In the run up to Christmas, which nowadays signifies X Factor taking over our TVs every weekend, there is nothing more refreshing than hearing a genuinely great album from a self-made, new talent. If, like me, you’re a devoted lover of music, but not a fan of the artificial and frankly predictable pop acts that roll off the X Factor conveyer belt year after year, then you should probably give this one a listen.

For me, the basic components that make excellent music are a mixture of raw talent, originality and the ability to provoke real emotions by connecting to your audience through beautifully constructed lyrics and melodies. Jake Bugg certainly achieves all that and more in his self-titled first album. It is hard to believe that the 14 insightful tracks on this record were written by an 18 year old lad from a council estate in Nottingham.

The album faultlessly combines catchy, upbeat tracks like Two Fingers and Taste It with soulful, acoustic ballads such as Broken and Slide. Unlike this year’s X Factor contestants, Bugg doesn’t need outrageous outfits or a host of semi-naked backing dancers to wow his listeners. His music is stripped bare and as authentic as you can get, but his unique voice and acoustic melodies need nothing more.  His music is pure, moving and real. And I can say for sure that this is one album that fully deserved its place on the number one spot of the album chart this year. Whatever your taste, if you appreciate real musical talent, I definitely don’t think you’ll be disappointed.