Slowly trickling out track after track, Sam Fender appears to have an unlimited supply of quality. Post-Seventeen Going Under has been a rich period for the North East-based artist. Seeing just how far he can take that album is a genuine treat and a surprising layer of regional pride has taken over. Alright and Wild Grey Ocean have marked a nice bounce in quality tracks too, pieces that did not quite fit the realm of his sophomore piece. Now they are out there, filling up Finsbury Park as Alright does on the upcoming live LP. Fender knocks out another classic, and if Alright (Live at Finsbury Park) is anything to base his upcoming quality on, then fans are in safe hands once again.
Introducing it as “one of me favourites” is a bold claim for Alright, a track that, when compared to the eponymous track of his second release or even Paradigms, pales in comparison. Still, everyone has a favourite and it is usually left of field. Alright is such a track. Quality musicianship is to be expected, of course. Hearing Alright in this live setting though, it is clear to see why it is a Fender favourite. Sharper guitar, more for the singer to deal with both lyrically and instrumentally. Reflective and looking back on what is an essential, recent part of his growth as an artist. Waxing lyrically on stage about a change of just a few years is a rare moment for any artist, but Fender has mastered it.
His reflective works, Alright in particular, have offered up a young star with a knack for understanding his own musical presence. It is a youthful perspective that connects to his audience, growing by the second, with immediacy and likeable charms. It is that likeability, felt through not just the studio recordings but the live presence for those lucky enough to experience it, that guides well. It’ll light up St. James’ Park in a few months’ time, that’s for sure. Alright is a solid track that feels ready-made for a live set – a nice piece that works through generational gaps, boozers and that distance between now and then found so frequently on Seventeen Going Under. Engaging that with real clarity marks another strong track for Fender.
Hearing the live outing is better than that of the studio piece, that is obvious here. Brass sections pushing through, underlining a monumental moment for the singer and his backing band. There is a presence in this live version of Alright that would certainly cement a reason to go out and grab a copy of the upcoming live LP. Alright – Live at Finsbury Park is a historic moment for the rising star, an articulate reckoning of what is to come for the singer whose second album has seen well-deserved universal acclaim. Rising and rising from that comes a trickle of tracks, the relevancy of which sees no end in sight. Alright is another defining piece for Fender and company, who tease out their upcoming live LP with a great live rendition here.
