Chisel-cheeked Geordie, Sam Fender, makes his long-awaited musical return with new single, Seventeen Going Under, taken from the upcoming album of the same name.
Representing the North East of England with his Tyneside twang, Fender has been riding the crest of a wave for two years now. 2019 saw the newcomer pick up a Brit Award, and a number one album for Hypersonic Missiles. 2021 will be expecting a lot from the already acclaimed indie rocker.
Jangly guitar tones treat Seventeen Going Under, and initially the listener might feel they are in for some joyous optimism; however, this does not last long. There is a sense of motion in the song but, sadly, there is a monotony in that motion. The track doesn’t ever truly shift gear, struggling with a sticky clutch throughout.
Despite the largely uninteresting musical worth to Seventeen Going Under, there is a charm to the song that’s achieved through Fender’s canny raconteur skillet. He tells an endearing story of innocence, nostalgia and desperation as good as any of his English singer-songwriting peers. However, lyrics alone cannot carry a song bereft of musical intrigue.
5/10.
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