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People Watching (album)

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People Watching
Studio album by
Released21 February 2025
RecordedJanuary 2022 – October 2024
GenreHeartland rock
Length48:32
LabelPolydor
Producer
Sam Fender chronology
Seventeen Going Under
(2021)
People Watching
(2025)
Singles from People Watching
  1. "People Watching"
    Released: 15 November 2024
  2. "Wild Long Lie"
    Released: 2 December 2024
  3. "Arm’s Length"
    Released: 24 January 2025[1]
  4. "Remember My Name"
    Released: 14 February 2025

People Watching is the third studio album by English musician Sam Fender. The album was released on 21 February 2025 through Polydor Records.[2] According to Fender the album explores "colourful stories and observations of everyday characters living their everyday, but often extraordinary, lives."[3] The album's lead single, "People Watching", was released on 15 November 2024.

Background

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On 3 August 2024, Fender premiered two songs of the upcoming album during a show at Plymouth Pavilions: "People Watching" and "Nostalgia's Lie".[4] On 13 November 2024, Fender announced his third album "People Watching" ahead of the release of the title track on 15 November 2024.[5]

The album's artwork features a photograph by the late Tish Murtha, a social documentary photographer who documented marginalised communities and working-class life in Newcastle upon Tyne.[6]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Sam Fender.

People Watching track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."People Watching"
5:04
2."Nostalgia's Lie"
4:11
3."Chin Up"
  • Fender
  • Granduciel
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
3:24
4."Wild Long Lie"
  • Fender
  • Granduciel
  • Atkinson
  • Thompson
  • Granduciel[a]
6:04
5."Arm’s Length"
  • Fender
  • Granduciel
  • Dravs
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
3:59
6."Crumbling Empire"
  • Fender
  • Granduciel
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
5:08
7."Little Bit Closer"
  • Fender
  • Dravs
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
3:55
8."Rein Me In"
  • Fender
  • Dravs
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
  • Granduciel[a]
5:40
9."TV Dinner"
  • Fender
  • Granduciel
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
4:31
10."Something Heavy"
  • Fender
  • Dravs
  • Atkinson[a]
  • Thompson[a]
  • Granduciel[a]
3:36
11."Remember My Name"
  • Fender
  • Dravs
3:02
Total length:48:32

Note

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  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer

Personnel

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Musicians

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  • Sam Fender – vocals (all tracks), piano (tracks 1, 4, 6, 8–10); glockenspiel, guitar, keyboards, string arrangement (1); electric guitar (2–10), bass (2–9), acoustic guitar (2–8, 10), organ (2, 9), harmonica (5)
  • Drew Michael – drums, percussion (tracks 1–10)
  • Adam Granduciel – synthesizer (tracks 1, 4), acoustic guitar (2, 6), Wurlitzer electric piano (4), keyboards (5, 6), sequencer (9)
  • Joe Atkinson – synthesizer (track 1), keyboards (4–6, 8, 9)
  • Mark Webb – trumpet (tracks 1, 9)
  • Brooke Bentham – background vocals (track 1), vocals (10)
  • Dean Thompson – background vocals, guitar (track 1); mandolin (10)
  • Rosie Danvers – conductor, piano, string arrangement (track 1)
  • Jon Natchez – baritone saxophone (track 1)
  • Tom Ungerer – bass (track 1)
  • Johnny Davis – saxophone (track 1)
  • Wired Strings – strings (track 1)
  • Johnny "Bluehat" Davis – saxophone (tracks 4, 8)
  • Craig Finn – vocals (track 10)

Technical

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  • Greg Calbimastering
  • Steve Fallone – mastering
  • Craig Silvey – mixing
  • Dani Bennett Spragg – mixing
  • Dean Thompson – engineering (tracks 1–10)
  • Joe Atkinson – engineering (tracks 1–10)
  • Austin Asvanonda – engineering (tracks 1–6, 8–10)
  • Iain Berryman – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)
  • Oli Jacobs – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10)
  • Brett Cox – engineering (track 11)
  • David Kohn – recording, engineering assistance (tracks 1–6, 8–10)
  • Claude Vause – recording, engineering assistance (tracks 2, 4–8, 10)
  • Tom Coath – recording, engineering assistance (tracks 2, 4–8, 10)
  • Adam Forster – recording, engineering assistance (track 11)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.2/10[7]
Metacritic88/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[9]
DIY[10]
The Guardian[11]
The Independent[12]
The Line of Best Fit7/10[13]
Mojo[14]
NME[15]
The Observer[16]
Pitchfork6.5/10[17]
Rolling Stone[18]
The Skinny[19]
The Telegraph[20]

Upon its release, People Watching received widespread acclaim from critics. On review aggregator Metacritic, the album holds a score of 88 out of 100 based on eleven critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". In a five-star review in The Observer, Lisa Wright praised the album's honesty; calling it "a lonely document of fame, and of a man clinging on to the community his talents have propelled him away from. And where his previous album revealed Fender to be a songwriter of depth, People Watching explores life’s ugliness and finds excellence."[21] Alex Petridis of The Guardian also awarded the album five stars and named it his album of the week, praising Fender's songwriting: "strong on melodies...handy with a roaring, emotive, arena-friendly chorus, and exceptionally gifted with words".[22]

Critics praised the album's social realist storytelling, with Roy Wilkinson of Mojo deeming it "a poignant portrait of post-industrial Britain – one that’s meditative rather than defeated",[23] while Sarah Jamieson of DIY, in a rave review, noted it as being "unafraid of delving into both the personal and political - and, at times, where the two very much intertwine... an album that burrows under the skin of current society and refuses to dress up its stark reality."[24]

