So for the first time in I can’t remember how long, I heard a song on the FM radio that I actually liked. Admittedly, it’s got a lot to do with my massive disappointment with the Radio One death grip on the FM waves and their relentless promotion of crap. That and I’m usually plugged into an audiobook. Currently “Cold Days,” by Jim Butcher, which gets my left thumb up for carefully lain out mythology, and my right thumb down for pulling that altered memory gag again.

But anyway, Ed Sheeran has pulled off a good one with “The A Team.” It has, for me anyway, echoes of Elvis Costello, particularly the “Tramp the Dirt Down” song from the “Spike” album.

While “The A Team” is not inherently political, it’s hard to emerge from the November 2012 elections and all the hyperpartisan rhetoric about “makers” and “takes,” and not think about the political dynamics of poverty. Who knows, maybe it’s just me. But I think that Ed Sheeran might be one to keep an ear on. Let’s only hope that he doesn’t get steam-rolled into becoming just another vanilla pop star.

“The A Team,” by Ed Sheeran:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWcs5H-qgQ?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]

and

“Tramp the Dirt Down,” by Elvis Costello:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy3-R97wDKs?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]