In the heart of lockdown whilst we were all making banana bread - and the government were partying with cheese and wine - Sam Fender was constructing an album of introspection, love, and loss.
Channelled by his therapy at the time, reflecting on his childhood is where the heart of this album originates; intertwined with political intricacies and confessions from his past.
From the first track it’s clear to see Sam idolised Bruce Springsteen from a young age, with the albums’ title song Seventeen Going Under embodying a fresh interpretation on Springsteen’s hugely adored heartland rock. The similarity almost makes the line between flattery and imitation seem questionable - but when something has been mirrored with talent, it’s hard to dislike.
The South-Shields singer makes it clear that from this point onwards, a political rhetoric will be echoed throughout his lyrics. As the song progresses, he tells the tale of his mother’s failed application for benefits over an all-expected guitar-driven rhythm, singing ‘She said the debt, the debt, the debt, so I thought about shifting gear.’
As the album develops, it becomes strikingly clear how Sam Fender found himself in Radio X’s Best of British (a playlist full of timeless classics by the likes of Queen, Led Zeppelin and Arctic Monkeys) twice.
Mantra slows down the tempo and acts as a turning point not only in the album, but in Sam’s life too. Self-described as a song about ‘figuring out that you can’t pay so much attention to these people who genuinely don’t care about you’, with hypnotic beats that are complimented by the steady guitar melody that is the hallmark of all Fender’s tracks.
It’s easy to mistake him for one of the many privately educated, white male musicians who put on a working-class persona like they put on their clothes in the morning, but Sam’s lyrics ring true - he’s worked hard and earned his success.
In Aye, he refers to the working-class hatred of the left he was once surrounded by: ‘The woke kids are just dickheads.’ The track is an open letter of disdain to the money-hoarding wealthy, describing how working-class people are often politically manipulated right into their hands. Both musically and lyrically it’s what’s expected of Sam Fender, but that doesn’t take anything away from the songs’ integrity.
Poltergeists is the ideal finale for Seventeen Going Under, with a piano based melody that sings the album to sleep. From an artist that thrives within upbeat, angry indie-rock, there’s no lack of talent from the singer in ballads. As the track with the fewest listens on Spotify, here’s to hoping this doesn’t dissuade him from exploring different genres in future releases.
If you’re searching for a ground-breaking, experimentative new sound from Sam Fender, then Seventeen Going Under isn’t it. However, playing it safe doesn’t necessarily translate to bad music. Sam has earned his success through distinctive guitar-led melodies - and why change something that works?
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