Tag Archives: Jake Bugg

Poprock Record’s 25 must-have LPs for 2025

09 Friday Jan 2026

Posted by in Poprock Themepark

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Are singles just the equivalent of a musical snack for you? Need something a bit meatier, a bit more filling? Well, here’s the list for you. Twenty-five full length LPs gathered from throughout the year that was 2025. There’s rock, there’s pop, there’s jangle. There’s love, there’s despair, there’s political commentary. Dig in and pick out your own faves.

Without further delay, here is Poprock Record’s 25 must-have LPs for 2025:

1. Absolute Losers In the Crowd
2. The Sonny Wilsons Maybe
3. Strange Neighbors People Pleasing People
4. The Cords The Cords
5. The Rockyts Parkwood Manor
6. Tamar Berk ocd
7. Banda AL9 The Ninth King
8. Tom Henry Songs to Sing and Dance To
9. The Jeanines How Long Can It Last
10. Jean Caffeine Generation Jean
11. Lone Striker Lone Striker
12. Eytan Mirsky All Over the Map
13. Atticus Roness Power Pop World Domination
14. Greg Pope The Roar of Silence
15. Jody and the Germs Love Descends
16. Chris Lund Surveillance
17. The Mayflies USA Kickless Kids
18. The Wellingtons Baby Moon
19. Richard Turgeon Shungite
20. Dropkick Primary Colours
21. Ryan Allen Living on a Prayer on the Edge
22. The Spindles Wavelength
23. Jonathan Personne Nouveau Monde
24. The Loft Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same
25. Tristan Armstrong The Lonely Avenue

My top five albums got a lot airplay from me this past year. PEI’s Absolute Losers wowed me with their sonic revamp, pretty well reinventing their sound. And it was pretty good to start with. The Sonny Wilsons album was so fresh, so straight up poprock goodness. What can I say about Strange Neighbors that I haven’t written already? They write great songs, they play in a great style. I won’t call out every LP on the list but make no mistake, I really like all that appear there. Each one had some special thing that set it apart. And breaking it down, old faves and new discoveries both appear here in roughly equal measure. You can check them out as they were featured in the original posts by clicking the hotlinks.

Now I don’t think it’s just because it’s my day job (political scientist), but the world seemed pretty intensely political in 2025. You couldn’t avoid it, it was all over social media, conventional media, and the water cooler. And that showed up in the music as well, even a genre as generally apolitical as power pop. So I’m singling out 3 albums as my top political poprock albums of 2025:

1. Dish Pit Violet Dish Pit Violet
2. No Jersey Mondo Cool
3. David Woodard Everything Belongs

Mersey is never far from my mind, as in the distinct chimes of Merseybeat. Every year I single out some record that really revives the spirit of its golden era while still making it their own. This year’s best riff on the Beatles recognition goes to:

Rad Venture Merseyside

My policy on legacy artists is that I cover them when they put out something that grabs me but I’m not going put them in the lists above. What would be the point? They’re already getting plenty of media oxygen, they don’t life support from this little blog. But I did spent some considerable time with a few of them in 2025. Kathleen Edwards put out a stellar record, Tristen never lets me down, and what a surprise with those two albums by the boys from Stranger Things. Here’s my legacy artist shout out of notable albums for me from 2025:

1. Kathleen Edwards Billionaire
2. Tristen Unpopular Music
3. Mae Martin I’m a TV (Welcome Distraction Version)
4. Jake Bugg A Modern Day Distraction
5. Wilderado Talker
6. Jesse Welles Middle
7. Finn Wolfhard Happy Birthday
8. Djo The Crux
9. Suzanne Vega Flying With Angels
10. OK Go And the Adjacent Possible

Does it seem like overkill to single out the same band twice for the same award? I’m gonna risk it because this band killed with their second double-album collection of covers. This year’s special award of awesome poprock merit goes to:

The Half-Cubes Found Pearls: Pop Treasures Volume 2

Thanks for dropping by this past year and digging all these great finds with me. Check out your faves on the lists above and don’t be afraid to buy an album or two to support these artists well into their musical dotage.

Photo courtesy Francois Fibotte Flikr collection.

Extra Texture: Wilderado, Jake Bugg and Will Stewart

06 Thursday Mar 2025

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Rock and roll represents a dynamic synthesis of rhythm and melody but an oft overlooked dimension is texture. Think the Beatles shifting from Rubber Soul to Revolver. A big part of that great leap forward happened in the overall sonic attack. Today’s artists all attend to matters of texture but in delightfully different ways.

Sometimes a record has a consistent sonic texture shaping the whole LP. Wilderado’s recent long-player Talker is exhibit A of that sort of thing. Words like ‘intimate’ and ‘hushed’ come to mind in trying to describe the vibe. The songs are like a theme park with different rides, they’re different and kinda the same too. Title track album opener “Talker” slow waltzes you into the centre of this other-worldly, slightly fuzzy dance floor. It’s the kind of song you can slow sway to all night. “Bad Luck” has a slightly more urgent, insistent feel but really it’s in no hurry.  By contrast “Simple” swaps out its measured slow verses for a positively upbeat chorus. Three songs in, you should be starting to get the feel for this record. It’s a mood. It varies but never really shifts where it’s at. You can hear things here that might remind of other acts. “Higher Than Most” sounds a bit Springsteen or Tom Petty. “Coming to Town” and “Longstanding Misunderstanding” remind me of Rogue Wave. There’s even a hint of SWMRS on “What Was I Waiting For” to my ears. And then there’s “Sometimes,” the low-key should-be hit single.

