Sam Fender, the North Shields singer-songwriter has just released his latest single premiered by BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac as Hottest Record In The World, ‘Seventeen Going Under’ off his upcoming album of the same name. With the track, he seems to be picking up from where he left off on his 2019 debut album ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ giving us an electrifying coming-of-age track drawing inspiration from one of the singer’s idols Bruce Springsteen.
The new single dives into political observation and social commentary looking into the pains of growing up in a small town whilst also focussing on the central motif of friends and family. The Geordie artist appears to be taking a trip down memory lane, writing a song from his perspective a decade ago. With all the stress of COVID and the world almost literally pausing over the last 18 months, he used the time to look inwardly and open up about feelings that he’d long since locked away.
The song will feature as the title track on Fender’s new album ‘Seventeen Going Under’ set for release on October 8 via Polydor Records. The follow-up to ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ was produced alongside his longtime friend Bramwell Bronte, and will see Fender “turning the mirror on himself; his adolescence and the trials and tribulations of growing up,” adding that it “is a coming of age story. It’s about growing up. It’s a celebration of life after hardship, and it’s a celebration of surviving.”
He then goes on to say “It’s a relatable journey that careers through an often misspent youth, navigating tumultuous relationships with both friends and family, and trying to figure out what comes next and how to get there. North Shields is the ever-present backdrop for these deeply personal vignettes of a young life travelling breathlessly from nought to sixty, hauling on the brakes and zipping back again from where he started. Over the course of the record, these stunning songs chronicle all the cherished memories, tricky encounters, and events that Sam cannot unsee.”
Below you can see the album cover of the upcoming LP where you may recognize the location as the musician previously uploaded a picture to his social media accounts (shown above) sitting on the same wall. Hh then stated in reference to his latest single “Here we go again. hold tight. 2 days”. The album arrives on October 8 and you can pre-order it here.
‘Seventeen Going Under’ Tracklist:
Seventeen Going Under
Getting’ Started
Aye
Get You Down
Long Way Off
Spit Of You
Last To Make It Home
The Leveller
Mantra
Paradigms
The Dying Light