People Watching Review - Poignant, powerful poeticism.

After having his writer’s block extinguished by Elton John, Fender got to work on his third studio album in 2023, People Watching, which was released Friday, 21st February. For Fender, the creation of his previous two projects felt overly orchestrated and rushed, so Sam set out to take his time over this album. With no aim other than to write ’10/11 good songs about ordinary people’, Mr Fender well and truly smashed his brief out of St James’ park.

People Watching continues Fender’s consistent ability to package his perspective on gruelling topics into much more tasteful parcels. His hometown of North Shields acts as the centrifugal force binding Fender’s discography together, as he combines the scenery of his youth with the poignant, powerful imagery of the modern world. Fender continues to tell our shared story through the lens of his pungent poeticism on his latest album. Co-produced by the War on Drugs’ lead singer, Adam Granduciel and industry great Markus Dravs, Sam’s latest serving of politically charged technicoloured indie rock is most definitely set to soundtrack 2025.

Sam Fender, smoldering

Immediately, this record feels like the older, wiser sibling of both Hypersonic Missiles and Seventeen Going Under. Maintaining the well-balanced overarching themes of introspection, shared societal struggles and the nagging of nostalgia, People Watching has moved out, got a big boy job and started paying back its student loan. It’s seen a thing or two, and felt even more, and it’s here to prewarn its younger brothers on the gruelling trials that await them in the real world.

The culmination of ideas surrounding youth, nostalgia and the passing of time within the first two tracks, People Watching and Nostalgia Lies, sets the tone for which the remainder of the album shall follow. Sam seamlessly sandwiches introspective narratives between broader inspections of the wider society, producing a scrumptious spectrum of reflection across the record. Fender struggles with his desire to showcase the hardships faced, particularly by his hometown, from his pedestal propped up by his well-deserved critical acclaim and adulation. The opening two tracks demonstrate the contradicting desire to revisit the past. As time provides rose-tinted glasses through which we view our nostalgia, the exposure to the harsh and testing memories of our youth can sometimes be masked by the beauty of reflection. Nostalgia Lies.

The track Crumbling Empire shares the irony of how Sam’s success has thrown him further from the life that initially inspired his artistry. The music detailing the struggles of his working-class upbringing is what tore him away from his childhood settings, which ties into the themes of Rein Me In. Within this track, Fender details the poignance of memories evoked by old haunts, reminding him of the ‘ghosts and carcasses’ of his past that continue to trudge along in his absence. Sam has experienced beauty in his time away, fuelled by the success of his music, but this may only amplify the harsh contrast of his rockstar life provided by his hometown of North Shields, instilling an ache for those he left behind and potentially a sense of responsibility for them when they return to his peripheral.

A powerful piece outlining his unique perspective within the modern world.

A personal favourite of mine has to be TV Dinner, as the themes within this song strike a significant chord within me, as all the most beautiful music should. The track details the invasive nature of the media that comes with success and how artists are rewarded for their cultural artefacts by being persistently hounded by those they may have touched. All the more relevant today, as social media amplifies the pressure for artists to communicate their ongoings with their audience, TV Dinner also touches on imposter syndrome, as Fender’s unlikely fame stemmed from an upbringing epitomised by a television-soundtracked tea.

With a nod to the commodification of the demise of the late, great Miss Winehouse, this track encompasses every reason why I failed to pursue a career in music journalism and why I have chosen to, instead, slot my two Ps into this silly little weekly music blog. The parasitic nature of the music media is sickening, feasting on the struggling and suffering of celebrities to reassure their readers and feed their followers. It is not something that I wish to contribute to. Fender also refers to how this media coverage has begun to fuel his imposter syndrome, achieving exactly the opposite of what journalism should set out to promote. A poignant track, delivered with great gusto, that is regrettably as relevant today as it ever has been.

In the penultimate track, Something Heavy, sharing ideas on drugs, depression and delusional reflection, Sam’s aptitude for encompassing shared struggles by penning his reflections is reiterated. This theme continues into the album’s final track.

Remember My Name is a delicate farewell to Fender’s late grandfather. The heart-wretcher pays hommage to Sam’s grandad as he tastefully recounts memories of this figure, sentimentally accompanied by the Easington Colliery Band. This emotive salute to his northeasterly heritage rounds off another heartfelt honouring of Fender’s roots and upbringing whilst applying regrettably relatable themes to his unique perspective on modern life.