Album Review: Sam Fender – Hypersonic Missiles

It's refreshing to hear unabashed pop from a kid straight out of the council flats of North Shields on the northeast coast of England, Fender's is a classic case of finding solace in music. On first listen, the opening and title track Hypersonic Missiles could be dismissed as another stadium ballad until that sax kicks in and takes the song to another level. It’s uplifting stuff without being pretentious, ambitious without being self-indulgent, and, quite frankly, anything that borrows slightly from Hole’s Malibu and the E Street Band’s Clarence Clemons is sure to be a guaranteed hit.

Similarly, The Borders and Dead Boys demonstrate exceptional songwriting from someone relatively young, melding skill and insight with an uncanny ability to perfectly marry pop and social commentary. As does White Privilege, which has just a smidge of Graceland to it, Play God and That Sound. In fact, it’s an album full of so many potential singles that one gets the sense that Fender is destined for great things, and his humble beginnings will only add to his appeal. His songs have that rare ability to appeal to Top 40 and indie listeners, young and old alike.