LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Global phenomenon, singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran has announced that he will release a new album, Autumn Variations – his second LP release for 2023, on September 29 via Atlantic/Asylum Records. Like Sheeran’s most recent album, Subtract (-), released in May 2023 – The National’s Aaron Dessner produced the new LP.
In a social media post, Sheeran posted the new record was inspired by composer Edward Elgar, who wrote the orchestral albums Pomp and Circumstance Marches and Enigma Variations. The latter comprised unique and individual compositions about 14 of Elgar’s friends, and Sheeran took notice.
“Last autumn, I found that my friends and I were going through so many life changes. After the heat of the summer, everything either calmed, settled, fell apart, came to a head or imploded. When I went through a difficult time at the start of last year, writing songs helped me understand my feelings and come to terms with what was going on. When I learned about my friend’s different situations, I wrote songs, some from their perspectives, some from mine, to capture how they and I viewed the world at that time. There were highs of falling in love and new friendships among lows of heartbreak, depression, loneliness and confusion.
“This is what inspired me to make this album. When I recorded Subtract (-) with Dessner, we clicked immediately. We wrote and recorded non-stop; this album was born from that partnership. I feel he has captured the feeling of autumn so wonderfully in his sonics, and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.”
Autumn Variations (track listing below) drops one week after he wraps up his Mathematics Tour, which broke attendance records in almost every stadium in North America since its launch in May. The final tour stop is September 23 in Los Angeles.
Sheeran also gave his time and resources to locals while on tour. He used his time to surprise music students with instruments, make cheesesteaks at a Philadelphia restaurant and played his early hit “Lego House” in front of a Lego Store in Minneapolis.
In addition, the endearing “Thinking Out Loud” singer surprised a lucky fan with concert tickets while working at the Mall of America – and he picked up the tab for her Lego set.
The 14-song album will be available on CD, LP, and limited edition vinyl variations, including a harvest orange vinyl and limited edition first-pressing white vinyl. A Sticker Sheet Vinyl will be released with a blank outer sleeve to allow fans to create their own cover collage with two enclosed sticker sheets.
American Variations Track List
1. Magical
2. England
3. Amazing
4. Plastic Bag
5. Blue
6. American Town
7. That’s on Me
8. Page
9. Midnight
10. Spring
11. Punchline
12. When Will I Be Alright
13. The Day I Was Born
14. Head > Heels
