Album Review: + by Ed Sheeran

I bought this album last December and hadn't had a chance to review it. Ed Sheeran is the latest british act to storm the music scene last year, and he just picked up 2 BRIT awards this week. I first took notice of his song 'The A Team' when a contestant on the UK X Factor sang the song. From then on I followed his next releases and liked them. Went everywhere to see if his album '+' is released here and finally found it at Rock Corner. Read my review after the break.

I call him the British Jason Mraz mainly cuz his sound is like what I would expect Jason Mraz go for, including the wordplay in his lyrics. Singles off the album are the folk ballads, 'The A Team' and 'Lego House' and the more up-tempo 'You Need Me, I Don't Need You' and 'Drunk'. I only began to like 'The A Team' after a few listen as it took me a while to enjoy the hook. 'Lego House' has to be my favourite single for its simple lyric and hook. I would say it's a great serenade song. Although the music video was funny, portraying it as a stalker-ish song (Check it out below!). I compare 'You Need Me' in the vines of 'Geek in the Pink' by Jason Mraz. When you listen to it, you might even mistake him for Jason Mraz.

The tracks that click with me most are the ballads. 'U.N.I.' has a similar sound and meaning to 'Lego House'. 'Wake Me Up' reminds me of James Blunt's 'Goodbye My Lover', a stripped down piano ballad. 'Kiss Me' is my favourite of them all. It's the kind of song I think should be in a romance movie soundtrack. The lyrics are so simple yet powerful. 'Give Me Love' is a great last song with its choir accompaniment in the last choruses making it a somewhat inspiring sound. The uptempo ones like 'Drunk', 'Grade 8' and 'The City' I find them a bit similar with 'You Need Me'. It might take a few listen to really appreciate the songs in this album and after that you'll see that every song is different in its own way. Here's the album sampler.

If you like music from Jason Mraz, James Morisson, James Blunt or The Script, you should definitely give this album a listen. I find myself listening to the album whenever I just want to lay back and relax after a stressful day at work.