Ed Sheeran is in an enviable position.
His track record, which I will point out is the result of hard work, commitment and no small amount of talent, has placed him in a position where he now has the freedom to make pretty much any record he wants to make.
And because he’s done some interesting things in his career, some very diverse things, a lot of people are not just willing to work with him but excited by the prospect of what might come out of those sessions. That level of enthusiasm has enabled Sheehan to pull together one of the most star-studded rosters of contemporary artists in recent memory to join him in the studio for his latest offering, “No. 6 Collaborations Project.”
Before I go any further I have to say the title seemed a trifle odd until I saw a notation indicating that, in 2011, before he was a household name, he released an EP in the U.K. called “No. 5 Collaborations Project” that featured a series of duets with artists from across the pond.
So, who’s on deck for Sheeran’s latest offering?
Chris Stapleton, Bruno Mars, Camila Cabello, Cardi B., Chance the Rapper, Skrillex, Eminem and 50 Cent are among the more than 20 artists who signed on for this project and as the diversity of the roster suggests, the music on this set is all over the map. Sheeran goes from new folk/hip-hop mixes and R&B to pure pop and, somewhat surprisingly in the case of “Blow”, a grinding blues/rocker.
This album provided a forum for Sheeran to talk about the down side of fame, the things he dislikes that are part and parcel of being a celebrity —the party circuit and the stress that being on the road constantly places on personal relationships. But he also takes the opportunity to wax poetic on the importance of spending time with those he loves and the sanity that restores to his sometimes-hectic life.
“No. 6 Collaborations Project” is an interesting mix and one that’s very easy on the head. Sheeran seems to find a comfort level in virtually everything he attempts to do and then builds on it.
Among the choice collaborations here are Sheehan’s pairing with Khalid for the opening track “Beautiful People”, in which he maintains he is not one of the beautiful people. Also hitting the right notes for me were “Take Me Back to London”, with Stormzy, “I Don’t Want Your Money,” which features H.E.R., “Antisocial”, which brings Travis Scott into the mix and “Remember the Name”, which features appearances by both Eminem and 50 Cent.
But the best track here for me is still "Blow", which sees Sheeran paired with country star Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars. The Stapleton appearance may sound a little odd to some pop fans, but Stapleton gets a round. He just recorded a great duet with John Mayer called “I Just Remembered That I Didn't Care”. And if you look at the writing credits for Adele’s 21 album, you’ll find Stapleton’s name on the bonus track “If It Hadn't Been for Love”.
This set could grow on you.
Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 stars
Doug Gallant is a freelance writer and well-known connoisseur of a wide variety of music. His On Track column will appear in The Guardian every second Saturday. To comment on what he has to say or to offer suggestions for future reviews, email him at [email protected].
