Indie Blog Scotland - Jake Bugg: A Modern Day Distraction

12 years on from the album that graced the artist with unprecedented success, A Modern Day Distraction is the latest addition to Jake Bugg's discography. Known for his acoustic guitars and slightly experimental playstyles, no two albums of his sound the same - apart from his extremely distinctive voice, tying them all together nicely.

Bugg grew up on a council estate in Clifton, Nottingham, and was reared on a healthy diet of The Beatles, Oasis, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix as well as various blues artists and old traditional Irish music - which all blends into the artist many have come to know and love for his hypnotic sound, through a plethora of his singles like Two Fingers, Kiss Like The Sun, and Lightning Bolt. He would begin his musical career, via BBC Introducing at the age of 17 - performing at Glastonbury in 2011, and releasing his debut self-titled album the following year. Since then, he has supported Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, The Rolling Stones, and Liam Gallagher & John Squire; as well as collaborating with Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello) and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), alongside several successful tours - both domestic and international.

Right, okay, background aside. This is the second "proper" release since his career hit a bit of a slump. Hearts That Strain peaked at 7th in the UK album chart, but only for a very brief period before disappearing from the list altogether - and that is when Bugg signed to Sony, effectively moving in a step to kickstart his career again. This worked an absolute treat with Saturday Night, Sunday Morning; released four years later, in 2021.

So, it's been three years since he stepped towards a more pop-influenced sound, with no real clear indication of where he will move next. Will it continue with some of the roots rock styles? Perhaps, scrap that altogether and return to the sound that brought him success on Jake Bugg and Shangri La? Yeah why not, it's both!

Zombieland was the leading single from A Modern Day Distraction, and leant heavily into that roots rock sound in a track that wouldn't be misplaced in a rock & roll greatest hits compilation album. The song leads with a very strong main guitar riff, accompanied by simplistic drums and a subtle yet complimentary clap. It's got energy, the fire of a man who has been reborn musically, and the aggression of someone looking to prove themselves right. It's a nice track lyrically, too - a very simple and easy to learn chorus, inviting audiences to join the artist.

The track comes to a close, and with a similar tempo and key, we are introduced to All Kinds Of People - the second single from the album. This song, much like Zombieland has the energy, and a lovely bridge which also feeds into live audiences - going quiet aside from the vocals, allowing them to take the lead for a moment. Well-structured and great sound on this one.

And we get to the first album-exclusive - Breakout. This is one where I think the Irish folk music influences shine, in terms of structuring and instrumental parts - at least, for the first verse. Jake crafts something beautiful with a blend between drums akin to those one would find at a trad session or jam night, and a muffled bass with distorted guitars. I'm a fan of this one, again, quite energetic, but slowing it down slightly.

Never Said Goodbye would almost fit upon an early Coldplay album, as Bugg explores his regrets with a particular relationship - "I thought you'd always be standing next to me" showing this quite clearly. This opens as a much slower, almost balladic track, with just Jake and his guitar leading the way. Across the song, the full band come in one by one and produce an emphatic piece overall. It's a track many will find relatable - the sense that one would always have longer with a person close to them, and it's conveyed beautifully here.

The fourth of the singles, I Wrote The Book follows on. It takes a folk-esque playstyle again, with just Bugg and his guitar opening the track. I really like the way he builds tracks up like this - simple to start, but enjoys bringing in other elements as the track progresses - and this is no exception, bringing in drums, bass and another guitar. The chord progression and the vocal key are very similar to something you could expect to find on his debut release. I'm a big fan of the solo on this track too, a lovely crunchy lead guitar.

Waiting For The World is an anthemic track from Bugg and the band, playing back into the ferocity heard early in the album with several layered stringed instruments and a harshness to the drums with a hypnotically catchy progression. You can hear a bit of Oasis in this one too, especially in the lead guitar. This would've been well-placed as a single, but I'm quite glad it wasn't - it's almost a reward for waiting to hear the album.

I can't get no... Instant Satisfaction. The intro seems to pay homage to The Rolling Stones' hit single, with a similar progression and rhythm. You could probably layer Jagger's vocals onto this track quite seamlessly. That aside, this is again, a well-structured song, with a nice sound, great vocal harmonies and a lovely guitar riff. Fairly forgettable compared to some of the other tracks here, though.

Bugg introduces a new sound with Got To Let You Go - again, seeming reminiscent, but in a more scattered manner with the instrumental accompaniment in this track. The key changes here are very much like The Beatles, and it plays off in an excellent fashion. Even lyrically, there are similarities - especially with the addition his vocals almost mimicing the musical masterminds. This track certainly has some variance, and it's wrapped up nicely.

All That I Needed Was You returns to a more simplistic acoustic guitar and Bugg once again, but sounding a lot more downtrodden - a beautiful juxtaposition to the uplifting major progression. We also hear Bugg's impressive vocal range here. I like that the band are kept quite minimal on this one, as it allows for a more personal interaction from the artist. Their subtle contributions are certainly noticed, but almost perfectly placed. This is definitely one of the tracks I'd like to see Bugg perform entirely solo, and he very well could on tour.

Keep On Moving is the third single, and the last one released from the album. Again, his influences are well-displayed - almot sounding like The Stone Roses, funnily. Again, nice structuring, great guitars, good progression, and some brilliant harmonising with backing vocals.

We come into the penultimate track, Beyond The Horizon, with a wistful picking pattern joined by Bugg's vocals. Again, I love the blend with him taking the lead, and the band being kept quite subdued. It's a brilliant display of Jake's individual talents, and the band are a perfect group around him. They key change for the bridge is very elegant too, introducing piano for what I believe is the first time on any of his work, before really focusing on those vocal harmonies - sounding like a sing-along. Brilliant song, overall.

And finally, Still Got Time. The energy picks right back up, aided heavily by the lead guitar and quietened rhythm from Bugg. I love the key change into the chorus, the groovy drum beat, and the prominence of that lead. Great track, great mixing, phenomenal sound. I also like the fade-out!

This is an excellent encapsulation of all of Bugg's influences and styles, rolled under one brilliant record. It sounds brilliant, and there isn't a "bad" track - but there are most certainly great ones.

I'm absolutely delighted with this record, because of how well it does everything. Four stars from Indie Blog Scotland!

Overview

Exceptional display of Bugg's talent and almost a career summary

Great choice of singles - varied, and well-showing whilst not giving it all away

Will cement Bugg's position as an outstanding artist again

Strengths

Weaknesses

A couple of forgettable tracks

Lack of varied photoshoots and pre-release content in any form (though this is notoriously associated with Bugg)