When Nottingham’s Jake Bugg burst onto the scene late 2012 he took the world by storm, his self-titled debut praised by critics and musicians alike.
Now Bugg’s returning to feed eager ears with Shangri La – a well-bodied sophomore of which a substantial amount surpasses the work previously seen from the young lad.
Taking a different path to that of his 2013 Record Store Day release ‘Saffron’, the initial impression given is that Bugg has abandoned a lot of the blues and pure acoustics that originally defined him and has instead dabbled in rock. Something which may be down to his work with Def Jam Records founder Rick Rubin (whose Shangri La studio was the LP’s place of recording), the experimentation sees the album jump from genre to genre, and although at times it’s a little messy, it’s still high quality.
The album kicks off with ‘There’s A Beast And We All Feed It’, baring an extremely uncanny resemblance to opening track ‘Lightning Bolt’ on his debut. Carrying a strong country western vibe and featuring Bugg’s signature phrasing, the track hardly clocks in at 2 minutes and before you even have the chance to take in what you’ve listened to you’re thrown straight into ‘Slumville Sunrise’.
Bugg’s traded acoustics for electrics in this three-minute number, increasing the tempo and packing in luscious blues-esque solos at every opportunity given. “Slumville sunrise / Nobody cares or looks twice” belts out Bugg, his unique vocals really accentuating the intensity of the upbeat track. With a keen eye for rhyming, this somewhat poetic song has got to be the finest on the album with the catchiest vocal lines seen in a chorus in a long time.
‘What Doesn’t Kill You’ follows with the lingering presence of punk rock. It seems a little overshadowed by ‘Slumville Sunrise’, yet still sets its place in the record as a very well-rounded tune. Following track ‘Me And You’ sounds like it would fit snugly amongst tunes like ‘Simple As This’ and ‘Country Song’ on his debut, reminiscent of a combination between Don McLean and Simon & Garfunkel. Softer track ‘Pine Trees’ also evokes that original Jake Bugg vibe.
‘Kingpin’ is Shangri La’s hidden star. The blues rock returns, amped up and kicking in full swing. With a rocking chorus leading with “When you’re the kingpin / All the eyes are on your crown”, Bugg’s keen eye for composition shows no faults. It’s to be noted that throughout the entire record each track is accompanied by highly commendable drumming; a glance at the album booklet soon shows a surprising collaboration with Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith.
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With a couple exceptions, it’s difficult to compare Shangri La to its predecessor. If you’re expecting another album full of acoustic ballads, look elsewhere – this is more of an attempt for Bugg to show the world he’s a little more than just a 19 year-old that knows a couple chords. Making the change to electric feels like the right direction for the rockabilly rapscallion as he puts all on show in this eclectic and deep sophomore – a fair indication of the illustrious career ahead of him.
