-
10.0
140265
10.0 |
The Skinny
Every song on People Watching is carefully crafted to remain with the listener. The bittersweet lyrics intertwined with catchy heartland rock and seamless vocals make this album Fender’s best yet
Read Review
-
10.0
140269
10.0 |
DIY
An album that undoubtedly firms up his position as one of the great songwriters of our time
Read Review
-
10.0
140271
10.0 |
Dork
With honesty manifested in every corner, ‘People Watching’ proves that Sam Fender is no longer just a vital voice in UK rock; he’s perhaps the most essential one
Read Review
-
10.0
140273
10.0 |
The Guardian
On his third album, produced by the War on Drugs, the North Shields singer-songwriter shows just how gifted he is at pairing stadium choruses with sharp, bleak vignettes
Read Review
-
10.0
140295
10.0 |
The Observer
Where his previous album revealed Fender to be a songwriter of depth, People Watching explores life’s ugliness and finds excellence
Read Review
-
9.0
140324
9.0 |
PopMatters
Sam Fender takes another big step forward on People Watching, which includes a satisfying collection of songs about the human experience
Read Review
-
8.4
140312
8.4 |
Northern Transmissions
Fender excels in providing hope and optimism with his songs. This ability excels when the record is coupled with the relatability of the everyday and ordinary as it becomes even more relatable
Read Review
-
8.1
140350
8.1 |
Spectrum Culture
Despite notable fame, Sam Fender remains an everyman with deft songwriting and a perspective on the world that feels undoubtedly relatable
Read Review
-
8.0
140310
8.0 |
NME
Feeling existential, uprooted and disconnected from his old working-class life thanks to his rapid rise to fame, the British guitar hero channels it all into his gorgeous third album
Read Review
-
8.0
140297
8.0 |
Clash
This album is a quintessential Sam Fender experience – a heartfelt, homegrown immersion of the mundane and extraordinary people and places this dweller was lucky enough to know
Read Review
-
8.0
140277
8.0 |
The Irish Times
Devastating observations about the trials of everyday life are part of what the English singer-songwriter is all about
Read Review
-
8.0
140272
8.0 |
Far Out
An album that does it all, showing each and every corner of Fender’s talent and ability, but especially shining a clear light on his unrivalled knack for boiling down huge topics into deeply personal, human stories
Read Review
-
8.0
140266
8.0 |
The Arts Desk
Fender takes a seat in the corner and also casts his eye over the lives of people and places around him
Read Review
-
8.0
140252
8.0 |
The FT
The singer-songwriter’s third release looks to the big stage with its blend of classic rock, tear-jerkers and emotive vocals
Read Review
-
8.0
140254
8.0 |
Uncut
He's unafraid to risk sentimentality in his quest for real feeling. At the end of a vexed, troubled third album, it feels like a hard-earned affirmation of his roots, people and community he's still a part of and still committed to. Print edition only
-
8.0
140255
8.0 |
Mojo
A poignant portrait of post-industrial Britain - one that's leavened by some less-than-commonplace vocabulary. Print edition only
-
7.6
140447
7.6 |
Beats Per Minute
The world Fender surveys may be increasingly uncertain and unnerving, but this is a songwriter who’s rightfully confident regarding his place in it
Read Review
-
7.0
140300
7.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
Fender stands taller than ever, retaining his ascension to that oft-compared throne
Read Review
-
7.0
140327
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
U.K. singer-songwriter grapples with who he is and where he's from on his third album
Read Review
-
6.5
140299
6.5 |
Pitchfork
On his third album, the UK’s own heartland rocker casts an empathetic eye on modern British life. Even as he shouts at max volume, he sometimes gets lost in the wall of sound
Read Review
-
6.0
140229
6.0 |
musicOMH
A confident if predictable third album that showcases the North Shields native’s strengths – and his reluctance to push beyond them
Read Review
-
6.0
140274
6.0 |
The Independent
North Shields’ answer to Bruce Springsteen is back with stories of his tattered heart and the pride and poverties of his country – but the songwriting on his latest album plods more than it ricochets
Read Review
-