Ed Sheeran has released a live bonus version of his just-released seventh studio album, Autumn Variations.
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The bonus project, subtitled “(Fan Living Room Sessions),” features live performances of every song on “Autumn Variations,” recorded and performed live from the homes of 14 of his fans.
The bonus album trailer shows clips of Sheeran performing in his listeners’ homes, as well as a live performance of the track “American Town” from the Autumn Variations album.
“I wanted to record a live version of Autumn Variations, but do it in an original way,” Sheeran wrote on social media. “We played 14 house shows in two days and it was such a fun way to meet fans and also record a whole live album.” The singer went on to thank his fans for welcoming him despite them not warning him about it.
A video of Sheeran performing each song from “(Fan Living Room Sessions)” premiered on YouTube yesterday (October 2). The at-home performances were recorded during the North American leg of his Mathematics tour, which ended in California late last month.
Sheeran first revealed plans to release a home concert version of “Autumn Variations” last month. Around the same time, he shared a video of himself breaking into a fans’ wedding in Las Vegas to perform “Magical” from Autumn Variations.
“Autumn Variations” was released on September 29 and marks Sheeran’s first independent release on his own Gingerbread Man Records. Following the release, Sheeran revealed that the album release would not include any singles or music videos to “take the pressure off”.
In a two-star review of “Autumn Variations” NME said the album “is not the start of the next phase of (Sheeran’s) catalogue” and is “akin to aimlessly scrolling through Instagram, blurry snapshots of followers’ sheet events whizzing by in a distracted daze.”