Crystal Aura Gaze

This is the year of Ed Sheeran – two album releases in 2023! After “Subtract” was released this past spring, we were graced with another album this past September called “Autumn Variations.”

What makes this particular album so special? This is the first album released through Ed Sheeran’s own record label called “Gingerbread Man Records.” (Side note: cutest record label name ever!) I’m sure that this exciting deal gives him more control and power over his own music.

Ed’s first five albums followed a mathematics theme: Plus, Multiply, Divide, Equals, and Subtract (with the exception of “No. 6 Collaborations Project” which is a collections of features with other artists.) Therefore, “Subtract” was the last album on his previous record label.

“Autumn Variations” was supposed to be the original “Subtract.” However, sudden tragic events – the completely unexpected death of his best friend along with a cancer scare with his wife – changed everything. Instead, “Subtract” was released as his saddest, darkest album surrounding themes of grief and depression.

Ed explained that “Autumn Variations” follows the theme of each song being dedicated to a specific person. He said that the album is supposed to feel like a warm hug. Being the first album on his own record label, he stated that he released it with no expectations and no pressure, with minimal promotion. To his surprise, the album has already proved itself to be vastly successful: becoming his sixth #1 on Top Album Charts.

There is absolutely a melancholy feel to “Autumn Variations,” and I can see how it was originally intended to be “Subtract.” However, it’s still a bit more hopeful. Listening to the record, you can expect some catchy hooks, a lot of acoustics, and a few cry-worthy tracks.

It starts off sweet and slow with the opening track, “Magical.” This is a beautiful, pure, precious love song. It’s like looking at romance with humility and childlike innocence.

“England” has an invigorating sound. It’s like drinking a hot cup of coffee (or tea) on a cold morning. It’s like, you’re waking up and gaining alertness, but you’re still kind of groggy. That’s how this song feels.

I really love “Amazing.” The energy continues to pick up with this next track. This song is about trying to make yourself feel better, but you’re struggling to stay optimistic. “Yeah, I’m trying to feel amazing, but I can’t get out of my way. Yeah, wish I could feel amazing, but this is all that I can feel today.”

“Plastic Bag” is another favorite of mine! The meaning of this song is very similar to the prior track. This is about trying to drown your sorrows in alcohol, drugs, and partying. It’s about reaching for those temporary highs when you’re dealing with pain.

Very stripped down acoustics, “Blue” is about having the blues. “Silence ain’t golden, you know that it’s only blue.” This would be a good song to cry to when you’re feeling lonely.

The mood shifts to something happier with “American Town.” It’s a cute song about an English girl in an American town. It’s super catchy; probably the catchiest song on this album. It’s very feel-good and I like it a lot.

“That’s On Me” has a unique flow to it. The verses between the chorus have an angsty sound, yet the chorus itself is joyful and optimistic. This song is about taking accountability for your own bad mood. It’s up to you to make yourself feel better. When you’re going through a hard time, you have to push yourself and make an effort to see the bright side.

The next few songs do not necessarily stand out to me. I still love them; because I love any song by Ed Sheeran. “Page,” “Midnight,” and “Spring,” may grow on me, but they’re not my highest ranking tracks.

“Punchline” really does hit me in the feels. This makes me think of unrequited love. This is having a lot of feelings for someone who acts very cold towards you.

“When Will I Be Alright” is somehow very calming – even though it’s all about having anxiety. This is surrendering to your pain and no longer running from it. I think this makes a great song to sing to when you’re feeling lost. Perhaps, it’s comforting to know that you are not the only person in the world who has these occasional fears.

Another favorite of mine is “The Day I Was Born.” This is about feeling alone and abandoned on your birthday. It’s a day when you’re supposed to feel special, and you don’t. “Always the month when parties come to an end” – Ed was born in February. I know it feels like a sad song, but I also find it really funny at the same time. I just think that Ed is so real for writing this! This is the exact opposite of your typical birthday song.

At last, the record concludes with “Head > Heels.” This is about having faith and taking a risk, despite the logical reasons to be cautious.

This is a fantastic album! It’s very similar to “Subtract” with the stripped down and acoustic sound along with melancholy themes – but a little less heavy. Ed said that he has no plans to make any music videos or do more promotion with this album. Because of this, I have a feeling that he is already getting set to release another album very soon. He also mentioned that he has more “pop” music coming in the future. While I love his acoustic work, I’m also looking forward to hearing more produced and energetic songs that I can dance to.

Do you think that his next few albums will cover each season, like he did with mathematics? I wouldn’t be totally surprised if his next one was based on another season. But my best guess is that he will come up with a totally different title – because I feel like “Autumn Variations” was more so a test album for his new record label. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to find out…

Overall: 5 stars