Ed Sheeran fans everywhere, or Sheerios as they call themselves, have been bubbling with exultance as the British singer-songwriter  released a second studio album titled X (multiply)on June 23. After a three year hiatus, the famous ginger musician released an album with twelve new songs with an additional five songs featured in the deluxe version. Unlike his debut album which was almost entirely acoustic, X offers fans more upbeat tracks along with a deeper look into Sheeran’s stories about romance, jealousy, innocence and self-reflection.

The album’s first single, “Sing”, which was produced by Pharrell Williams, topped charts in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Canada, the U.K and the U.S. With its cheery vibes and R&B influences, “Sing” gave fans an idea as to what the new album would entail for Sheeran had said it would be different than his regular folk sound. Lauded as an unconventional pop star, Sheeran amazed fans along with many critics with X for it sold thousands of more copies compared to his first album.

Additionally, the album allows fans to feel more connected with Sheeran as he allows himself to be more vulnerable with songs such as “Don’t” and “Nina”. Both songs tell detailed stories of Sheeran’s past relationships; specifically relationships in which his lover was unfaithful or he did not feel ready for commitment.

Aside from songs about unsuccessful relationships, Sheeran also writes about some of his healthier flings with tracks such as “One” and “Thinking Out Loud”. With lyrics like “’Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it’s evergreen/ And, baby, your smile’s forever in my mind and memory”, fans can’t help but melt into a puddle of adoration for the singer’s amazing talent to woo any girl. Revered for his love songs, Sheeran makes every girl fall in love with him and makes every guy want to be him… at least for the duration of the song.

Personal love interests aside, the album features songs about relationships with Sheeran’s own family. With its soulful vibes, “Runaway” presents itself to be a song about Ed’s relationship with his parents, specifically his father. Though Sheeran generally maintains a healthy relationship with his parents, he illustrates that it is normal for any child to sometimes engage in conflict with his/her parents. Additionally, “Afire Love” was written for Sheeran’s grandfather who suffered from Alzheimer’s. The song timelines his grandfather’s ending stages of life exemplified by lyrics such as “Things were all good yesterday/And then the devil took your memory/And if you fell to your death today/I hope that heaven is your resting place”. Sheeran allowed fans to relate to his relationships with lovers as well as with family members.

Another theme prevalent in Sheeran’s music is that of inebriation. Following tracks from his first album such as “Drunk”, Sheeran sings about the topic of intoxication in his song “Bloodstream”. Though the song initially seems as though it is about being drunk with lines like “I’ve been looking for a lover/Thought I’d find her in a bottle/God, make me another one/I’ll be feeling this tomorrow”, Sheeran revealed that his actually wrote the song about his experience with MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. Though never advocating for drugs or alcoholism, Sheeran gifts his music with a sense of honesty by writing about his intoxication.

Overall, the eccentric music sensation, Ed Sheeran, seems to better himself with each album. His eclectic themes exposed in his songs and his vulnerable yet honest narration of lyrics allow his fan base to only increase from here on out as he touches each one of his Sheerios with music.