Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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 /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
From $10.83/month
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Guitar, Recording Engineer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - John Waugh, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Joseph Atkinson, AssociatedPerformer, Synth Pads - Joe Atkinson, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Drew Michael, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - KT Pipal, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Pale White, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Thom Lewis, Producer, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - A Festival A Parade, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Heidi Curtis, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Ungerer, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Atkinson, Engineer, Synthesizer, Sound Effects, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Synthesizer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Johnny "Bluehat" Davis, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joseph Atkinson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Guitar, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, Synth Pads - Tom Ungerer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2018 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - John Waugh, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Guitar, Piano, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Organ, Programming, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ed Smith, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Thompson, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Barny Barnicott, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Bass Guitar, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, Synth Pads
℗ 2017 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Guitar, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Recording Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Ungerer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2018 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Producer, Mixer, Additional Producer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lorraine Barnes, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Thompson, Engineer, Guitar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Patsy McKay, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Awsa Bergstrom, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Vasiliou, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Joseph Atkinson, Engineer, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Guitar, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Crystal Williams, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Laura Vasiliou, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Craig Shardlow, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Producer, Mixer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Patrick Kiernan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Emma Owens, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Bryony James, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jenny Sacha, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rosie Danvers, String Arranger, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Sally Jackson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Stephanie Cavey, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Thompson, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Nick Taylor, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rebecca Jones, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Wired Strings, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Sarah Sexton, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steven Morris, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Joseph Atkinson, Engineer, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Eleanor Stanford, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Drew Michael, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Producer, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Percussion, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Zahra Benyounes, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Rich Costey, Producer, Mixer, Additional Producer, Recording Producer, StudioPersonnel - Joe LaPorta, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Patrick Kiernan, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Emma Owens, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Bryony James, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Jenny Sacha, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Rosie Danvers, String Arranger, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Sally Jackson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Stephanie Cavey, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Thompson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nick Taylor, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rebecca Jones, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Wired Strings, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Sarah Sexton, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Steven Morris, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Joseph Atkinson, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Eleanor Stanford, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Sam Fender, Producer, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Recording Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Thom Lewis, Producer, Engineer, Percussion, Programming, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jack Thomason, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Zahra Benyounes, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Thompson, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Barny Barnicott, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Producer, AssociatedPerformer, Synth Pads
℗ 2018 Sam Fender
Robin Schmidt, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sam Fender, Piano, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Thom Lewis, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt Walch, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Album review
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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:48:18
- Main artists: Sam Fender
- Composer: Sam Fender
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2019 Sam Fender ℗ 2019 Sam Fender
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
Playlists