It’s been a long time coming, but over two and a half years after the release of Ed Sheeran’s astounding debut album comes his new record X, and it’s been well worth waiting for. To celebrate the album coming out on Monday Ed has been releasing a new single every day in the week leading up to X’s release. The first single released was Afire Love, and it is definitely our favourite so far.
Afire Love has a very different feel to Sing, Ed’s principle track from his new album. X’s closing track, this song is deeply personal to Ed – he sings about the pain of watching his grandfather die of Alzheimer’s disease. Ed’s emotions really come through the strong vocals and simple melodies of this song. Gentle strings and piano only emphasise the meaning of his words.
It’s clear that this isn’t just an album filler – Ed has written his song for himself, not his fans. Whilst listening to Afire Love you can’t help but feel emotionally connected to him and what he has been through, especially if you have had a similar experience. Listeners of all ages will be able to relate to this, and the heartache of losing an older relative.
After the success of +, Ed Sheeran has had a lot to live up to. Fans needed something new from him, yet still wanted the sounds that they knew and loved. This new track proves that whatever Ed does, he is at his best when singing from the heart. Yes, it may not get a crowd jumping, but songs like Afire Love do so much more. They allow Ed to connect to his fans in a way that songs like Sing never could. Perhaps this personal touch is just as responsible for his immense success as his catchy tunes.
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