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As far as debut albums go, this eponymous release is a surprisingly accomplished effort from the Nottingham-born teenager Jake Bugg. Although he stares out from the album cover like a younger, long-lost cousin of the View or the Enemy, while those U.K. indie acts found their nourishment on a diet of the Jam, Oasis, and the Strokes, Bugg found time to explore pre-Beatles music from the likes of Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. These influences -- combined with a folk sensibility and moments of delicate acoustic fingerpicking that betray a love for Bob Dylan and Donovan -- make for an accessible, pop-focused record that doesn’t attempt to chase innovation. Much of the material here was co-written, produced, and mixed by Snow Patrol and Reindeer Section collaborator Iain Archer. When Bugg and Archer combine on “Taste It” and “Trouble Town” -- two of the album’s stronger, more raucous tracks -- it’s as if you’re hearing what the La’s would have sounded like if John Power had been their dominant force, as opposed to Lee Mavers. It’s the intro to “Taste It” in particular that apes “Feelin’” -- the Liverpudlians’ final single -- while “Trouble Town” comes across as a rewrite of their cautionary “Doledrum” with its skiffle-fueled tales of unemployment benefits and missed payments. The comparatively positive and sprightly opener “Lightning Bolt” didn’t do Bugg any harm when it was featured just prior to the BBC’s live coverage of Usain Bolt’s Olympic 100m victory and was heard by a U.K. audience of 20 million people. Built around a three-chord shuffle and a bridge that Noel Gallagher would be proud of, it’s another example of a Bugg/Archer gem. While it’s the analog-sounding upbeat tracks such as these that impress, it’s the mid-paced, digitally polished ballads and resultant formulaic pacing that underwhelm. It’s safe to say that those searching for experimental music should most definitely look elsewhere. “Broken” -- co-written with former Longpigs frontman Crispin Hunt -- takes Bugg into broad, “X-Factor does indie” territory, while “Country Song” tiptoes between James Blunt’s vocal quirks and John Denver’s suffocating pleasantry. Inoffensive and clean-cut as they are, both tracks signify a mid-album lull and sit awkwardly on a record that is littered with overt drug references and imagery from the street. To his credit, Bugg's too young by far to be a drug bore, and when he takes “a pill or maybe two” in “Seen It All” or is “high on a hash pipe of good intent” in “Simple as This,” it feels like social documentation rather than a misguided attempt at glamorizing their use. Elsewhere, Clifton -- the south Nottingham village that Bugg calls home -- gets what is possibly its first mention in song on the irresistible, Hollies-inspired “Two Fingers.” All in all, though Bugg’s debut may not share the wordy precociousness of Conor Oberst’s formative steps or the political astuteness of Willy Mason on Where the Humans Eat, it’s his sheer earnestness and rare gift for writing simple, hook-filled tunes that ultimately charm the listener.
© James Wilkinson /TiVo
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Iain Archer, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Iain Archer, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Phil Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Matt Prime, Producer, Mixer, Percussion, Harmonica, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Mike Crossey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Crossey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Mouse House, Studio
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Crispin Hunt, Producer, Mixer, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Mike Crossey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Danny Goffey, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Geoff Pesche, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Duncan Mills, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Phil Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jon Kensington, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - The Bell Tower, Studio
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Geoff Pesche, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mike Crossey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Mouse House, Studio
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Lynch, Drum Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Wilkinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Oli Kraus, String Arranger, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Mike Crossey, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, Recording Engineer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
DISC 2
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Iain Archer, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Iain Archer, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Foster, Harmonica, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Iain Archer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Miles Wilson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Evans, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Matty Benbrook, ComposerLyricist - Jason Hart, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Rick Rubin, Producer - Crispin Hunt, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Scheps, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Arkwright, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
DISC 3
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendan Benson, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Paul Butler, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Kiwanuka, Guitar, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Paul Butler, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Kiwanuka, Guitar, Vocals, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendan Benson, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Johnny Marr, Guitar, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendan Benson, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Johnny Marr, Guitar, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Crispin Hunt, ComposerLyricist - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Johnny Marr, Guitar, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Sweeney, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jason Lader, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Iain Archer, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Kiwanuka, Guitar, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jake Bugg, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Robertson, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jack Atherton, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2022 Mercury Records Limited
Album review
As far as debut albums go, this eponymous release is a surprisingly accomplished effort from the Nottingham-born teenager Jake Bugg. Although he stares out from the album cover like a younger, long-lost cousin of the View or the Enemy, while those U.K. indie acts found their nourishment on a diet of the Jam, Oasis, and the Strokes, Bugg found time to explore pre-Beatles music from the likes of Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. These influences -- combined with a folk sensibility and moments of delicate acoustic fingerpicking that betray a love for Bob Dylan and Donovan -- make for an accessible, pop-focused record that doesn’t attempt to chase innovation. Much of the material here was co-written, produced, and mixed by Snow Patrol and Reindeer Section collaborator Iain Archer. When Bugg and Archer combine on “Taste It” and “Trouble Town” -- two of the album’s stronger, more raucous tracks -- it’s as if you’re hearing what the La’s would have sounded like if John Power had been their dominant force, as opposed to Lee Mavers. It’s the intro to “Taste It” in particular that apes “Feelin’” -- the Liverpudlians’ final single -- while “Trouble Town” comes across as a rewrite of their cautionary “Doledrum” with its skiffle-fueled tales of unemployment benefits and missed payments. The comparatively positive and sprightly opener “Lightning Bolt” didn’t do Bugg any harm when it was featured just prior to the BBC’s live coverage of Usain Bolt’s Olympic 100m victory and was heard by a U.K. audience of 20 million people. Built around a three-chord shuffle and a bridge that Noel Gallagher would be proud of, it’s another example of a Bugg/Archer gem. While it’s the analog-sounding upbeat tracks such as these that impress, it’s the mid-paced, digitally polished ballads and resultant formulaic pacing that underwhelm. It’s safe to say that those searching for experimental music should most definitely look elsewhere. “Broken” -- co-written with former Longpigs frontman Crispin Hunt -- takes Bugg into broad, “X-Factor does indie” territory, while “Country Song” tiptoes between James Blunt’s vocal quirks and John Denver’s suffocating pleasantry. Inoffensive and clean-cut as they are, both tracks signify a mid-album lull and sit awkwardly on a record that is littered with overt drug references and imagery from the street. To his credit, Bugg's too young by far to be a drug bore, and when he takes “a pill or maybe two” in “Seen It All” or is “high on a hash pipe of good intent” in “Simple as This,” it feels like social documentation rather than a misguided attempt at glamorizing their use. Elsewhere, Clifton -- the south Nottingham village that Bugg calls home -- gets what is possibly its first mention in song on the irresistible, Hollies-inspired “Two Fingers.” All in all, though Bugg’s debut may not share the wordy precociousness of Conor Oberst’s formative steps or the political astuteness of Willy Mason on Where the Humans Eat, it’s his sheer earnestness and rare gift for writing simple, hook-filled tunes that ultimately charm the listener.
© James Wilkinson /TiVo
About the album
- 3 disc(s) - 50 track(s)
- Total length: 02:37:23
- Main artists: Jake Bugg
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2022 Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
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