The opinion of Jake Bugg’s career, like all artists, will depend on who you ask. For his strong willed day-one fans, they’ll tell you the talent runs deeper than his chart numbers. For others, the match that quickly became ablaze on his debut album dwindled out a long time ago.
For what it’s worth, the Nottingham songwriter is still trying his hardest over multiple genres. His debut in all of its country jangle earned him a Mercury Prize nomination, yet the weight of its follow up seemed to follow around on his shoulders. ‘On My One’ from 2016 was both baffling and boring, meanwhile ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’ saw Bugg trying to become the pop stars he slagged off in 2013, which in fairness brought lead single ‘All I Need’ to nationwide radio playtime. However, with his new album ‘A Modern Day Distraction’, Bugg takes his sound right back to where it all began. Maybe then the flame witnessed at the start of his career will burn bright again.
Given the tagline of an “authentic working class voice” since the beginning of his career (which he often brushes over), Bugg recognises that he’s now far detached from his roots. His debut talked of gangster crews and smoking to forget troubles, but since then he hasn’t gone back to where it first began. On the record’s first single, the Nottingham singer finally felt it was time to do so. ‘Zombieland’, features Bugg taking a backseat to observe the poverty he left behind – “He lights a smoke before he leaves/Another day without a dream”, lyrics that match the energy once possessed in his adolescence. The tune is great, too, with jagged guitar tones leaving a groove stuck in your ear. The 30-year-old emphasised in the making of the album that it was important to keep his guitar by his side and not stray back into pop, evident with a George Harrison inspired track, ‘Keep It Moving’ that often sounds like a nod to ‘What Is Life’ thanks to its infectious mood and twangy riffs. ‘Never Said Goodbye’ is also equally heartbreaking and endearing – a song written in the wake of losing two close personal companions. With a topic so raw there’s no time for complex imagery or riddles, but instead a declaration of grief and raw emotion – “I thought we had more time/I thought you’d always be standing next me” and the track is all the better for it.
Throughout ‘A Modern Day Distraction’, nothing ever strays into offensive territory, although it can become fatiguing at times. ‘Instant Satisfaction’ never threatens to reinvent the rolling stone it takes inspiration from and contains a riff that feels beaten to death over the years. Still, quality always rises to the top, and it’s felt like a while since Bugg has managed to do so with this much conviction.
The indie songwriter was never given the blessing of a natural singing voice, but throughout his career, he’s harnessed his nasally tones to much success, evidently on ‘All That I Needed Was You’ where he gives his listener the overdue acoustic ballad. As the album comes to a close, it was well worth the wait; his vocals naturally reaching into a falsetto. This is a voice made for country blues.
It’s hard not to imagine what would have become of Bugg’s career if ‘A Modern Day Distraction’ was released as his second album rather than his sixth. It presents itself as an obvious followup to his self-titled work while also giving purpose to a career that has long felt in chase of one. What’s most admirable about Jake is he will continue to carry on making music even if no one is listening. He won’t have to worry about that, though. His sixth album will continue to make sure people do.
Words by Niall McGreevy