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Hypersonic Missiles
by
Hypersonic Missiles Image
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 44 Ratings

  • Summary: The debut full-length release for the indie singer-songwriter was recorded with Bramwell Bronte.
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. The Line of Best Fit
    Sep 11, 2019
    85
    This is a debut album that cements Fender’s place at the golden table: the perfect first attempt.
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    Sep 11, 2019
    80
    Hypersonic Missiles mostly hits the notes he longs to convey: it’s by turns euphoric and melancholy, self-deprecating and righteous, untethered and claustrophobic. There are no easy answers here, but Sam Fender’s asking the right questions.
  3. The Independent (UK)
    Sep 11, 2019
    80
    Fender drew plenty of early comparisons to Bruce Springsteen – on Hypersonic Missiles they’re entirely warranted, as much for the instrumentation as the lyricism and his vignettes of working-class struggle.
  4. Q Magazine
    Sep 11, 2019
    80
    With Fender's vocals soaring over skyscraper guitars and choruses that accelerate into a surging, full-throttle blast, it's hard not to imagine the stadium potential of these songs. There's a power in their marriage of beauty and disgruntlement, towering moments that recall '80s U2 or Simple Minds. [Oct 2019, p.115]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. The Telegraph (UK)
    Sep 12, 2019
    80
    Fender is young enough to be immersed in the life he documents, not writing at a nostalgic remove. When he rises to longing high notes on weekend anthem Saturday, you can really feel him straining at the leash. I think Springsteen would approve.
  6. The Skinny
    Sep 13, 2019
    80
    Mostly, though, this is everything a debut should be: fascinating, confused and a little bit terrified.
  7. Pitchfork
    Sep 13, 2019
    61
    Hypersonic Missiles on its own is unsatisfying, and the overconfident presentation risks stifling his voice before he’s found it.

See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. Carlos1979
    Sep 24, 2019
    10
    This is just the best album I heard this year by a male artist. Coming for a new artist it's quite impressive!
  2. Judysheeria09
    Sep 14, 2019
    10
    How Sam Fender can be so overrated nowadays as well as Lewis Capaldi?
    This album is a masterpiece ✨
  4. emilyc
    Dec 16, 2019
    10
    one of my favourite albums of the year has a lot of potential and some absolutely amazing lyrics
  5. Jeffwith2fs
    Sep 16, 2019
    10
    It's an amazing album full of great songs. Sam's future will be brilliant. Great job man.
  6. Daybroken
    Sep 14, 2019
    9
    A perfect antidote to the awful tripe from the likes of Lewis Capaldi. Along with Gerry Cinnamon, Sam Fender could be the saviour of modernA perfect antidote to the awful tripe from the likes of Lewis Capaldi. Along with Gerry Cinnamon, Sam Fender could be the saviour of modern music. Clean, crisp and melodic with hints of Springsteen and War on drugs with lyrics that resonate and bite with meaning and purpose.… Expand
  7. venusprincess
    Aug 2, 2020
    9
    eu amo esse álbum demais,toda vez que eu escuto eu fico mais e mais chocada com a sonoridade e a seriedade nas letras,mesmo o Sam sendo umaeu amo esse álbum demais,toda vez que eu escuto eu fico mais e mais chocada com a sonoridade e a seriedade nas letras,mesmo o Sam sendo uma pessoa muito divertida,artisticamente da pra ver o quanto ele leva a música a sério e não tá fazendo isso só por dinheiro e charts. eu amo o quanto a voz dele é marcante e como com apenas um álbum ele já deixou a marca dele,quando nós escutamos sabemos de longe que é uma música do Sam Fender. PS: ele escreveu todinho sozinho,o que pra mim é extremamente incrível, já que todas as letras são profundas e ele transita entre diferentes assuntos sem soar desesperado ou entediar o ouvinte.… Expand
  8. shilogoviak
    Apr 3, 2020
    2
    The great Oscar Wilde once said "all bad poetry is sincere". 'Hypersonic Missiles' is certainly a very sincere album. It is nauseatinglyThe great Oscar Wilde once said "all bad poetry is sincere". 'Hypersonic Missiles' is certainly a very sincere album. It is nauseatingly worthy, just as Fender is in real life, saying in The Independant “My white privilege has affected my success, definitely, white boy with a guitar, f***ing great, original, here comes another one.” Although it's easy to groan at this, especially when seeing the title 'White privilege' in the album, there is an element of truth to Fender's comment. He really is just another white boy with a guitar -- **** great, original, here comes another one".… Expand

See all 15 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Most Discussed Album of 2019

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