Album Review: Sam Fender – People Watching
Released: 21.02.2025
Words: Elena Katrina
Sam Fender … where to begin. Perhaps a Popped Music obsession from the opening bars of the first song when I saw him live.
A strong euphoric feeling following his shows all over the place for years until Covid and subsequent babies came my way to stop me in my tracks.
Watching crowds grow for an artist you truly love, admire and enjoy is something really special. I think it is more than safe to say he made it to the exact point I knew he would, huge huge shows, huge interest, massive albums and for me a sad loss of what I would never get to enjoy again – those intimate shows but with that a sense of pride that had been there for so much of that journey.
And now I am able to reminisce because now Chapter 3 of my Sam Fender love story begins. With the release of his third album, “People Watching”.
My first listen gave me more questions than answers and I can’t wait for some of them to be answered. I wonder what the lad like crowds of fans will think, I wonder what target audience this is for – I wonder if, for a change, it is not for an audience or for a generation but moreover for a feeling? I can’t wait to hear what other people think of this collection of tracks, what people’s favourites would be.
There is an Oasis-esque feel running through “Chin Up” but the strings make really soften it. Title track “People Watching” opens up with something comforting, something musically on point for Sam Fender. Touches of this repeat throughout “People Watching” and there is zero doubting who this artist is, but musically it’s grown up, it’s enthralling. He is wearing his influences on his sleeve and I love this in an artist.
“People Watching”, as an album, has no business being played as background sound. Zero business as being seen as some kind of “indie guitar ” artist release. It demonstrates a growth of understanding of so many things; changes or lack there of at times, in society, in his hometown. It is an album that deserves to be played like albums were first intended: in the order put together. To sit, to listen, to be quiet with. Lyrically, as Sam has previously demonstrated, there is a betrayal of his tender years with the emotional and musical understanding through these tracks. Hitting on different eras of guitar music throughout.
I’m interested to see how the new set lists are going to play out. There is a lot less “Hypersonic Missile” anthems to be found here. Is “Arms Length” a modern day love song for the tinder generation? Will the smart phone torches be swayed side to side for this, lighting the huge spaces Sam Fender is about to occupy? A nod to the blues with the tuneful harmonica. More of which can be found on the more uptempo “A Little Bit Closer”, this time sending me off down a Verve lane of musical memories.
There’s the expected; the guitars and the saxophone and the unexpected, yet joyous, inclusion of a much more varied musical ensemble. Channelling at touch of Radiohead, “TV Dinner” really caught my attention from the get go. The ebb and flow, the eerie swirl that surrounds you and those haunting vocals that Sam has in his armoury. Yet also a track that has a more modern feel and vocal delivery that wouldn’t go a miss if Nothing But Thieves were to try a cover. It’s serious and considering the lyrics “no one gets into my space” I’d say I very much feel enveloped in this track. I might go as far as to say it is my favourite.
But then, oh but then … “Remember My Name”. I have an annoying (for me) habit of hearing a song and feeling something and replacing someone else’s soundtrack to a movie scene. “Remember My Name” is now firmly in my brain with the Emma Thompson bedroom scene in Love Actually. I saw it the first time I heard the song. I hadn’t even finished the song but I couldn’t get the imagery out of my head. This track is a masterpiece. It feels of its time yet also Joni Mitchell surely wouldn’t be disappointed that I so easily replaced her stunning “Both Sides Now”, with this breathtaking beauty. For when I hear this I forget this is 2025 but I will never forget your name, Sam Fender.
