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Jake Bugg: The Council Estate Dylan Who Just Topped The Charts
Teenage singer-songwriter Jake Bugg channels Bob Dylan to create powerful, exciting music, driven by a desire to escape from the estate he grew up in. His self titled album has just hit number 1 in the UK charts, here's why you should pay attention...
Every now and then you hear something new that restores your faith in proper music and fills you with anticipation and excitement of what’s to come. Last week I had two tip off’s suggesting there was something I needed to hear. One came from the person who put me onto the Roses years back, and the other from someone who has steadfastly refused to listen to anything other than Arctic Monkeys since ‘I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor’.
With the recommendations ringing, last night I introduced my ears to Jake Bugg. First up was Bugg’s latest single ‘Lightning Bolt’, promoted by Zane Lowe in his record of the week. You know you’re onto something, someone, when a thought to check it’s not a cover of an obscure Dylan gem crosses your mind seconds after a smile has crossed your lips.
It chugs along with a quick acoustic beat matched by an instantly classic vocal delivery of fast paced lyrics, recalling ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’. You know straight away that Bugg’s got something and repeat the song, twice last night, a further three times this morning. The smile returns every time.
Quick research reveals that Jake Bugg, bred on one of the UK’s largest council estates in Nottingham, has only just turned eighteen. It’s a fact that is, quite frankly, ridiculous.
He’s a wordsmith in the Dylan sense of the word, painting pictures of the estate he grew up in, and the hope of getting out.
Vocally, lyrically, and in terms of the three songs I’ve listened to so far, he’s a man with a talent bestowed on precious few, let alone a kid. He’s a wordsmith in the Dylan sense of the word, painting pictures of the estate he grew up in, and the hope of getting out. “Everyone I see just wants to walk with gritted teeth, But I just stand by and I wait my time” in the aforementioned ‘Lightning Bolt’, and again in ‘Troubled Times’; “Stuck in speed bump city Where the only thing that’s pretty, is the thought of getting out. There’s a tower block overhead, all you’ve got’s your benefits and you’re barely scraping by”.
In ‘Country Song’ Bugg strips things back in a delicately beautiful yearn for a loved one, with a nod to Don McLean. It sounds like something from a musically superior era long since past.
He’s eighteen.
In a Guardian article last month (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/may/27/jake-bugg-nottingham-interview), Bugg recalled “At school people would say I should go on Britain‘s Got Talent, but I would never have done that because it doesn’t seem genuine, it doesn’t feel natural.”
Discovering Jake Bugg is a refreshing reminder that proper music will always find its way. That kids will always pick up guitar and that some of them can produce something so wonderful that it blows all the fake plastic shit of X Factor and the like to pieces.
His debut album is out on October 15th, with a tour to promote in accompaniment.
For now, familiarise yourself with that which has been gifted so far and leave your thank you’s in the comments section.
Lightning Bolt
‘Troubled Town’
‘Country Song’
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COMMENTS
certainly puts Ed Sheeran into perspective.
Green with envy
Best thing to come out of Clifton since the A453.
A young man being sold on the back of Dylan imagery and well,it's awful music and the vouce....so what.ANTIQUE ROCK MUSEUM for the mojo/Q sads.
Humm not very creative melodically, or lyrically to be honest. If you wan't a modern day Bob Dylan then give Elliott Smith a listen. Now he was a rare genius in my opinion.
At least Kempy is honest, Wolinka and Boll Weevil, this guy has more talent in one of his shites than you two could ever hope for.
This is what's wrong with music today. All you magpies preaching faux cred like you were raised by an A&R team through perfectly pressed sighbrows. A new Dylan? Prolly accurate... as Dylan's last record, Tempest, was meh-diocre at best & everyone fixated on his age as well. This is middle of the road, forgettable, copy and paste, Mercurian pimped slinger/yawnwriter. If it was food it would be risotto or toast... edible but never able to change they way you think about food. Nothing new here. Perfect for Mercury....
I don't agree with people slagging him off. His voice is great, his lyrics really hit home to me. I am 38 and from a working class background and 'Two Fingers' said so many things I've had in my head for years. He is not mediocre and he has a precocious talent. Also, it is great to see a working class getting a go for once.
well despite the comments will give it whirl, well sold, I'm Im one of those 'Southerners' He looks like a young keith Richards, still could be a lot worse than that!
INDIEandaJONEZ you sound like a bitter cunt who couldn't get a writing gig at Q. I bet you wear a really shit hat, without the slightest hint of irony. I personally think this is a refreshing change.
I think it's 'Trouble Town' not 'Troubled Times' but anyway.. Arguing over whether he is good or shit seems a little c**tish. Bugg, as is standard with young musical upstarts, is a magnet for comparison. Looking like young Alex Turner with the sounds of a Dylan/Donovan lovechild, its hard not to draw associations. But these kinds of constant comparisons detract from a young man whose song writing abilities and croaky Nashville drawl masterfully disguise his years.
Well said lloyd
First came across Jake thanks to 6 Music's Radcliffe and Maconie some months ago. It's ridiculous to criticise him for being 'the new Dylan' as some have on here as a chance to point out lack of originality in music; after all Dylan was 'the new Guthrie' at one point. What's important is that Bugg whilst paying homage to music past is bringing something worthwhile and different in a sea of mediocre X Factor, R and B, hip hop gubbins.
The most cringe-worthy thing on this page is INDIEJONEZ hideously contrived, arch writing style. Really made me wince. I love the fact he has eaten things that have made him 'change the way he thinks about food.' What pretentious tosh! The music, on the other hand, is very good.
Jake Bugg is his own man and what a young man he is, he has given a 43 year man,me, a big heart that there is class out there who can make it by just wanting to make good music and not to be famous like x factor rubbish. Good on you Jake.
Spot on James McGoldrick!
Actually, I see the Dylan, but I also see a lot of Ray Davies. And right, it is refreshing to hear some new good music. And being 18 is a plus, yeah. Still, nothing like Dylan. Ray Davies? Sure. He's no Dylan.
thanks Markxist, our day is getting closer. Anyway i see a lot of Jake Bugg in Jake Bugg.
I appreciate it's only natural to see others in someone's appearance and work but are the comparisons really necessary? He's a singer songwriter in his own right.. and a bloody good one on the little evidence we have so far.
I think the lyrics are good, but Christ Almighty his voice is awful. Really not my cuppa tea. I'm not here to bash him though, glad to see there are still kids out there who don't listen to shitty pop music.
He is like Dylan in that he has soaked up all the music from the 50's till today.He is also a chameleon,he can sound like Dylan on one track, Donovan on the next,Everly brothers etc.I remember Dylan & Donovan at 18,and Jake's poetry and storytelling is equal if not better than theirs at 18.He has let us in to his private adolescent world which he describes brilliantly.He covers it all,Isolation,poverty,teen suicide,conjugal violence,drugs,party crashing,teen violence,bullying etc.etc.We have seen him go from a shy teen to a self assured person in 2 short years.Most of the songs express his wanting to leave the world he lives in.His guitar playing is evolving on every new song he does.I am sure that within a year he will be a world phenomena.
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