Picture
the lovechild of Bob Dylan and Eric Burdon.
Horrible right? Surprisingly, no.
It is unusual to find a modern folk album by such a young artist,
untouched, out of reach, from the rut of the British music scene. Sure, Ben
Howard and Ed Sheeran picked up a guitar and ashamedly sang about love but
there was something missing. A teen with a guitar and the naivety that
‘everything really is going to be ok’ is nothing new but there is something
special about Jake Bugg.
Barely
in to manhood, Jake, 18, originating from Nottingham, has proved himself to be
a real diamond in the rough. Don’t be fooled by his doe eyes, it’s obvious that
this lad has seen more than your average middle class teen. His self-titled
debut is sure to entice those begging for fresh meat, those craving some
country. The crackling vocals and the influence of Dylan is plentiful; it’s
almost too good to be true. A throwback to 60s Britain, Jake has managed to
bring country-folk forward for a brand new audience to appreciate.
Bugg
will have young misfits relating to the angsty album. ‘Two Fingers’ is
essentially Bugg’s trophy. Laced with references to drinking and drugs, this
track is his literal rendition of life in Clifton, Notts. It speaks to the
troubled youth, in a hey-kid-it’ll-be-ok way. ‘Trouble Town’ recounts his
feeling of being trapped in his dodgy town, reminiscent of ‘We Gotta Get Out Of
This Place’ by The Animals. “The only thing that’s pretty is the thought of
getting out”. Simple lyrics but straight from the heart. Although the album
lacks a diverse sound, if you are a folk fan, this is a winner.
From
the bloodcurdling estates to the private schools, he’s encountered a potentially
wide fan base in a sea of X Factor puppets. Let’s not forget the baby boomers
that grew up during the Dylan era. There is a danger of the mature listener
questioning the validity of this perfectly produced package but he is certainly
a grower.
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