Ah the successful debut album – sometimes a blessing, sometimes a curse, sometimes a bit of both. While a great debut can be the launchpad to a long and a fruitful career, there have been many occasions throughout musical history where artists have spent their career trying to match the magic of their impactful first album. One artist who has experienced this first-hand is Nottingham-born singer-songwriter, Jake Bugg.
After his revelatory self-titled debut made Bugg a star, earning him a Mercury Prize nomination, critical acclaim and legions of fans the world over in the process, his subsequent efforts have admittedly been more of a mixed bag. While each of his four albums since have had their fair share of moments, none have had the consistency of his brilliant first outing. Seemingly recognising this, Bugg has gone back to basics on his new album ‘A Modern Day Distraction’, abandoning the more pop-influenced sounds of his previous outing ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’, to instead return to the blues-inspired indie rock & roll that brought him to the dance.
Lead single ‘Zombieland’ is the perfect tone-setter, with its smoky guitar riffs and instantly catchy chorus as Bugg sings “He knows the price he has to pay; it hurts but he’s too proud to say.” Lyrically it demonstrates what Bugg explores throughout the record, which is tales of hardships and injustices that have affected his family and friends in recent years, but always with an optimistic motion to keep going and moving forward. Single ‘All Kinds of People’ continues this message, with its throbbing bass and hip-shaking rhythms as Bugg empathetically cries “We’re all trying to find our way every day.” ‘Breakout’ also mostly copies this formula, with lyrics set around breaking free from a tough homelife, but with the sonic distinction of a fantastic passage of Spanish guitar and a blistering guitar solo at the end.
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After a full throttle opening trifecta, Bugg then brings the pace down momentarily with the devastating ‘Never Said Goodbye’. Written in the wake of losing two people very close to him, it’s a gut-punching yet anthemic expression of loss and grief that is without a doubt one of the record’s high points. Recent single ‘I Wrote A Book’ is a well-placed follow-up too, a hopeful and folk-influenced track that further showcases Bugg’s knack for descriptive storytelling, as he encourages “you’ve got to live your life before you’re dead and gone.”
After a great central riff powers ‘Waiting For The World’, the aptly-named spiritual title track ‘Instant Satisfaction’ arrives, providing another of the record’s best moments. Featuring some great bluegrass guitars, a toe-tapping beat and Rolling Stones-inspired swagger, Bugg reflects on the modern habit of escaping reality through social media and other vices, which often only offer short term relief and, in some cases, end up making things worse (“trashed my hopes and fed my fears”).
While there are no bad tracks on here, there is admittedly an air of familiarity and repetitiveness about the record in places that prevents it from being deemed truly special. Songs like ‘Got To Let You Go’ and ‘Keep On Moving’ boast high-pitched vocals and big rock riffs reminiscent of an era gone by, offering the same Beach Boys/Beatles homage we’ve seen recently from bands like The Lemon Twigs, but with arguably a little less flair. That said, there are some big highlights in the back half too, as ‘All I Needed Was You’ and ‘Beyond The Horizon’ are both elevated by delicate strings, a wonderful sense of timelessness and heartfelt vocal performances from Bugg. Closing track ‘Still Got Time’ also delivers an epic finale, with one last powerful chorus and some more mind-melting guitar work.
While it may ultimately be a solid rather than sensational listen, this is an enjoyable sixth outing from Jake Bugg that marks a reasonable return to form, while also providing more than a few strong highlights. By getting back to what he does best, this is a sizeable step in the right direction, with ‘A Modern Day Distraction’ easily his most well-rounded project since his beloved debut.
7/10
Words: Karl Blakesley
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