David M Rangel / November 11, 2026 / Review
Jake Bugg is an English singer/songwriter who broke out internationally as a wunderkind of sorts (as still just a teen) with his 2012 self-titled UK debut record (the record was released in 2013 in the US). He presented as a young introspective musician with the scrappy swagger of Oasis and an undeniable Bob Dylan-esque aura that were clearly on display on songs like “Trouble Town”, Lightning Bolt” and “Two Fingers”. Over the years since that debut, Bugg has put the troubadour tendencies and gritty folk style that helped him make his name, on the back burner in favor of more experimental sounds. The resulting hip-hop, country and commercial pop radio style sounds were met with mixed reviews and sounded like someone trying on different new identities. The lower impact of these mid-career records contributed to Bugg’s lessening presence on the musical radar, at least in North America.
Alamo (out November 13, 2026), a record that showcases Bugg returning to his musical roots will undoubtedly have listeners remembering exactly what it was on his early singles and first two records, that caught their attention. It is, arguably, him doing what he does best, falling back into the folk/country vibe that gave him legitimacy at such an early age. While the sound is familiar, there are some welcome musical, and lyrical variations that have inevitably come with age, wisdom and solid life and songwriting experience.
There may not be anything here with quite the youthful exigency of say, “Lightning Bolt”, but how could there be? Instead we have a man entering early middle age with a slower, but more at ease, confident presentation with his reflections and pondering of life factors that brought him to this point. Much of the guitar tones and finger picking take on an almost lush kind of feel. One can almost hear the ghost of Nick Drake drifting in the background on tracks like “Tall Poppies” a song with clever word play that demonstrates that even people on the highest of pedestals can be “cut down”. This wasn’t one of the album’s early released singles, but it easily could have been and will likely be a standout.
Sometimes a reverb-rich vocal, a tasteful country slide guitar and a finger-picked lead are all you need for a cinematic, ethereal experience as demonstrated by the title track. The tender, shimmering ballad has a timeless quality that recalls 70s singer/songwriters as much as it does modern electric Americana in the vein of My Morning Jacket. Those familiar with The Garden State soundtrack will understand how a track like this can blur the lines between “cool indie” and the basics of classic time tested music. “Never Can Tell” rollicks along lively, evoking the rural American barroom where cheap beer flows and salt of the earth people love their Buck Owens as much as they do their Bob Seger. The honesty of Bugg’s lyrics and natural authenticity of his all-around sound make it easy to forget you’re listening to a young Englishman and not a timeworn American tunesmith.
This record is likely the most open-spaced, melodically airy album thus far by Bugg. The interesting juxtaposition of minimalist Americana and atmospherics, with lyrics that at times seem to be floating, give a new sense of freshness to the proven formula of his earliest records. A number of songs here including “Cloud in the Sky” and “Everywhere I Go” lean into (unexpected) meditative dream pop territory. It’s another component that shows Bugg’s evolution as an artist as he returns rejuvenated and true to form.
The album is out everywhere tomorrow on Thirty Tigers. Listen to ‘When the Night” here.
