Ed Sheeran and Paper Towns

Today I have music for you by the wonderfully talented Ed Sheeran. He is an artist that has really gained traction and taken off within the past few years. I won't lie, I had no idea where he had come from the first time I heard one of his songs. He sprang up out of nowhere! But now I hear his music everywhere. Ed Sheeran has the rare ability to connect and appeal to all music listening groups. He can melt the hearts of all the young girls out there, looking for a prince to sweep them away. He expresses the hardships and emotional states of the older crowd, hitting on topics that the younger groups cannot understand. He is able to hit us with some R&B styled music, acoustic ballads, energetic choruses, and show stopping EDM vocals. All the while, remaining the adorable and sweet human being we perceive him to be. So with this song, we get a couple of different parts of Ed Sheeran's diverse dossier. This song is a beautiful song. Absolutely beautiful. This is a song that is raw emotion, pure passion, and vulnerability. It was also featured in one of the most popular movies of last year. This is a song that is so hard to describe in words because of how much it makes you feel. The song opens up with a seemingly happy instrumental melody, But as soon as Ed Sheeran opens his mouth to sing, we get something completely different. It is not sad, not depressed, but rather more longing for hope and trying to feel the world around him. Then we get to the chorus, and get something that explodes with this sense of inspiration and faith and possibilities and wonder. There is a slow crescendo of sound, building up to an ending that comes back down to calm. Ed Sheeran doesn't belt out these lyrics powerfully, rather with a full sense of what it is to feel what the characters in the movie feel. And there is a moment in the song when Ed Sheeran doesn't sing actual lyrics, but just a single word. And that entire section fills you up from your toes through your soul. That is one of those moments when you stand in the shining but setting sun, with your arms outstretched and you face towards the sky and just breathe. And just feel. And just be. This song has that much power over you, enough to make you just want to sit there and attune yourself to the world around you. This song is so heartbreakingly beautiful. And the lyrics are enough to blow you away. While the musical transitions in this song may not be as smooth as presumed, the lyrics of the song change the game. Each stanza, each verse, all have such powerful words to construct them together. The lyrics are absolutely moving. This is the kind of song that is wonderful for that bittersweet reflection. Whether it is looking back on life, on a relationship, or on yourself, this is a song that aptly describes both the magical and dark things about it. This has to be one of my favorite Ed Sheeran songs, and one of his best works as well. Today's instrumental song is from the movie Paper Towns. I have not seen the movie, but I have heard great things. It is another John Green movie installment, so I assume it is actually very good. I love this score. There are very modern sounds and motifs intertwined with the orchestral elements. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!