Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg

Jake Bugg has had a busy couple of years to say the least. Having been selected by Radio 1 to play on their Introducing stage at Glastonbury 2011 aged just 17, he was snapped up by Mercury Records and has recently released his début album. 

Despite being somewhat of a BBC Radio Wunderkind – Zane Lowe seems especially enamoured with him, but he has been a regular feature on many other DJs’ playlists from both Radio 1 and 6 Music – Jake’s singles have failed to take hold of the UK charts and cause much of a stir thus far. That could be set to change with his new album, as it’s the first time his music will be accessible to listeners who prefer their music in hard copy, rather than digital download.

Citing influences such as Bob Dylan, Oasis and Donovan, Jake has carved out a sound that’s at once identifiable as Brit rock, but also pays a heavy homage to blues and folk. He’s clearly talented and has a gift for lyrics that you don’t often see in someone of his age, but the main problem is that he isn’t really new or original. He’s good, but he’s not ground-breaking and that’s a bit of a shame.

Energetic track Taste It is a step toward musical big brothers The Arctic Monkeys, a band Bugg hopes to perhaps tread a similar path to. The champion song on his website is recent single Two Fingers, a coming of age, “I escaped my roots” style number that has a couple of great hooks, but seems a little too clichéd overall. It’s the more country and folk-inspired tracks that make us sit up and take notice, as they are fine examples of song writing from someone who has the potential to give these less popular genres a new lease of life. Whether he manages it or not will remain to be seen, but Jake Bugg has plenty of time to find his feet and his own sound, which hopefully he will soon, before he fades into obscurity like so many before him.

Joe Waits

Jake Bugg is released on 15^th October 2012. For further information or to order the album visit Jake Bugg’s website here.

Watch the video for Lightning Bolt here: