Ed Sheeran has collaborated with Macklemore and Lewis on a new song called Growing Up (Sloan's Song). Listen to the track here and read our review.
It's the first release from the US duo in three years and was written by Macklemore about the birth of his daughter Sloane Ava Simone Haggerty in May.
Announcing the news on Twitter earlier today, Sheeran wrote: "New song dropping at 5pm today UK time" and continued: "Oh and it's free."
In a follow-up tweet he added: "It's a new collaboration and you think you've guessed it but you haven't innit. 5pm GMT." Then came the confirmation:
Brand new song from me, @macklemore and @RyanLewis, free download here - http://t.co/0i0109WXap x
— Ed Sheeran (@edsheeran) August 5, 2015
Macklemore has also taken to Twitter to announce the song's release.
Our new song.. It's called Growing Up (Sloane's Song) and it ft @EdSheeran... free download at http://t.co/jGX8amHBqZ http://t.co/W71pbr36CY
— Macklemore (@macklemore) August 5, 2015
TEN reviews Growing Up (Sloan's Song)
First off, Ed Sheeran's new song isn't an Ed Sheeran song. It's a moody collaboration with US duo Macklemore & Lewis in which Ed sounds more like an unnecessary prop rather than a vital part of the track.
Growing Up (Sloan's Song) is a smart, lyrically-rich rap ballad that sounds like a modern day Desiderata. Or maybe even a touchy feely PG take on dan le sac VS scroobius pip’s Thou Shalt always Kill. OK, maybe not.
In an easy drawl, Macklemore issues faltering words of advice from a worried young father to his new-born daughter, advice that he may or may not be around to deliver as those growing pains begin to ache - "Had your heart broken? Been there, done that . . . don't try to change the world, do something that you love . . . and eventually the world will change."
His flow is smooth and impressive and it rides a sly Sweet Jane-like riff. Pianos tinkle, hi-hats fizz and the song and sentiment are both sweet and tough but when Ed himself barges in just short of the two-minute mark, it sounds strangely out of place and, frankly, unwelcome.
The hypnotic groove is shattered as he does his achingly sincere thing and delivers a chorus about how he himself is still growing up and maybe not quite ready to bring another life into the world. Along with Ed - who does essay some very nifty Jacko yelps - comes the top heavy blast of a choir and a brass section, which leaves the song's stately progress bombarded with bombast.
Ed's presence will clearly do big favours for Macklemore and Lewis (this is their first new track in three years) but Growing Up (Sloan's Song) really should have been left to live and breath on its own without a down to earth superstar guest.
It merely sounds as though Ed has dropped by the studio to say hi and hung about to lay down some vocals.
Which is, let's face it, very Ed in itself.
Alan Corr
