Ed Sheeran has revealed a fifth album, ‘=’ (Asylum/Atlantic), out Oct. 29, and shared the single “Visiting Hours” during a performance on Instagram.
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Premiering the live version of “Visiting Hours,” Ed Sheeran is playing acoustic guitar in the hall of St. Stephen’s Church in Hampstead, England. Sheeran revealed that he finished writing the song while quarantining in Australia to attend the memorial for friend and mentor Michael Gudinski.
“Visiting Hours” is about dealing with Gudinski’s loss in lyrics I wish that heaven had visiting hours / So I can just swing by and ask your advice. Sheeran first performed the song, which features backing vocals from Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes, at Gudinski’s memorial service in March.
“This is a song that is really, really dear to my heart,” said Sheeran on Instagram Live, “and it’s one of my favorite songs on the album.”
Admitting that finalizing the 14 tracks of ‘=’, was a “painstaking” process, Sheeran added that this album is the “best piece of work” that he’s done. The artist also painted a portion of the album cover art, which a friend later completed.
“’=’ (Equals) is a really personal record and one that means a lot to me,” said Sheeran. “My life changed greatly over the past few years. I got married, became a father, experienced loss, and I reflect on these topics over the course of the album. I see it as my coming-of-age record, and I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you.”
Track list for ‘=’
01. ‘Tides’
02. ‘Shivers’
03. ‘First Times’
04. ‘Bad Habits’
05. ‘Overpass Graffiti’
06. ‘The Joker And The Queen’
07. ‘Leave Your Life’
08. ‘Collide’
09. ‘2step’
10. ‘Stop The Rain’
11. ‘Love In Slow Motion’
12. ‘Visiting Hours’
13. ‘Sandman’
14. ‘Be Right Now’
