Here is a draft write-up on pop artist Ed Sheeran and his new album Autumn Variations released on September 29, 2023:

Title: Ed Sheeran Returns with New Album "Autumn Variations"

Four-time Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran surprised fans with the release of his fifth studio album "Autumn Variations" on September 29, 2023. The album arrived two years after his last project "=" which was released in 2021.

"Autumn Variations" sees Sheeran moving into a more melancholy and introspective style of pop music inspired by the changing seasons. The album's 12 tracks were all recorded during the fall of 2022 as Sheeran spent time at his home studio reflecting on life and relationships.

Sheeran described the album as "a more stripped-back and acoustic-focused record compared to my previous works." Many of the songs feature just Sheeran and his guitar with minimal production. The lead single "Leaves" is a melancholy ballad about feeling disconnected from the world that rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon release.

Other standout tracks include the wistful piano ballad "Cold Coffee," the folksy "Stormy Night" and the atmospheric closing track "Fall Away" which features soft strings and subtle orchestral arrangements. Lyrically the album touches on themes of love, loss, family, and mortality with Sheeran's signature introspective storytelling.

After taking time off from touring and public life over the past two years, Sheeran is looking forward to hitting the road again in 2024 to support "Autumn Variations." An extensive global tour is scheduled to kick off in March with over 150 shows planned across North America, Europe, and Asia.

With "Autumn Variations," Ed Sheeran has crafted one of his most personal and downbeat albums to date yet still manages to deliver the emotional songwriting and melodies that have made him one of pop's most beloved artists. It seems his talents run throughout the seasons.