On his fifth studio album, 2021's hooky
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
, British singer/songwriter
Jake Bugg
embraces a robust, mainstream pop/rock vibe that still retains some of his vintage inspirations. Produced by
Steve Mac
(
Ed Sheeran
,
Paloma Faith
5 Seconds of Summer
),
is a more dynamic album than
Hearts That Strain
. It's a sound that makes some sense for
Bugg
, whose early work conjured a precocious blend of '60s folk icon
Donovan
with the amped-up swagger of
Oasis
.
is perhaps his best balance of those two touchstones. The rambling, acoustic fingerpicking of "Hold Tight" is the closest moment to
, and one that also evokes the low-key acoustic blues and folk of his first few albums. There are several other vintage-inspired moments, including the '70s
Bee Gees
-esque balladry of "Scene" and the
Roy Orbison
-sounding "Maybe It's Today." Tracks like "About Last Night" and "Rabbit Hole" are also catchy as
Mac
frames
's sweet croon with garagey,
Arctic Monkeys
-style electric guitar riffs. These are fine songs and
's reedy alto is showcased to nice effect throughout. Undoubtedly,
is the culmination of
's rise to mainstream success. ~ Matt Collar