Newcastle’s golden boy Sam Fender has seen an extraordinary rise to fame here in the UK in the last few years, riding the wave of hype after 2019’s ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ to become a household name. Whether its been through his poignant digs at class inequality or singles like the ever-infectious ‘Seventeen Going Under,’ the singer-songwriter’s never been afraid to make a statement— we’re very disappointed, then, to hear how ho-hum his third full-length LP is sounding to us. Though Fender’s aptitude for emotive lyricism remains his greatest draw on ‘People Watching,’ it's a great shame to see the album’s musical elements consistently sell it short, falling into the artist’s usual pitfalls more frequently than ever.

Fender often draws comparisons to Bruce Springsteen— rightfully so, as the influence is clear as day on ‘People Watching’— and it’s a point we’ll be returning to. For now, we feel confident to say that, just like Springsteen used his platform to discuss and critique America, Fender does the same for the UK. Throughout cuts like ‘Chin Up’ and ‘Crumbling Empire,’ the album discusses a range of important political topics: Sam’s political beliefs aren’t constrained to his interviews but blend into ‘People Watching’ as naturally as ever, keeping class inequality and the struggles of the everyday household as a running theme throughout his discography. Alongside these more sweeping moments of commentary though, it’s wonderful to see Fender dedicating a number of songs to people close to him, providing poignant emotional touchstones that become the core appeal of ‘People Watching.’ Whether we’re listening to Fender sing about a ‘surrogate mother’ of his on the record's title track or deliver a heartfelt ballad about his grandparents’ dementia on ‘Remember My Name,’ it’s undeniable that the singer-songwriter has put his heart into the project, and that emotional aspect remains his strongest quality as an artist.

‘People Watching’ is notably withdrawn in comparison to previous LPs though, with the striking black and endearing red of former album covers being replaced with a sullen grey— though emotion runs like an undercurrent through this record, Fender isn’t bringing the visceral imagery or delivery of ‘Hypersonic Missiles,’ instead delivering his messaging in a more subtle, restrained fashion. In several instances, this gamble has paid off in spades: ‘TV Dinner,’ though arguably hampered by its jarring synth-backing, is a suitably ominous cut, taking the majority of its runtime to build into a staggering crescendo. In others, however, Fender struggles to find solace in his more reserved outlook, leaving the listener wanting more than he’s offering— in the absence of his usual hard-hitting approach, the singer-songwriter can often be heard floundering for new ideas, and those moments of inspiration are few and far between on ‘People Watching.’

To return to our previous comparison, there was never any expectation that Fender would manage to completely remove himself from the shadow cast over him by his Springsteen influence— nonetheless, the lack of musical vision Sam displays over the course of his newest release is greatly disappointing and leaves the record feeling more like an unfortunate b-sides collection than a bold reinvention. Far too many tracks across ‘People Watching’ come across as all too passive, doddering along without much that really grabs the listener— the title track, for instance, houses a chorus overly desperate to recreate the success of ‘Seventeen Going Under,’ though pairing it with one of Fender’s more irritating lead lines sells the song short from the off. We might also point to ‘Chin Up,’ which sees the Newcastle-lad veering dangerously close to Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall,’ or the rigid chord progressions of ‘Little Bit Closer’ and ‘Wild Long Lie’ as proof that, despite moments of emotional depth, ‘People Watching’ is a musically vacant release with far more to say lyrically than harmonically.

The saving grace of many of these cuts, and the musical star of the release, is the additional instrumentation Fender heaps on. Even despite its place atop another wave of Springsteen-nostalgia, the harmonica that plays ‘Arm’s Length’ out is a comforting touch, as is the rich brass arrangement that perfectly complements the heartfelt themes of ‘Remember My Name’— though the record’s passable but unimpressive production frequently buries these additional bursts of sound, they’re nonetheless greatly appreciated, and do wonders to elevate an otherwise forgettable crop of tracks.

There’s no doubt that the hardcore fans will enjoy ‘People Watching’ as, in essence, Fender is delivering more of the same meaningful indie rock as ever— for those outside that group though, the pickings are disappointingly slim. Though Sam’s commitment to critiquing the world around him and uplifting working class voices is certainly admirable, his lyrics are forced to play second fiddle to a barebones, lifeless track list on this newest release. Perhaps it’s time for Fender to step outside him comfort zone and really reinvent his sound going forward: if ‘People Watching’ is a sign of things to come for popular UK music, it’s a grim fate we’re awaiting.