Ed Sheeran review: Equals is the new album - but what does it sound like? 

Equals (=) is almost guaranteed to be a huge success of Ed Sheeran, and he's already sold thousands of tickets for the accompanying tour. Ed Power provides the lowdown on a new record that features a big input from Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid

Ed Sheeran has just released his new album, Equals (=). Picture: Dan Martensen

★★★★☆

Ed Sheeran is an odd mix of two contrasting phenomena. Of Irish heritage, he grew up obsessed with singer-songwriters such as Damien Rice. And if he had a come to Jesus moment as a budding artist it was while attending a Rice show at Whelan’s, the spiritual heartland of the weepy Irish male troubadour.