The Cinnamon fever took over my family back in 2018, inevitable considering the Scottish blood running through our bodies – so the release of a new Gerry Cinnamon album brought joy to the Malley household and did not disappoint.
After having been lucky enough to witness the unsigned Scottish singer/songwriter set fire to the John Peel tent at Glastonbury 2019, which was followed by his UK tour selling out in minutes, he confirmed his presence in the music of the next decade and his new album is to be the start of it all.
The first song on his new album The Bonny is a track that is already known by many as it was released in June 2019 called Canter. It brings an immediate familiarity to the album and is deservedly placed first as it sets the listener for the album ahead. If a Cinnamon virgin starts listening to this album it will not take them long to find out what this Glaswegian is all about. With his Scottish tones and language to match, this songwriter is flaunting his nationality for the world to see.
Continuing through his album the more familiar songs are integrated between the more acoustically focused tracks just containing a guitar and Gerry himself.
Living in these current dark times, I find myself applying every song to the situation we are currently in so when I saw the title Dark Days I knew my interpretation of this song would be different to ever before. The song starts with a harmonica which I was surprised to hear not taking on the melancholy ideas I expected. But this is quickly altered when Gerry preaches the lyrics “These are dark days but I hope that there’s an easier way.” These lyrics are applicable to all currently struggling their way through the suffering of our current living. He then continues to sing “These are the best days that we are ever going to have.”
Even though these are not the best days it does make me appreciate the time we are getting to spend with some of our loved ones and focus on ourselves, it is a situation never likely to happen again and this reminds me to make the most of it.
The title track The Bonny comes next in the album containing very strong Celtic folk influences. My immediate thought when hearing the name The Bonny was that it was about a pretty girl referring to the Scottish slang for Bonny but by listening to the song I am corrected realising he is talking about a bonfire. Gerry Cinnamon lyrics speak of the bonfire growing big and telling people to believe in this “bonny”. By doing this the Scottish songwriter could be referring to a person’s hopes and dreams and how if you don’t work and believe you will not achieve. The song completely changed my interpretation of the album title and therefore the album itself.
My personal favourite is the song Sun Queen. It’s another single of 2019 so has been featuring as part of my playlists for a while now but never seems to get old. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to line dance around your kitchen, which is not something I think I can say has happened before Gerry. It is a feel good song of carefree life and love which can’t help but put a smile on my face every time it’s played.
Even though the end of the album seems like it could be easily forgotten. It needs to be remembered that not all songs written are made for a performance situation instead they contain well thought out lyrics and melodies but placing another upbeat song towards the end could have made the surrounding songs more memorable.
This album entwines fist pumping festival favourites with lyrical folk stories and makes me dream of the day I will be back in a field, burnt to a crisp listening to the new anthems of The Bonny by Gerry Cinnamon.
Rating: 7/10
By Amber Malley
Feature Image Credit: Little Runaway Records