Nineteen-year-old Jake Bugg wowed the U.K. with his self-titled debut album in late 2012, but the indie grassroots rocker didn’t have as much success in the U.S. when he released the album here in April 2013. The most publicity he’s gotten in the States has probably been his recent Twitter throw-down with the pop sensation boys of One Direction, where he (being the angsty British punk he is) publicly insulted their musical abilities. They got really upset and he got absolutely butchered by teenage girls and the media. But, despite being number one on U.K. charts and no higher than 75 on the U.S. billboard charts, Jake Bugg decided to make a move to California and record his sophomore album, Shangri La (named after the Malibu studio where it was recorded), with American producer Rick Rubin.
Released quickly after his debut album, Bugg keeps the rockabilly roots, strips away the fake vinyl vibe of his previous work and creates a mature piece with Shangri La. The two singles from the album, “Slumville Sunrise” and “What Doesn’t Kill You,” are stand-out tracks that display the punchy vocals and dark rhythm guitars that make the album entertaining and electrifying to listen to. On the opening track, “There’s A Beast And We All Feed It,” he insinuates the downfall of society and the ugly turn humanity is taking with our gossiping habits. “Messed Up Kids” is a folkier change to the fast-paced opening tracks. It’s a beautiful tribute to the potential success of young people, which is so often lost by drugs and poverty: “Gave up on us long ago with no hope/All you hear’s the cold wind blow and get stoned.” He contradicts this sentiment in “Kingpin,” a bluesy punk-rock portrayal of the luxurious and powerful life of a drug dealer.
Although some of the ballads included in the album—such as “A Song About Love” and “All Your Reasons”—are nothing special and seem more like rushed fillers than anything, the majority are pretty great. “Me And You” is a surprisingly lovely whiner about young star-crossed lovers. The closing track, “Storm Passes Away,” is the best rendition of Brit-turned-Hick since The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.” The slower acoustic tracks are an excellent way to showcase Bugg’s diversity and raw talent.
The one criticism I would give Shangri La is it seems a little bit premature. Had Jake Bugg waited until the originally planned release date of January 2014, he could have edited some of the messy instrumentals and done some more writing to avoid the lackluster filler songs. But, overall, Shangri La is a decent follow-up to the smash debut album and a good attempt to gain U.S. popularity.
Rating: B+
