Song of the Week-
Sing by Ed Sheeran, from the album x
The first time that I heard Ed Sheeran’s latest single, I
was a bit premature in my judgement: the song has more than a whiff of Justin
Timberlake about it, and was produced by the man of the moment, Pharrell
Williams, who maybe is becoming overexposed. But on repeated listens, I have
become immune to the charms of the track and the power that Sheeran has. The
song lyrically finds Sheeran telling his girl of how he needs her and just
wants him and her to feel that rush of love. The song finds Sheeran on strong
lyrical form, wielding his strong singer-songwriter sword but not allowing that
to compromise on some slick rapping and a solid lyrical hook. Vocally the track
is also great as we get to hear a range of different tones to Sheeran’s voice,
with the rapping and singing acting as perfect complimentary components that
show this isn’t just a one trick pony. What is more impressive is Sheeran’s
falsetto, which he just uses to brilliant effect, and is something that I
perhaps foolishly didn’t believe this artist had in them. Pharrell does a solid
job with the funk driven production, with the clattering guitar riffs and
overall groove of the track having his signature style. But at the same time
the production is just infectiously fun, and whether it is typical of Pharrell
or not, Sheeran still brings his penmanship and artistic credibility in
abundance, and shows that he is firmly in the driving seat. Sing is for me an
unexpected offering from Ed Sheeran, and definitely shows the markings of an
artist who is progressing, which is just a great thing, particularly when he
does it so well.
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