Jake Bugg’s lacklustre flirtation with American country on his Nashville-recorded 2017 release Hearts That Strain hinted at an artist who had lost his way. However, on Saturday Night, Sunday Morning a revitalised Bugg holds two fingers up to yesterday with an inventive return to form.
The album bursts into life with the inspiring opener ‘All I Need’ in which Bugg, accompanied by a soulful choir, makes a compelling case for impulsive originality – “I don’t think twice because I know my mind”. It’s a song which feels like it should accompany the satisfying ending to your favourite feel-good film, where everything is falling perfectly into place.
The upbeat anthemic theme is continued with ‘Rabbit Hole’ and ‘Screaming’. The former sees a hypnotic guitar riff and driving drumbeat accompany us down Bugg’s thrilling rabbit hole of drink, drugs, and emotional turmoil. While on ‘Screaming’, he demonstrates his rock star potential, as a menacing guitar riff skulks underneath introspective lyrics – “Save me from the void I’ll never fill” before exploding into a chorus, which is destined to bring flying beer to his upcoming live dates.
Amidst these raucous moments Bugg considerately allows for pauses to catch your breath. ‘Downtown’ is a meandering piano ballad exhibiting his often-overlooked vocal flair, while kindly reminding an unknown person that they will never be alone. Despite the potential displayed by this track, the somewhat generic lyrics and anticlimactic chorus leave his search for a get-on-your-mates-shoulders piano ballad slightly unfulfilled.
‘Maybe It’s Today’ is another case of an attempted sing-a-long anthem falling victim to mediocrity as Bugg monotonously approaches the most original of pop topics; unrequited love.
In contrast however, the achingly beautiful ‘Scene’ is one of the album’s crowning moments. The delicate vocals exhibit Bugg’s frustrations at a failing relationship and are accompanied by weeping, melodic guitar lines that surely would have gained George Harrison’s seal of approval.
Bugg also revives his successful foray into dance-music sparked by his 2019 collaboration with Camelphat. In ‘Lost’, his vocals drift seamlessly along an eerie house beat emboldened by tense harmonies before being shattered by a thumping bass-driven chorus.
However, his captivating flair for the acoustic guitar is still evident in the rollicking Folk/Blues throwback ‘Kiss Like the Sun’, where Bugg navigates his way through the emotional trepidation of one-night stands. It’s a refreshing twist on a familiar sound.
As the title aptly suggests this album provides a thrilling soundtrack for Saturday night’s mistakes as well as sympathetic comfort for Sunday’s headache. While there are some weaker moments on the album where Bugg’s attempts at stripped back pop anthems prove uninspiring, there is enough on this most recent project to suggest that the plucky kid from Clifton is here to stay.
Rating: 3/5
