in which Sheeran emphasizes the importance of living in the moment. The last line of the album is a beautiful closer: “The hurry and the noise shut out / Just stay here and be right now.”

“=” does what a typical Ed Sheeran album does: It makes listeners dance, then cry and then be jealous of the incredibly sentimental love songs that come from the depths of his heart. Though “=” follows this exact recipe of each of his previous albums with a pop orientation and tender lyrics, Sheeran works to innovate his sound while also providing his listeners with the classic ballads they know and love. After a significant hiatus and period of growth and change for Sheeran, the charts should expect to see his new songs linger for many weeks to come.