18-YEAR OLD BRITISH TROUBADOUR DRAWS COMPARISONS TO PANTHEON OF FOLK-ROCK, FROM BOB DYLAN TO ARCTIC MONKEYS

Jake Bugg

(New York, NY) After recently earning a #1 UK album debut for his self-titled debut album released  on Mercury Records, 18-year old British singer-songwriter Jake Bugg, praised as “the real deal” by NME, has his sights set on winning over North American audiences, as he opens a 14-city tour of the U.S. and Canada with fellow Mercury artist Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Snow Patrol.  The tour began October 23rd at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon, and wraps up 17 days later at the Bayou Music Center in Houston on November 9th. (Please see complete tour dates below.)

Coinciding with the North American tour (and fall dates across Europe with Gallagher), Mercury Records has also released Jake’s Two Fingers EP available at all digital retailers now, comprising four songs from the album: 1. Two Fingers * 2. Trouble Town * 3. Slide * 4. Country Song.  “Two Fingers” is currently B-listed at Radio 1 in the UK, where Jake has had a phenomenal eight  ‘Record Of The Week’ picks to date.

Watch the video for

Jake Bugg

“Two Fingers”

Mercury Records

In its 4-star album review, MOJO magazine welcomed the handsome young bard from Nottingham, “who started playing acoustic guitar aged 12, wrote his first songs at 14, was signed to Mercury at 16, and releases this debut [album] at 18.” NME hailed the album as “rife with uncommon wit, insight and melody,” characterizing Jake as “a frighteningly talented songwriter… it’s not for nothing he’s won the approval of Noel Gallagher.”

Jake caught the UK music scene’s attention after slaying audiences as the opening act at two of the year’s hottest gigs: namely The Stone Roses’ miniscule secret London show at Village Underground, and a week later, Noel Gallagher’s smallest ever solo performance at Dingwalls.  An NME Live review praised Jake’s “unwavering confidence (bordering on nonchalance, in fact) with which he faces tonight’s sold-out and hugely expectant crowd… Bugg is a special kind of talent.”

Jake Bugg wears his influences on his sleeve, ranging from Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, to The Simpsons, where he first encountered Don McLean’s “Vincent.”  In an UNCUT magazine ‘We’re New Here’ interview, Jake told the writer, “I’m really a big fan of Donovan, Don McLean, Robert Johnson – a lot of the old Mississippi delta bluesmen.  I try to absorb as many influences into my music as I can.”

JAKE BUGG ON TOUR WITH
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS AND SNOW PATROL

Date                 City                                        Venue
Oct.  23           Portland, OR                      Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
24           Seattle, WA                      WaMu Theater
25           Vancouver, B.C.               Rogers Arena
27           Edmonton, ALB.              Edm. Expo & Conf. Centre
28           Calgary, Alb.                     Stampede Corral
30           Winnipeg, Man.                Centennial Concert Hall
31           Saint Paul, MN                  Roy Wilkins Auditorium

Nov. 1              Kansas City, MO               Midland By AMC
3              Hammond, IN                  Venue At Horseshoe Casino
4              Louisville, KY                  Louisville Palace Theatre
5              Nashville, TN                    Ryman Auditorium
7              Grand Prairie, TX              Verizon Theatre At Grand Prairie
8              Austin, TX                         Austin Music Hall
9              Houston, TX                      Bayou Music Center