Sam Fender

[NorthernSoul52]

[NorthernSoul52]

He's learned how to write a bridge on the new one. Friends previously resistant to his songcraft all fascinatingly keen on this latest effort. 

[MEGABOWL]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

He's learned how to write a bridge on the new one. Friends previously resistant to his songcraft all fascinatingly keen on this latest effort. 

I’ve had the same experience. A few friends not previously bothered about him raving about this one.

[NorthernSoul52]

1 hour ago, MEGABOWL said:

I’ve had the same experience. A few friends not previously bothered about him raving about this one.

It's fascinating, because fundamentally, it is a fairly straight bat off Seventeen Going Under. The woah-ohs are now woo-oohs and lower in the mix, there's a flash of The War on Drugs-esque guitar chime to let you know it was cut in LA and that's about it until you get to the bridge.

 

But that bridge does actually slap. The strings are a grand old touch. I know plenty of people will turn their nose up at him, but Fender clearly understands anthems, no matter the lyrical content, can transcend any widescreen cheesiness on record when bellowed back by a stadium. (I am a fan, and I think some of his material is cracking, but I'm not going to pretend it doesn't veer into kitsch, much like Springsteen can on occasion.)

[danbailey80]

It’s a great chorus. I admit the verse is a little Fender by numbers but it all works. Chorus will sound massive live. 
 

 

[homesick]

It sounds exactly like a War on Drugs song (unsurprisingly with Granduciel on it)

 

And that’s obviously no bad thing at all 

[NorthernSoul52]

Will be curious to see what he keeps in the mix for the live show next year. For me, The Dying Light should be a lock but I imagine it'll be shuffled out of the picture. 

[NorthernSoul52]

Spinning the first record today while working and nattering on the subject, and it must be said, The Borders will be a proper goosebumps moment if he plays and pulls it off.

 

1 People Watching

2 Getting Started

3 Dead Boys

4 Nostalgia's Lie

5 The Borders

6 Get You Down

7 Crumbling Empire

8 Will We Talk?

9 Little Bit Closer

10 Spit of You

11 Saturday

12 TV Dinner

13 Remember My Name

 

14 Homesick (w/ Noah Kahan)

15 Hypersonic Missiles

16 Seventeen Going Under

 

Would love for The Dying Light to stick around, but kind of imagine Remember My Name will be another big album-closer ballad in its vein.

 

Noah Kahan is around the UK and Ireland by the looks of things too. Could see him making a cameo.

[StuwieG]

Hope he bins that bit off with Aldi and spice from his new tour. They’re not his strongest songs and just took up space of other good songs. 
 

Would love if he started playing Angel of Lothian regular 

[NorthernSoul52]

They're little dirty diversions musically. I know some people who love them, but yeah, they can get tossed out of the window for the upcoming run. (I think they will likely stick around however.)