In so many ways Jake Bugg’s recording career has amounted to one long attempt to outrun the long shadow of his much-celebrated self-titled debut album. Each record since seems to have struggled to stand on its own in the face of fan and critic expectations. But with album number six Bugg seems more comfortable than ever with his own preferred melange of musical styles, mixing neo-folk, country, sixties rock and roll, and more modern pop motifs. A Modern Day Distraction opens with the electrifying pulse of indie rock number “Zombieland.” The guitar work is ferocious while the tune is hooky, particularly in the chorus. Then “All Kinds of People” breaks out an updated Bo Diddly beat. Both songs feature lyrics that speak to the struggles of working class people and here Bugg remains connected to the social critique that has long animated his work. “Breakout” is more frantic fun, evidence of Bugg’s talent for poppy tunes. The latin guitar solo here is just a special treat. An obvious should-be AM radio hit would be “Keep On Moving,” though the poppy rock of “Waiting for the World” comes a close second. Fans of Bugg’s more folky demeanor have come great cuts here with “I Wrote the Book,” “All I Needed Was You,” and his touching testament to loss “Never Said Goodbye.” He also offers up some decidedly Beatles-meets-Oasis chops on “Got to Let You Go” and a La’s/Cast echo on “Instant Satisfaction.”

Alabama’s Will Stewart has always been hard to keep a sticky label on. Previous album Country Seat and a raft of EPs seemed country steering towards roots with splash rock guitars here and there. But his new LP Moon Winx comes on like a blockbuster, suddenly jamming together all those past loose threads of musical influence into a one beautiful coherent synthesis.  I mean listen to how he opens “Regulars” with a few Beatlesque psychedelic pop notes before resolving into a Wilco-ish bit of Americana. The record kicks off with “Penny,” a solid gold should-be hit single if ever there was one. Everything is working on this song, from the punchy vocal delivery to the constant accompaniment of droning jangly guitars. Another strong radio ready number is “Bird in the Hand.” At other points, Stewart’s ear for classic retro musical tones is equal to J.D. McPherson, particularly on “Firebird Fever.” But in a way these could be seen as outliers on an album remarkable for its sonic restraint, with Stewart deploying different instruments like a miserly conductor. Tracks like “Mighty Fine” and “Til We Hear the Radio” hold back but don’t lack for intensity. Others just have a stately ballad delivery. Here I’m thinking of “The Arkestra at Dreamland” and the lovely “Late for the Banquet.” Then there’s the heartstrings-pulling story song “Roxy Blue,” lathered in mellow organ and pathos.

Some music rubs you the right way. That’s texture for you, the unsung spice that makes poprock tunes even more special. Get your extra texture by following the hyperlinks above.

Photo courtesy Indabelle Flikr collection.

Searching for Jake Bugg

05 Saturday Feb 2022

Posted by in Artist Spotlight

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Call me cynical, but original
Tryin’ to fit into a world that’s so digital
Came to let you know
I left the pigeon hole
Now I gotta find an edge, won’t let it go
Jake Bugg, “All I Need”

Poor Jake Bugg. It seems whatever choice he makes upsets somebody. His most recent long-player Saturday Night, Sunday Morning got some rave reviews as well as its share of detractors. But more than any other Bugg album, barring his self-titled debut, the record exudes a coherent style, a commitment to pursue a more contemporary sound come what may, combining classic Bugg vocals and guitar with dance beats and a radio-friendly sheen. I can certainly imagine a dance-mix of “Rabbit Hole” or “Lost” thumping out of some poorly lit night club. But as with most things Bugg, the songs have a substance that lend themselves to varying treatments. Compare the album version of “All I Need” to the ‘Mahogany Sessions’ version to really appreciate the jazzy elements in the guitar and piano riffs.

All I Need (album version)
All I Need (Mahogany Sessions)

I really enjoy both versions of the song and the fact that Bugg is trying to have his genre cake and eat it too, operating as he is under the pull of different factions of his audience. Basically he’s got a younger contemporary group with broad tastes (like Bugg himself) and an older group that would prefer he just re-issue a remake of his debut album again and again. And I get it (as a member of the older group, at least age-wise), his first record was not just another album, it was an experience. It spoke to a generation of young people who felt left behind economically and broader group of working class people regardless of age who had seldom heard their working class experience reflected in popular culture. To see an ocean of fans at various festivals in the 2012-14 period belt out his lyrics was both shiver-inducing and very moving. The temptation to simply redo his debut must have been strong. But as Bugg said shortly after making it big, he was no longer living the life that had inspired the songs on the first album. It’s hard to sing about the travails of the working class when you’re jetting around the world and modelling for Burberry. Now, in fairness, when you’re brought up in the working class it stays with you, even if you change class positions. But it often means you’re not this or that. And that’s what we see on Bugg’s post debut albums, the struggle to please his fans and find his own voice amidst the trappings of fame. Albums 2, 3 and 4 try to juggle these competing demands with varying levels of success.