Reviewer Rating Details Reference
The Line of Best Fit 7/10 People Watching spotlights perhaps Fender's biggest strength – his ability to inhabit others' stories. Fender stands taller than ever, retaining his ascension to that oft-compared throne. [25]
NME 4/5 Reflective, analytical and vulnerable, ‘People Watching’ does exactly what the title may suggest: takes stock of the characters, friends and loved ones who have made Fender the person he is today. He approaches each track with sensitivity as he looks back on his life so far – perhaps even with an inkling of guilt – and contemplates who he may be next. [26]
The Independent 3/5 As much as Fender bares his tattered heart and sketches the pride and poverties of his country and community as artfully as ever, the songwriting plods more than it ricochets, while the floatation tank production cushions and smothers his passion, highlighting any existing blandness. [27]
Rolling Stone 4/5 On his third album, Fender proves why he's a master storyteller, with songs capable of rousing your soul before subtly breaking your heart. [28]
FarOut 4/5 People Watching is 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. [29]
Cult Following N/A Fender’s third album and his first in four years, is a considerate and often moving piece of work which adapts the successes of his preceding records and gives it all a new spin. Fender rises to the occasion and maintains a run of immaculate form. It comes in instrumental waves both familiar and crucially fresh. We catch Fender at a lyrical crossroads, where the past is once more informing his future.   [30]
National World N/A While ‘People Watching’ experiments with different sounds and styles, Fender’s messages are still as important and impactful as ever, and you can’t help but listen. This may well be an early contender for album of the year and one that firmly cements Fender’s status as one of the UK’s biggest and best musicians. [31]

References

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  1. ^ "Listen to Sam Fender's new single 'Arm's Length'". Rolling Stone. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
  2. ^ Starkey, Arun (15 November 2024). "Sam Fender releases title track from new album, 'People Watching'". Far Out. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  3. ^ Singh, Surej (15 November 2024). "Listen to Sam Fender's euphoric and hopeful new single, 'People Watching'". NME. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  4. ^ Rigotti, Alex (4 August 2024). "Watch Sam Fender debut two songs 'People Watching' and 'Nostalgia's Lie' live". NME. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  5. ^ Williams, Sophie (13 November 2024). "Sam Fender Announces Release Date for Long-Awaited New Album 'People Watching'". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  6. ^ Kelly, Caroline (14 November 2024). "Sam Fender announces new album People Watching, sells out UK & IE arena tour". Hot Press. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  7. ^ "People Watching by Sam Fender". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  8. ^ "People Watching by Sam Fender". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Sam Fender – People Watching A robust, emotional depiction of audio autobiography..." Clash. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  10. ^ "Sam Fender - People Watching". DIY. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  11. ^ Petridis, Alexis (2025-02-20). "Sam Fender: People Watching review – subtle social realism at stunning blockbuster scale". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  12. ^ Beaumont, Mark (2025-02-20). "Sam Fender's message gets lost amid hazy production on People Watching". The Independent. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  13. ^ "Sam Fender: People Watching review - home boy | Indie". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  14. ^ "Sam Fender People Watching Reviewed: Anthemic but bittersweet communions from the Geordie Springsteen". Mojo. 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  15. ^ Foulkes, Tilly (2025-02-21). "Sam Fender – 'People Watching' review: reflective and perceptive indie rock from North Shields' shining star". NME. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  16. ^ Wright, Lisa (21 February 2025). "Sam Fender: People Watching review – a lonely yet brilliant document of fame". The Observer. London, England. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  17. ^ Jocelyn, Hannah (21 February 2025). "People Watching". Pitchfork. United States. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  18. ^ Reilly, Nick (2025-02-20). "Sam Fender 'People Watching' review: Darkness on the Edge of Toon". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  19. ^ Cooper-Raeburn, Emma (2025-02-21). "Sam Fender – People Watching". The Skinny. Retrieved 2025-02-19.
  20. ^ "Sam Fender's People Watching proves he's the bravest voice of his generation". The Telegraph. 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
  21. ^ Wright, Lisa (21 February 2025). "Sam Fender: People Watching review – a lonely yet brilliant document of fame". The Observer. London, England. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  22. ^ Petridis, Alex (21 February 2025). "Sam Fender: People Watching review – subtle social realism at stunning blockbuster scale". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  23. ^ Wilkinson, Roy (21 February 2025). "Sam Fender People Watching Reviewed: Anthemic but bittersweet communions from the Geordie Springsteen". Mojo. London, England. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  24. ^ Jamieson, Sarah (21 February 2025). "Album Review Sam Fender - People Watching". DIY. England. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  25. ^ "Sam Fender: People Watching review - home boy | Indie". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  26. ^ Foulkes, Tilly (2025-02-21). "Sam Fender – 'People Watching' review: reflective and perceptive indie rock from North Shields' shining star". NME. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  27. ^ Beaumont, Mark (2025-02-20). "Sam Fender's message gets lost amid hazy production on People Watching". The Independent. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  28. ^ Reilly, Nick (2025-02-20). "Sam Fender 'People Watching' review: Darkness on the Edge of Toon". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  29. ^ "Sam Fender - 'People Watching' album review". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  30. ^ "Sam Fender – People Watching Review". Cult Following. 2025-02-18. Retrieved 2025-02-21.
  31. ^ "Sam Fender People Watching review: A 'musical savant' at his best". NationalWorld. 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2025-02-21.