Review: Jake Bugg's Shangri La

A far cry from his debut album, British breakthrough artist Jake Bugg left behind his home town of Nottingham to work on his second album with the legendary producer Rick Rubin in the exotic Malibu. With his first album being a collection of songs he wrote growing up,it's successor Shangri La was written in a mere few months of this summer during the whirlwind of festivals and sold-out shows throughout Europe and in the US. 

The enthusiasm that oozes from those twelve tracks is undeniable, the listener is certainly left toe-tapping, wanting more. The American influences are evident, with tributaries of Country, Soul Jazz and crisp acoustics melting into one another to create a delicious mix that cements Bugg amongst the greats. 

Bugg belts "Johnny deals a bit of blow, on the side" during Messed Up Kids, a song depicting the less fortunate who live through deprivation, homelessness and substance abuse. During the introduction of his official music video for What Doesn't Kill You, the singer discussed the fact that no matter where you are in the world, you can't avoid the bad elements of life. Writing about life's hardships only adds to his authentic appeal, and although some may have thought he couldn't have replicated the straining heartbreak of "Broken", "Me and You" is a suitably tear-jerking, arm-swaying replacement. 

(above: Rick Rubin with Jake Bugg)

Charmingly subtle, the Clifton singer evolves by adopting slow jazzy tones in "Kitchen Table" that are juxtaposed to his dark lyrics "haunting my future,down on all fours you bark bright/ at the descending moonlight". If he is looking for new fans, "Pine Trees" is a sure-fire winner as natural imagery and folky tones quench the listener's appetite  for his mystifying acoustics. 

To me, Shangri La sums up what Bugg is feeling inside- his thoughts on his deprived background, the hypocrisy of the world, a sudden fear of the unknown and perhaps even a yearning for the silence of nature. Either way, it's just a compilation of honesty, something that will charm you from the first listen. 

I give it:  ★★★★★

Watch the making of Shangri La: 

Warning: Fangirling Ahead! Jake Bugg at the O2 Brixton Academy

For me, there's nothing I love more than listening to the haunting indie folk creations of  singer/songwriter Jake Bugg. At the tender age of 17, he was scouted to play a set at Glastonbury where he was given a contract at Mercury Records. Two years later and with the release of his second album next month, Bugg is going from strength to strength. After seeing him at Benicassim in July and iTunes Festival in September I managed to get some tickets for his autumn tour. 

From nick-intl.mtvnimages.com

Last Wednesday I headed over to the cosmopolitan district of Brixton, where I went to queue up for the gig that took place at the O2 Academy. Unlike the festival goers and casual music listeners I had encountered at the previous two gigs, there were only a handful of girls as enthusiastic as I was to queue. Our blatant fangirling paid off however when as we sat queuing, Bugg walked past us and casually waved. Much giggling ensued before we all managed to get up and run after him to say hi and tell him how excited we were to see him play. He was nice enough to pose for a couple of pictures too, what a gem. 

                                      From pbs.twimg.com

As venues go, the O2 in Brixton is great due to its small size and sloped floor which means the stage is visible from almost anywhere in the venue. I was pleasantly surprised with the hugely talented warm-up acts that began with Italian-English singer Jack Savoretti followed by Tennessee basedHoneyHoney who provided some much needed Country fun. 

From www.standard.co.uk

For those of us desperate for new music, Bugg didn't disappoint, beginning his set with There's a Beast and We all Feed it, the first track on upcoming album Shang ri La, one that screams intelligence with the line "When my sister suffers/When my mother cries/All I wanna do is look in someone's eyes…here's a beast eating every kind of beauty and we all feed it." 

Kingpin, Pine Trees, new single Slumville Sunrise and the delicious What Doesn't Kill You were also performed, giving us an idea of how magical the new album will be!  

His fine tuned, focussed and authentic performance would not have been complete without Lightning Bolt, Two Fingers, Country Song, Broken and one of my favourites, Seen it All and he definitely created an electric atmosphere. For someone only 19 years of age, his songs contain a huge capacity of life experience and as live acts go, he is by far my favourite. Although some tend to criticise his so-called lack of showmanship, his humble and unassuming air only adds to his charm. 

 His music is a lovely break from the ego-centric, sexist chart music manufactured superficially, written and churned out by a team of people.

I can't wait to see him in February! 

Bittersweet Beni: The Highs and Lows of Festival de Benicàssim 2013

For a first time festival-goer, I approached the idea of Benicàssim with equal amounts of trepidation and sheer excitement. Friends who had attended similar events in the past were quick to tell me to stock up on baby wipes and prepare for the slum-like conditions of the camp site, something which would be the least of my worries while in the Spanish town. 

       From sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net

The locality of Benicàssim is situated in the province of Castellon and consists of little more than a small beach resort and a few beach-side bars selling Spanglish nibbles and cold beer on tap.  I had booked up eight days of camping, with four days of festival attendance so on arrival at the beginning of the week, we set up our tents in the sweltering heat. Our group of ten soon got familiar with the area and began to settle into a daily routine of hunting for patches of shade, constantly wishing the sun was lower in the sky, and rejoicing every time a cloud gave us a little bit of relief from the blistering heat. 

         From sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net

(above: look, there's me surrounded my rubbish, not giving a dam. Festival life for ya)

My holiday hit rock bottom half way through the week when I was pick-pocketed on the beach, leaving me phone-less, penniless and completely deflated. 

Aside from those things, the music, which luckily commenced in the cool and dusky Spanish evenings WAS AMAZING. I was lucky enough to see acts such as Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, AlunaGeorge, Rudimental, Jake Bugg, Dizzee Rascal,Miles Kane and Knife Party to name a few.

