Jake Bugg - A Modern Day Distraction (Album Review)
Friday, 11 October 2024
Written by Chris Connor
Photo: Kevin Westenberg
When Jake Bugg burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old, his debut album’s distinctive throwback blend of indie, folk and skiffle set him up as a future giant. In the decade since, though, he has opted to experiment with different sounds, incorporating elements of country and electronic music with varying degrees of success. His latest ‘A Modern Day Distraction’, sees a return to the more raw sound of his early work.
Zombieland instantly shows signs of promise with a jangly riff and a rapid tempo. At under three minutes it packs plenty of punch and, both thematically and sonically, feels cut from the same cloth as the hits that made Bugg’s name.
All Kinds of People continues in this vein with pounding riffs and wry lyrics. But it’s not just a retread — there is more polish to this sound and the vocals have real punch to them. There’s a sense of maturity here.
Breakout continues the trajectory of the LP, its intro recalling the Allman Brothers’ iconic Jessica while Bugg neatly threads piano throughout.
Never Said Goodbye is more stripped back, built around vocals and guitar before bringing in other elements patiently. I Wrote The Book is rooted in folk-rock, and Bugg shows here that he can still make an anthem that packs some punch.
With 10 short tracks, ‘A Modern Day Distraction’ is a tighter, more refined effort. Had this come out in 2014 or ‘15 it would have gone down a storm. This is one of his strongest albums since his debut, appearing in many ways to be a companion piece. It shows his evolution as a songwriter and how at home he feels putting his stamp on a tried and tested genre. But, for all its obvious quality, it is a shame it has taken Bugg a while to revisit the sound that helped launch his career.
Jake Bugg Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue October 22 2024 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Mon November 18 2024 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Tue November 19 2024 - LONDON Roundhouse
Thu November 21 2024 - DUBLIN National Stadium
Sat November 23 2024 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Sun November 24 2024 - EDINBURGH O2 Academy Edinburgh
Tue November 26 2024 - MANCHESTER Manchester Academy
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