People Watching

Sam Fender (2025) 81/100

By Ross Keegan Favourite Tracks- People Watching, Little Bit Closer, Chin Up

Sam Fender’s People Watching takes a different route from his previous records. It’s a slower, more introspective album, leaning heavily on storytelling and orchestration rather than the punchy, stadium-ready anthems fans may have expected. While the songwriting remains sharp and the production is fantastic, the album feels just shy of greatness—each track is strong, but few stand out as instant fan favorites in the way The Borders or Getting Started did. That said, People Watching has some of Fender’s most intricate and ambitious work to date, and with the right live arrangements, it could evolve into something spectacular on tour.

The album’s opener, People Watching, sets the tone perfectly—big, bold, and drenched in nostalgia- WHAT AN OPENER! The signature saxophone, sweeping string section, and Fender’s unmistakable voice make for a powerful reintroduction. It’s a powerful way to welcome him back, but the album quickly settles into a more subdued rhythm. Nostalgia’s Lie immediately stands out as my favourites with its light, almost vintage-sounding riff, bringing a fresh dynamic to Fender’s usual guitar-driven sound.

Previously mentioned, Fender loves to introduce the audience to the world of a story through song. Chin Up is that in a nutshell. The lyrics in that second verse make you feel as though you are transported to a small town in Newcastle. Where the album truly shines is in its orchestral moments. Chin Up and Remember My Name are breathtaking examples of this. Meanwhile, Wild Long Lie feels like classic Sam, slow-burning and deeply emotional, laced with delicate folk guitar and lyrics that hit straight to the core.

Then came my favourite, Arm’s Length, a song that feels effortless in its simplicity. The riff is addictive, the harmonies are beautifully placed, and the lyrics read like an intimately relatable conversation. Into Little Bit Closer, an undeniable anthem that builds in layers—strings, harmonies, screaming guitars—before stripping everything back at just the right moments to let the emotion shine through. It’s a track that demands to be heard live, and no doubt will be a fan favourite on tour.

Fender also plays with contrast throughout the record. Rein Me In is deceptively upbeat, its feel-good instrumentation clashing with more melancholic lyrics, while TV Dinner slowly builds from a restrained opening to a massive, brass-heavy explosion of sound. Remember My Name closes out the album in the most breathtaking way possible—just Fender’s voice and a sweeping orchestra, with lyrics laid bare, no hidden meanings, just raw emotion. It’s a moment of pure vulnerability, and one of the most stunning pieces he’s ever recorded.

If People Watching has one shortcoming, it’s the lack of those instantly electrifying, festival-ready bangers that defined his first two albums. The songs are strong, but some just miss that final push into greatness. That said, if Sam brings live orchestral elements into his tour, these tracks could take on a whole new life. Imagine Remember My Name performed with a full orchestra, or TV Dinner with a live brass section. It has the potential to be a touring masterpiece, capable of cementing Sam Fender as a future Glastonbury headliner.

This album may not hit as hard as his previous work personally, but it’s not a step back—it’s just a different direction. And given how much Seventeen Going Under grew into something iconic over time, it wouldn’t be surprising if People Watching follows suit.