          From sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net

(above: Best moment of the festival: JAKE BUGG)

For those of you who hope to attend the festival in the future, I do not want to dis-hearten you in this post so here are a few highlights of my trip, and tips to consider when going! 

Highlights

• The Music
  For one festival, Benicàssim offered a true eclectic mix of music, all of which I enjoyed immensely. The highlights for me were Jake Bugg and Rudimental, and I stand by my adoration for live music- there really is nothing better than sitting on someone's shoulders screaming the words to your favourite songs. 
   
• The cheap alcohol
  For the duration of my trip, I found that beer on tap was a lot nicer and colder to drink than water, so I drank A LOT. Vodka was four euros a bottle- crazy!
   
• The memories
  The few negatives I had while at the festival will soon fade from my outlook of the whole experience and I have some amazing (and hugely positive) memories of my trip.

                  From www.thisisfakediy.co.uk​

• The showers
  With temperatures hitting 40 degrees during my week of madness, I loved the showers, having up to 3 a day. Ice cold and never a queue, they were definitely a winner. 
• The days before the festival
  Although the days were excruciatingly hot, the evenings were extremely fun. They provided a chance for us to meet our neighbours in campfest and I definitely saw some things I will never forget. 
• Being away from technology 
  I do love my iPhone, but it was so refreshing to forget about the internet and social networking sites, instead just chat or play cards. I need more of that in my life!
• Barcelona
  I stayed in the beautiful city of Barcelona for a night before heading to the festival. Totally recommend it as a city break. 
• By the end, you don't care.
  Dirty, dusty, sunburnt or sweating, no-one really cares about their appearance by the end of the festival. 

               From www.efestivals.co.uk​

Tips

For those of you thinking about attending the festival next year, here are a few things to remember. 

• Use the lockers provided
  I was initially skeptical about the lockers, but highly recommend them, for obvious reasons.
• Do not take a valuable phone
  I am so thankful I didn't bring my iPhone. You don't need it and old phones have a longer battery. 
• Bring an old camera or a disposable
  Although disposables can be unreliable, they avoid a lot of heartbreak if your nice one is lost, stolen or broken. 
• Make sure your bag doesn't look desirable
  Thieves will definitely target new looking bags, so avoid expensive or shiny new handbags.
• Make shade for yourself
  This is pretty much essential in Beni as they tell you you are under canopies, but you aren't. Bring groundhsheets to fasten onto the frames provided, as they charge you 60 euros for the one on camp. 
• Travel light
  Another obvious one, but a rucksack is your best friend as suitcases get dusty on the dry mud and gravel. 
• Stay in the city/hostel 
  On your way to/from the festival, treat yourself to a night in a hostel, it will give you a chance to rest and relax. 
• Bring a pen and paper
  You will no doubt meet a huge volume of cool people on your trip, so rely on pen and paper to write down names and numbers! 

            

Jake Bugg hits out at One Direction again saying "Probably the ugliest one is the best singer"

Youngster Jake Bugg could be forgiven for his first bout of verbal diarrhea last week, when he lashed out on X Factor rejects One Direction. However his second attack puts him in a less favourable position after he spoke about the band during an interview at the NME Awards last night. 

He told the press he did not believe One Direction should even be classed as a band- this came in light of the news that the group had won the NME award for "Worst Band".

                                         From www.nme.com

Bugg commented "I don't know how they can really be considered a band though to be honest". After saying this he suddenly seemed reluctant to speak, telling his interviewer that his comments would probably "wind [the band] up". 

He was also asked about their popularity around the world reflecting their success: 

"They're there to look good...Music wise? I assume they don't really have a clue. We'll just see. They might do"

He went on to say "Probably the ugliest one is the best singer. He might know a couple of chords."- ouch! 

                                       From blogs.coventrytelegraph.net

The singer seemed less than starstruck by anyone and described award ceremonies as "boring",despite his nominations for Best Solo Artist and Best Album at last night's awards- he also claimed he had no idea who he was up against.

The interviewer also teased Bugg by asking him if he would be interested in writing any songs for One Direction. He replied sourly  "No. That should be their job, not mine."

Meow!

Jake Bugg Slams One Direction saying "They Must Know They are Terrible"

From media.tumblr.com

New kid on the block Jake Bugg has certainly been speaking his mind recently, after slating boy band sensation One Direction during an interview for Shortlist Magazine. 

The tactless 18 year-old should simply be forgiven for speaking his mind, as his stance is reminiscent of the controversial Gallagher brothers. With his foul mouth and ’60s style, he is a lovable rouge- but not to some. 

When interviewer Jimi Famurewa mentioned One Direction as “the closest thing to rock stars that we have these days”. Shocked at these claims, Bugg blurted out “Who the f*ck is saying that?”

He continued his rant by saying it was easy to have fun “When you don’t have to write any songs. People [call them the new Beatles] because they broke America, but that don’t mean a thing. I mean, [One Direction] must know that they’re terrible. They must know… Calling them the new rock stars is a ridiculous statement. And people should stop making it.”

From media.tumblr.com

This isn’t the first time he has hit out at former X Factor contestants either- last October he told NME that Leona Lewis’ music“was sh*t”. For a guy who still lives with his mother and is unaccustomed to fame, he certainly has a strong opinion on certain celebrities. 

Members of One Direction did not take kindly to the criticism as they took to Twitter to vent their frustration. Niall Horan tweeted “Really buggs me that artists we’re fans of,flip on us in the press!” (I like what he did there)

From media.tumblr.com

Louis Tomlinson also tweeted ” Hi @JakeBugg do you think slagging off boy bands makes you more indie?”

From media.tumblr.com

Clearly these boys need to be kept apart! Check out the rest of the interview with Jake Bugg here.