Suffolk's Ed Sheeran releases seventh studio album 'Autumn Variations'
He's worked with Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National on the new record
Suffolk singer songwriter Ed Sheeran has released his seventh studio album Autumn Variations to mixed reviews from critics.
It's the 32 year old's first new music since - (Subtract), which was released last May.
First announced last August, Sheeran has said Autumn Variations focuses on his relationships with his friends.
The title is inspired by composer Edward Elgar, whose Enigma Variations also focused on the theme of friendship. The album's first single American Town is also out today.
Sheeran worked with brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner, of US band The National, on the new record.
Reviews of 'Enigma' as so far mixed. Writing in the Telegraph, James Hall calls the work "marvellous", writing that the album is "commercial but acceptably adventurous – you don’t fill stadiums by scaring the horses – Autumn Variations sounds like Sheeran cutting free."
In a 3/5 star review in The Independent, Helen Brown writes that the record has "no standout tune on here to match Elgar’s “Nimrod”, of course, but there’s enough soupy seasonal sentimentality to fill the Royal Albert Hall."
Awarding Enigma 2/5, NME write Thomas Smith calls it a " a pumpkin-spiced snoozer".
"The nuance and specificity of his last album’s songwriting is largely absent; instead ‘Autumn Variations’ is akin to aimlessly swiping through Instagram, blurry snaps of followers’ leafy happenings whizzing past in a distracted daze."