Album Review: Sam Fender - 'People Watching'
Sam Fender returns with his incredible third album, ‘People Watching’, which is set to propel him to even greater heights.
The singer-songwriter and his formidable band have experienced a meteoric rise to stardom in a way that we rarely see. Fender shot to the very top of the UK’s music scene when he released his debut album ‘Hypersonic Missiles’. Sam Fender’s initial success didn’t cause him to falter. In fact, he and his band became even stronger sonically, with their relentless touring solidifying their status as a tight unit. Fender’s sophomore record, ‘Seventeen Going Under’, showed off a multidimensional sound that captivated listeners by the millions, with the title track taking the world by storm.
Now, in 2025, fresh off the back of a run of arena shows in December, Sam Fender is ready to release his third full-length album, in the form of ‘People Watching’. It’s safe to say that the release of this one has been heavily anticipated…
Kicking off with the titular number, ‘People Watching’ immediately grabs the attention of listeners. The vintage Sam Fender guitar riff reminds the audience exactly who they’re dealing with. Chorus-heavy chords create a triumphant sound that is accompanied by Fender’s instantly gripping voice.
The opening track feels like a homecoming anthem, with Sam Fender and his band reintroducing themselves, showing off exactly why they’ve become the formidable outfit that they have. Of course, the track was previously released as a single, and it’s proven extremely popular amongst fans. Now that it can be heard in its rightful place on the album, it’s set to grow in popularity even more. The infectious choral line: “I people watch on the way back home, everybody on the treadmill running” is belted out by Fender, and it’s sure to be belted back to him by all those who see him live.
The first instance of brand-new music on the album comes with the second track: ‘Nostalgia’s Lie’. Having been heard by fans at the run of live dates at the back end of last year, there’s been a great deal of anticipation around this one. It doesn’t disappoint.
As ever, the group come together to produce an extremely emotive piece of music, dominated by twanging guitars that almost seem to sing together. Fender’s vocals on this one are hypnotic, as he recounts a heartfelt story full of confused and conflicting emotions, as he concisely sums up with the question at the end of the chorus: “Was it ever what I thought it truly was?”
Sam Fender looks back on emotionally vulnerable moments of his life, and his tenderness is reflected in the beautiful instrumentation. This one sets the standard for the record, being of such high quality and sentimental value.
The rest of the record is brimming with this same quality. Sam Fender re-iterates why he and his group have achieved the feats they have. One of their achievements is the remarkable run of shows that they have lined up for this summer. Sam Fender is set to headline some huge events, with three nights at Newcastle United’s St James’ Park confirming his status as one of the biggest and best acts around right now.
Those attending Fender’s upcoming gigs will hope to hear as much of the new material as possible (with a healthy dose of the classics involved, too).
One from the record which truly stands out as a song made for the stage is ‘Little Bit Closer’. As is the case with several from the album, this one is swelling with triumph which is created by some of the richest instrumentation we’ve ever heard from Fender.
‘People Watching’ comes to a close with ‘Remember My Name’. This track moves away from the guitar-based sound that dominates much of the album. This one, instead, is largely driven by orchestral sounds of brass instruments. They elevate Fender’s voice to angelic heights. He sings a beautiful, honest number which is soft in its lyrics and powerful in its delivery. Sam Fender is at his very best with this one. He’s honest in his vulnerability as he sings “I pray you remember my name”. It’s beautiful.
With that, Sam Fender’s third studio record, ‘People Watching’, comes to a close. The album shows off some of Fender’s best work to date, and it’s amazing to see that he and his band can master a range of sounds as styles.
It’s clear to see why Sam Fender is one of the biggest names in all of music right now. He can expect even more success after the release of this one, for it’s sure to be a hit.
Words by Matthew Caslin
