Amid much grief in his personal life, Ed Sheeran created his heart-wrenching sixth studio album, Subtract. His acoustic opener, Boat, particularly shines through with lyrics that are telling of the pain he encountered as he feared for the wellness of his loved ones. The man with the guitar lets his voice and guitar take charge in this rendition as he speaks of holding on to hope when there’s little to hold on to.  Sheeran may be the most bankable star in the music industry for the last few years, but his command over his renditions is multi-fold in this album. Boat may be reminiscent of the singer’s 2014 offering, Shirtsleeves, which was among his most vulnerable acts.

Today in music