Geordie Springsteen is back with another fine effort.

What exactly is it that Sam Fender does that connects so well with such a wide audience? There are a number of things. Firstly is the timeless songwriting. If you listened to this album with Fender’s voice removed you might place it as released in the 70s, 80s or 90s. It surprises me that it has connected so well with a 20s crowd as so much decent indie is often overlooked, or undervalued, by the mainstream. The timeless nature though means it connects widely, barring some light swearing there is much in Fender’s oeuvre that your Nan and your Grandad and your Springsteen loving Uncle can enjoy. The second thing is his honesty. He connects with the working class crowd that distrust so many of the middle and upper class posers that dominate guitar music these days. He is thoroughly Northern and Newcastle through and through. He is genuine in every way. Thirdly, he is a superb songwriter. Not many artists would have the guts to release a slow tempo song entirely comprising music from a brass band as a single but that is exactly what he has done with ‘Remember My Name.’ It should fall flat on its backside, but it doesn’t. Fender wins again.

This album doesn’t have the same urgency about it as his first two and there must be some concern that his huge success might eventually start to blunt his songwriting fire that made those earlier efforts so utterly arresting. On this album however, the slower design works extremely well, the songwriting is as strong and as classic as any you might mention, say Paul McCartney or Fender’s hero Bruce Springsteen. I wasn’t sure about the single ‘People Watching’ on a first listen. I had an “Is that it?” reaction. However it has grown on me with every listen and I can now recognise it is every bit the equal of ‘Seventeen Going Under’ or any of his other tunes. This collection goes in a variety of directions, but the songwriting DNA is so impressive a number of them feel like they have been playing on the radio for years without ever feeling like a cheap copy of other work and styles. ‘Chin Up’ could be a missing Oasis single but his unique voice makes it very much his own.

There is still a strong connection to deprived communities, both in his home region and observed whilst on tour in America however it is now very much as from the outside looking in rather than describing his own day to day existence.

After weeks with the singles and a couple of listens of the rest of the tracks I think this album is great. I will need to live with it for longer to decide just how great it is. My main conclusion is that Fender is a truly gifted songwriter who is going to be remembered alongside all the great guitar heroes by the time his career is done.