Black River by Ed Sheeran
‘Tear Yourself Apart’ by 16-year-old Tate McRae is the lead single off his debut album called ‘Point of Error’. The song itself has been compared to chart topping hits by artists like Dire Straits and Ashanti but with a much more underground vibe. This is a good thing, as whilst it’s definitely not on the same level as the aforementioned artists it still has enough mainstream appeal to be a huge hit. In this review I’ll quickly go through what this album has to offer.
The album starts off with ‘Shattered Strings’, a fast paced guitar driven ballad that’s worth the track’s title. Whilst the lead guitar is great, the rhythm goes a little flat and sometimes goes overboard. In addition to this, there’s not much variation in the lyrics which aren’t really described to accompany the music. On the whole, this isn’t a bad song, but it’s nothing you should go looking for when looking to bump the next album of your favorite band.
Following an excellent opening track ‘Higgs Boson Blues’, ‘Point of Error’ picks up pace where it gets really interesting. The drums pick out some nice variation in the previous song while guitars sounds reminiscent of something from AC/DC. As the song moves along the refrain repeats but with a slight variation in tempo and pitch. Eventually, towards the end of the song, the lead guitar solo breaks and this leads to a beautiful instrumental section that contains both melodic and soaring tones.
The final song on Point of Error is entitled ‘Sing for Your Dying Home’. The song starts out with a gentle piano note, the sound of water lapping a few stones and then a soft and gentle string gliding across the keyboard. Then we have the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard from bands this young, “I’ve got my own problems” says Michael Crayton. He then lays down one of the best vocals I’ve ever heard from him and calls upon all of his courage to carry the song. Towards the end of the lyrics Michael Crayton even admits to be feeling as though he’s drowning. It then transitions into a slower tempo and a more dramatic effect and finally Michael Crayton sings the last line in a manner which will have you singing along – “All my days are gone”.
This song on this album is incredible in a number of different ways. For one thing it sounds as if Michael Crayton actually was stuck in a prison cell for almost three years. Also, the tempo changes in a very short time, almost like a movie showing slow-mo at certain points. It is this kind of creativity which really makes me sit up and take notice of this album all the more.
Before I go I must quickly mention ‘Wish You Were Here’. While not really on this album or the same genre, the lyrics to this track are incredible and truly move you. The lyrics are about how each person in an interaction feels after they have made the decision to take someone’s life. Reading the words from the perspective of someone who has just lost a loved one is extremely poignant.
One song that really takes you into another dimension is ‘Black River’ from the last album ‘Songs from the Treehouse’. The title of the song speaks for itself. It is about the way in which someone will go through hell while still trying to stay strong and keep on. It takes you into a place where everything around them is terrible and horrible. It then leads you to the conclusion that even death is not a choice.
My favourite track on the album is undoubtedly ‘Hurt’. As the name suggests, the song describes the situation when someone has been physically harmed. The lyrics tell us that ‘It hurts when you can’t breathe and you think you’ll never get better’, something which is very true. However, it goes further and takes into account the fact that people can get better and heal themselves but sometimes are too far gone to do so. In the final verse the singer says ‘I am no longer hurting but I am healed’.
