Two years ago, Sam Fender released his second studio album 'Seventeen Going Under' an album that seemed to channel Sam's formative years, the perils of his friends, and the forgotten towns and cities of the UK to create a masterpiece.
Sam talked about his and his friends upbringing, health, family struggles, unemployment, tragedy in the most candid way. The title track alone, talks about violence, mens mental health, and his mum's health and money struggles. How he felt that he could not do anything to help being so young, and having virtually no power. It's a song that makes you sit up and listen, he became one of Britain's best song writers. With songs that the everyman, and everywoman could sit and relate too.
An album with some of the most important songs of the last decade. 'Spit of You' highlights 95% of Males relationship with there dad, in the most truthful. yet beautiful way. Talking about both his and his dads flaws but highlighting a love and an unbreakable bond.
'The Dying Light' acts as a love letter to 'Shields' Sam's hometown and to his friends who are no longer with us with a rallying cry of hope and optimism that he is going to carry on “I’m damned if I give up tonight; I must repel the dying light…for all the ones who didn’t make the night.”
This album, has and will go to become a classic. It's already one of the most important British albums of the last 15 years, it's an important take on the world we are living in, written by a man who has seen and experienced the struggles he is writing about. The things he has written about are still happening up and down the country.
He is only just getting started as well, Sam has got a lot more to say, and if his next effort is as good as this album. We have to say, we have got a special talent here.