Sam Fender

[st dan]

For me it’s a solid album, great in parts and ‘good’ for most of it with no real low points. Main issue is that it’s just too long at 49 mins.
 

As all songs have the same style/sound, I found it became background music towards the end. Not sure the track list placing is quite right, as some of the stronger songs are towards the end of the album, but my motivation for it has pretty much gone by the time they arrive. 

[GhostOfMaurice]

4 minutes ago, st dan said:

For me it’s a solid album, great in parts and ‘good’ for most of it with no real low points. Main issue is that it’s just too long at 49 mins.
 

As all songs have the same style/sound, I found it became background music towards the end. Not sure the track list placing is quite right, as some of the stronger songs are towards the end of the album, but my motivation for it has pretty much gone by the time they arrive. 

 

Agree with this assessment. It's a good one to have in the background while you're working.

[Justcalledtosay]

23 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Interesting, as I think it is his first "great" album, even if there isn't quite the larger depth of out-and-out bangers yet.

 

I think he's had a few issues picking his choices live too. He hasn't quite nailed the specifics of picking the best live songs sometimes.

I cannot get my head round that statement.

[Spindles]

I've given it a few spins and it hasn't really done much for me.  I really like his voice, and it often feels a bit buried in the production which is a shame.  Clearly fans are enjoying it, and maybe these songs are like a Coldplay record and only really come to life when performed live.

[The Nal]

A bland nothing music snooze fest I'll be happy to never hear again. 

[fraybentos1]

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

A bland nothing music snooze fest I'll be happy to never hear again. 

Any negatives?

[NorthernSoul52]

On 2/24/2025 at 9:39 AM, Johndenis said:

There is 100% a rip off of The Living Years, which is weird.

Oh gawd, @Superscally is getting everywhere these days.

[NorthernSoul52]

Does appear to be some very "cheerful" reactions to it here. 🤣

 

For what it is worth, it is currently his highest-rated album on Metacritic - 84, against 83 for Seventeen Going Under and 81 for Hypersonic Missiles.

 

Biggest dissenter there appears to be Pitchfork, with five-star jobs from The Guardian, The Observer and DIY.

 

Will imagine a few songs may live on their legacy in the live arena too.

[NorthernSoul52]

Anyway, midweek sales flash yesterday - People Watching at 81,393 sales combined so far in the UK.

[Justcalledtosay]

@NorthernSoul52 on a one man crusade to hype People Watching 😁

 

FWIW i gave it another two listens yesterday and my opinion of it increased. I still don't think it's better than his first two albums though.

Edited February 25, 2025 by Justcalledtosay

[NorthernSoul52]

55 minutes ago, Justcalledtosay said:

@NorthernSoul52 on a one man crusade to hype People Watching 😁

 

FWIW i gave it another two listens yesterday and my opinion of it increased. I still don't think it's better than his first two albums though.

Aren't I just 🤣

 

I feel it's safe to pontificate in this thread! 

 

Interesting to see some of the namechecks the reviews have drawn comparison to. 

[The Nal]

It sounds like a load of tunes that didnt make it onto Bryan Adams later albums

[NorthernSoul52]

44 minutes ago, The Nal said:

It sounds like a load of tunes that didnt make it onto Bryan Adams later albums

 

[Superscally]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

Aren't I just 🤣

 

I feel it's safe to pontificate in this thread! 

 

Interesting to see some of the namechecks the reviews have drawn comparison to. 

...pitchfork review text is kinder than the rating. If they wrote that then gave it an 8, it wouldn't jar. They love Remember My Name too 😉

[Skip997]

On 2/24/2025 at 11:12 AM, The Nal said:

A bland nothing music snooze fest I'll be happy to never hear again. 

Correct.

 

A major case of “the emperor’s new clothes”

[Leon_Anthony]

Great Album. 

[Franco Baresi]

I'm enjoying it, yeah it's nothing new, but if you like that type of stuff he does it really well.

 

Hoping he gets to headline the Pyramid soon.

[MEGABOWL]

Really enjoying it, growing on me all the time. All the 20+ types I know love him, seems to really speak to them. I can definitely hear the Springsteen comparisons but-as much as I love Bruce-Fenders voice is so much better

[sime]

I listened to the new album twice in a row today. Really liked it both times. I enjoyed his set at Glastonbury in 2022. I'd definitely see him if he performed there again.

[Euphoricape]

His only album I've listened to more than once tbh. Really like 'Chin up', got to be a big single surely.

[Quark]

It's growing on me.  Can't yet tell if it's as background or listening album.

[NorthernSoul52]

Certainly looks like, even frontloaded as it might be commercially, this could have some sticking power. 

[aident93]

On 2/21/2025 at 10:52 AM, NorthernSoul52 said:

At first flush, if he's sticking to less than a dozen and a half songs, I'd assume this summer's shows will roughly look like:

 

1 People Watching

2 Getting Started

3 The Borders

4 Nostalgia's Lie

5 Spit of You

6 Dead Boys

7 Crumbling Empire

8 Spice

9 Howdon Aldi Death Queue

10 Wild Long Lie

11 Get You Down

12 Will We Talk?

13 Arm's Length

14 Seventeen Going Under

 

15 Remember My Name

16 Hypersonic Missiles

 

Still really not sold on Remember My Name over The Dying Light yet. The latter has that full E Street rush to it that seems like it would clear hurdles better live.

Little Bit Closer has really grown on me! Given he released it a day before the album, I think he'd play that live as it also shows off Brooke's vocals. 

[NorthernSoul52]

7 minutes ago, aident93 said:

Little Bit Closer has really grown on me! Given he released it a day before the album, I think he'd play that live as it also shows off Brooke's vocals. 

The other one that makes me think a bit of Oasis - though if Something Heavy is more in the strum pattern before it falls into Petty-esque country intonations, Little Bit Closer is all about the scuzzy, Definitely Maybe-era stomp it leads off with.

 

More than their influences, by and large, these songs - though mileage will of course vary.

[nikkic]

Have given the album multiple listens now.

 

I really wanted to like it, the first two albums got played a lot in 2022 and I want him to do well, BUT…..

 

It just goes nowhere. 
 

Aside from the title track, there’s no big feel good, singalong moments. 
 

There’s no Getting Started, Seventeen Going Under or Get You Down. 
 

If he did ever headline, there’s not much here that would really add to or improve the 2022 sub set. 
 

All just a bit nothingy.