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 moti.