Hypersonic Missiles

by Sam Fender

Overview

In the two-and-a-half years between his first single, the urgent and atmospheric "Play God," and the release of his full-length debut in 2019, much was made of U.K. singer and songwriter Sam Fender's relatively young age -- 23 by the arrival of the latter. After all, he was drawing frequent comparisons to influence Bruce Springsteen, both for the sound of his early singles and for the working-class compassion on display in his lyrics, and he won the Critics' Choice Brit Award in late 2018, an honor previously bestowed upon, among others, Adele and Sam Smith. He opened for Bob Dylan and Neil Young in Hyde Park in July of 2019, two months before the arrival of Hypersonic Missiles. Recorded in his own studio in his hometown outside of Newcastle, and produced by his longtime friend, engineer Bramwell Bronte, its 13 songs include "Play God" as well as selections from his 2018 EP, Dead Boys. Fender's sticky melodies, assertive tone, and gritty guitar hooks are evident from the opening moments of the title track, a song that offers lines like "Dutch kids huff balloons in the parking lot/The golden arches illuminate the business park/I eat myself to death, feed the corporate machine." Its rousing chorus asks, "When the bombs drop, darling/Can you say that you've lived your life?" Later, the striking "White Privilege" is a voluble entry along the lines of a more-ruminative "It's the End of the World as We Know It" or "We Didn't Start the Fire." It goes on record with: "The patriarchy is real; the proof is here in my song." Hypersonic Missiles isn't all political; romantic interests and the healing powers of music are also topics at hand. In fact, as the album unfolds and traverses sociopolitical angst, romantic infatuation ("Call Me Lover"), and the urge to let loose (the infectious "Saturday"), it reveals itself to be a fitting soundtrack to the weekend, addressing hopes and frustrations with a persistent intensity and rousing melodies that fall in line with the catharsis at hand. The album ends with an impressive live performance (the piano ballad "Use"), which demonstrates that Fender's soaring vocals are just as authentic as his sentiments. Taken altogether, Hypersonic Missiles is smart, passionate, and loaded with rock-solid anthems that surpass the "promising" designation. ~ Marcy Donelson

Product Details

Release Date:	09/13/2019
Label:	Interscope / Polydor
UPC:	0602577428753

Tracks

1. Hypersonic Missiles
2. The Borders
3. White Privilege
4. Dead Boys
5. You're Not the Only One
6. Play God
7. That Sound
8. Saturday
9. Will We Talk?
10. Two People
11. Call Me Lover
12. Leave Fast
13. Use [Live]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sam Fender   Primary Artist,Bass,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Percussion,Synthesizer,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
The Wired Strings   Primary Artist,Strings
Joe Atkinson   Percussion,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Lorraine Barnes   Vocals (Background)
Jenny Sacha   Violin
Bryony James   Cello
Sarah Sexton   Violin
Stephanie Cavey   Violin
Bramwell Bronte   Organ,Percussion,Synthesizer
Thom Lewis   Bass,Synthesizer
Jack Vasiliou   Vocals (Background)
Drew Michael   Drums,Vocals (Background)
The Pale White   Vocals (Background)
Laura Vasiliou   Vocals (Background)
Tom Ungerer   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
A Festival A Parade   Vocals (Background)
Craig Shardlow   Percussion
Heidi Curtis   Vocals (Background)
Steven Morris   Violin
Johnny Davis   Saxophone
Patsy McKay   Vocals (Background)
Zara Benyounes   Violin
John Waugh   Saxophone
Patrick Kiernan   Violin
Emma Owens   Viola
Ed Smith   Drums
Sally Jackson   Violin
Crystal Williams   Vocals (Background)
Rebecca Jones   Viola
Dean Thompson   Guitar,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Ellie Stanford   Violin
Rosie Danvers   Cello
Awsa Bergstrom   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Simon "Barny" Barnicott   Mixing
Joe Atkinson   Engineer,Sound Design,Synthesizer Programming
Joe LaPorta   Mastering
Robin Schmidt   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Bramwell Bronte   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Synthesizer Programming
KT Pipal   Mixing
Sam Fender   Composer,Producer
Jack Whitefield   Photography
Matt Travis   Design
Matt Walch   Engineer
Nick Taylor   Engineer,String Engineer
Rich Costey   Mixing,Producer,Additional Production
Dean Thompson   Engineer
Rosie Danvers   String Arrangements