Ed and I are around the same age, so I can relate a lot to what he's writing about. I love that he's writing around what's actually been going on in his life in the past couple of years, and am thankful that he has chosen to share that with us.
I think he has indeed changed both lyrically and musically, and yet has stayed the same; which I not only accept and appreciate, but welcome.
His songs are most fully appreciated when listened to through headphones or earbuds, so you can hear all the nuances of the song, and hear his beautiful voice up close.
I feel like Bad Habits is a retrospective song tying to his present (his wife), and I think it's very catchy and can be enjoyed on the radio and through other means, and so is Shivers. To be honest I had to listen to these songs more thatn once to really get into the groove of them and appreciate them. But don't think these are the only songs that are good for radio; I think most of them are actually- Tides, Collide, 2step (love bringing that rap back!), First Times, Overpass Graffiti, Leave Your Life, Stop the Rain, Love in Slow Motion, and even Be Right Now.
I also love the new things he has done, like The Joker and The Queen; and Sandman, the lullaby to his daughter was beautiful. I love the old Ed Sheeren things that he has in the album, but I also really like the new things he has done musically and lyrically- I'd say they were about 99.999...% successful! He shows he is still the musical genius we all know and love!!
Overall, I feel this new album is successful. After listening to the whole thing through, I thought it was cohesive, I think because all the songs tied together, and were at the same level of high quality that I have come to expect from him. I like how he ordered the songs too, mostly going from high to low energy. But most of all, I got some much-needed light in my life, thanks to Ed!!!