This week, Ed Sheeran, Minus the Bear, Temples and more drop new LPs.
Let's start March on a high note with a fresh roster of new records to spin this weekend. Ed Sheeran is back with his long awaited follow-up to 2014's x, ÷, while Minus the Bear drops their first album in five years, Voids. Temples return with their new record, Volcano. Then Chicago's Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is back with his new record, DROOL. Finally, up-and-coming Irish singer-songwriter Holly Macve releases her debut record, Golden Eagle.
Find out more about this week's picks for Top 5 New Album releases below.
'Divide' - Ed Sheeran
Following the immense success of his 2014 album, x, it only made sense that Ed Sheeran would not only ride that train as long as he could, but also take one helluva a break following the international touring of the record. But now that we're getting into 2017, it's time for a new one from the British singer-songwriter. And thankfully, he is back with his latest, ÷.
Now that he's spent the last two albums proving that he can serenade you with the sweetest of ballads while spitting a few bars in the same track, Ed could really go anywhere he wanted with this album. And he's proven this point with the tracks that he's dropped so far. First there was the simultaneous release of "Castle on a Hill" and "Shape of Your Body." While the former was the orchestral nostalgic pop song, the latter was attempt at writing a "Rihanna-esque track." Literally polar sounding tunes, each one had its own charm. And he continued this vein with the release of his piano-driven ballad, "How Would You Feel (Paean)."
Aside from being as romantic as his previous, "Photograph" and "Thinking Out Loud," it also sounds like the melodic candy in the same way that pop rock bands in the '80s and '90s did in their ballads. Do we see this being a 2017 wedding song contender? Probably. Finally, he gave fans one more taste of the new record with the acoustic release of the album opener, "Eraser." Although he's playing guitar on this one, he shows off his hip-hop influences with rapped lyrics on the track. So there you have it. In a matter of four tracks, Ed Sheeran not only touched on my musical styles than most artists can ever really play with as well as proof that he can perform just about anything.