Just turned eighteen, Jake Bugg is the mercurial new troubadour for 2012. Newly signed to Mercury, his songs are tales of growing up and friendship, sharply observed. Having discovered music through a Don McLean song he heard whilst watching the Simpsons, his is a very modern folk tale.
New single ‘Lightning Bolt’ is two-and-a-half minutes of white heat. A driving riff sets the track going before a searing electric guitar line ignites the track. Allied to Jake’s brilliant vocal its already a step on from his debut, illustrating his way with a lyric and courage to do things his own way.
‘Lightning Bolt’ follows debut track ‘Trouble Town’ a track that shone a light on the Nottingham estates on which he was raised and perfectly captured the mood of being a teenager growing up in that world.
Working in a musical world of his own, where Bob Dylan and Glen Campbell rub shoulders with Wiz Khalifa and more, he is as eclectic as he is unique.
With a BBC Culture slot already under his belt and plays from Zane Lowe on Radio 1, he is set to be the troubadour to watch in 2012.
Other support at Radio has come from Fearne Cotton and Huw Stephens. Jake has supported Lane Del Rey and Example and now has been announced as the main support on Michael Kiwanuka’s much-anticipated UK and European tour this spring.
May tour dates with Michael Kiwanuka:
Sun 13 Bournemouth Old Fire Station
Mon 14 Wolverhampton Wolfrun Hall
Tue 15 Manchester HMV Ritz
Thu 17 Glasgow ABC
Fri 18 Liverpool Epstein Theatre
Sat 19 Dublin Academy
Mon 21 Sheffield Leadmill
Tue 22 Cambridge Junction
Wed 23 London Shepherd's Bush Empire
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