This is where Saturday Night, Sunday Morning marks a significant departure. Stylistically it commits to what it’s doing. Set aside your bias for roots/folkie Jake Bugg and listen to this record on its own terms and it’s a winner. Put your headphones on to appreciate the guitar magic Bugg is working on “Kiss Like a Sun” and the chorus that has a wonderful dreamy quality. The album has a number of indie rock tracks like “Screaming” and “Lonely Hours” that feature Bugg’s signature electric guitar and a great setting for his more rock and roll vocals. “About Last Night” sounds like the should-be radio hit. “Lost” rides that fine line between club and pop hit, with a hypnotic combination of hooky bass lines and piano riffs. “Scene” was the song that initially caught my attention on this album. I like Bugg’s phrasing on the song and the production effects. A slow burn bit of ear candy. “Maybe It’s Today” has an early 1960s stroll-on-the-boardwalk feel, a bit of Spector, a bit of Springsteen, while “Downtown” is the lovely kind of piano ballad Bugg excels at. Hey there’s even a roots/folkie contribution with the acoustic guitar throwback “Hold Tight.”

Maybe It’s Today

The lyrics to “All I Need” album are the first words you hear on this album and they lay out Jake Bugg’s dilemma pretty clearly. With Saturday Night, Sunday Morning he tries to leave behind the pigeon hole both fans and critics would put him in. And he does – sort of. You see Bugg is sneaky bloke and in addition to this album he’s also released rootsy/folky versions of a number of the album songs. Best of both worlds? You bet. Check out the wicked stripped-down versions of “Kiss Like the Sun” and “Lost.” Or there’s the hypnotic acoustic-dance mix of the non-album single with CamelPhat, “Be Someone.”

Lost (acoustic version)
CamelPhat and Jake Bugg – Be Someone

I feel like the search is over. The Jake Bugg that appears on this album sounds like he knows who he is and what he’s doing. Hopefully everyone else will catch on.

On my one with Jake Bugg

05 Sunday Jun 2016

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Screen-Shot-2014-02-26-at-21.15.39September 2012 I casually checked out something called iTunes Festival on the Apple TV home screen and accidentally discovered Jake Bugg.  The feeling was electric.  Kinda like when I saw Tracy Chapman open for John Martyn in Manchester in 1988 three months before her breakthrough appearance at the Nelson Mandela concert at Wembley Stadium in London – everyone in that northern club knew we had just seen a major talent.  Bugg’s debut album came out in October and it did not disappoint.  Everything that made his iTunes performance amazing was there.  Shockingly, the album opened at number one on the British charts.

On My One

HUxSxDQ9Many have written about Jake Bugg’s youth, his songs, guitar playing, and singing style, but what struck me as special about Bugg was his authenticity.  His songs were all about working class life in middling England in the new millennium, something overlooked in most of popular culture.  Indeed, the absence of any cultural mirror for the experiences of working class youth in most western countries makes the occasional mention stand out in stark relief.  Bugg’s debut album gave voice to a generation left behind by the economy and the political class in songs like “Two Fingers,” “Seen It All,” and “Trouble Town.”  Sure, some fans and music writers just listened esthetically, hearing the folk, folk blues, and rudimentary rock and roll sound, but the ability to speak authentically about his community’s class experience touched a nerve for those who were listening.  However, after touring with the album for over a year, Bugg told journalists he doubted he could write about such experiences anymore because his life had changed so much.

Thankfully, Bugg was wrong, and his follow up record, Shangri La, kept developing themes of social inequality and class privilege (or the lack thereof) on tracks like “Messed Up Kids,” “Slumville Sunrise,” and “Kingpin.”  Bugg’s style was not that of the protest singer or Clash-like sloganeering, but more of an artist’s rendering, a portrait of the world as he saw it.  And, like Billy Bragg (another class-influenced singer-songwriter), he also wrote great love songs.

tumblr_o2lz6xwElZ1staqlfo1_250Bugg’s new album, On My One, is almost out and it appears to be similar to and different from his earlier material.  The social themes remain but he pushes himself artistically into new genres.  Growing up in the new century nobody consumes just one style of music so it was hardly surprising that Bugg’s talent could not be contained in just a few styles.  “On My One” evokes the lonely solo acoustic guitar sound of Don McLean’s American Pie album, specifically “Vincent” and “Till Tomorrow,” while drawing from Bugg’s experience as a performer on tour.  “Love, Hope and Misery” confirms Bugg’s talent for remaking the American blues ballad in his own style.  But my favourite amongst the currently available selections from the record is “Bitter Salt,” a song unlike anything Bugg has done to date, a catchy poprock effort with a punchy arrangement and solid hooks.

Bitter Salt

Though reviewers tend to suggest that Bugg is rather subdued in concert, he is well worth the ticket price if you can see him on tour.  Find out about his shows and recordings on his website and Facebook page.