Review | Sam Fender – People Watching

Label: Polydor

By Pearse Connick

Working class hero Sam Fender has dropped his third album ‘People Watching’ and with it has managed to bring the excitement of his outstanding previous releases together and combine them into his most mature work yet. 

After becoming a global star with his sophomore album ‘Seventeen Going Under’, it was always going to be hard to keep going at this level of quality, however within this new album lies songs that will undoubtedly be considered as some of Fender’s best yet. 

The album kicks off with its first single and title track, something that has became a tradition in his discography, and it lays the groundwork for what is to come. Due to his tour across the UK in December, fans had heard certain songs live and were left wanting more, that is especially the case with ‘Nostalgia’s Lie’, which is the only song from the album that has been played live but not released as a single, and undoubtedly the anticipation paid off on its release. 

‘Chin up’ brings back the hometown tales that we all missed so badly and reminds us that even when he’s on top of the world, Sam Fender won’t forget his roots unlike so many. ‘Wild Long Lie’ and ‘Arm’s Length’ are two of the singles released prior to the albums release that represent the variety of it. ‘Wild long lie’ is a 6-minute anthem that brings together a story that is all too familiar for the majority of listeners, whereas Arm’s length revolves around a catchy riff that feels like the centrepiece of the song, with a tale of love and it’s struggles flowing around it.  

Within ‘Crumbling empire’ we finally get a showcase of Sam’s more political side, we’re reminded of the fact that he isn’t a politician, he’s just someone like us that is living in the same crumbling empire as us. ‘A little bit closer’ is, in my opinion, a shining example of how much is brought by new addition, Brooke Bentham, who previously busked with Sam and is now boosting the already powerful chorus of this track. 

‘Rein me in’ brings a view on substance abuse that is rarer than it should be, with Sam building a contrast between the struggle of addiction and the warmth of the music. Before he leaves us, we are reminded by ‘TV Dinner’ that he’s no longer a small name, and this song describes the struggle of being someone who wants to make a difference from a position where your every move is judged.  

To end the journey, ‘Remember My Name’ leaves you absolutely devastated, with the song and its lyrics, that’ll touch almost every listener, reminding you that he does indeed have a sad ballad in his locker.  

‘People Watching’ is an all-important album from a man that never ceases to impress with his ability to remain true at any level. Hopefully this high level reached in only 3 albums will reign wherever his career goes, which will probably be up!