THIS WEEK’S CD RELEASES

On My One Jake Bugg (Virgin EMI)

Jake Bugg wrote and produced virtually his entire third album ‘On My One’ as the colloquialism of the title suggests. It’s a good move. It’s unlikely he’d have recorded the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ indebted Gimme The Love before now and while Put Out The Fire is stripped down, it has a rockabilly clip to it. His hip hop effort isn’t as successful on Ain’t No Rhyme. Irish producer Jacknife Lee chips in to good effect on Bitter Salt and the arm-swaying Love Hope And Misery but Bugg sounds powered up on a career that hardly needed re-booting.

Why Are You Ok Band Of Horses (Caroline)

In vocalist Ben Bridwell, Band Of Horses have a cross between Neil Young, Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips and a Beach Boy. The seven-minute opener Dull Times/The Moon runs the musical gamut between all those artists. They aren’t afraid to keep it simple either though; Whatever, Whenever is soothing folk rock set to a waltz rhythm, while Country Teen sounds like the Eagles for ‘slackers’. A few more bangers such as Solemn Oath and Casual Party wouldn’t have gone amiss but it’s a thoroughly enjoyable album.

Love Can’t Always Be Articulate Pierce-Turner (Punctual)

The Wexford musician is best known for his majestic Nineties track Wicklow Hills but his scope is broader and he has worked with Philip Glass among others. This album’s songs quiver in the natural acoustics of Manhattan’s Lutheran Church where he recorded it. Tantum Ergo, Billy Sunday and the two brief organ instrumentals have a churchly resonance. Not so, the rousing Sorrow Is A Solid Feeling or the acoustic cover of T Rex’s Life’s A Gas. His devoted fans will be delighted.