Gerry Cinnamon Erratic Cinematic Review

Gerry Cinnamon is living proof real music isn’t dead. Battling against the twisted machinations of the record industry; he has a voice and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. “Erratic Cinematic” his debut album isn’t just a debut; it’s a statement. With its iconoclastic cover, it screams “classic”.  The opener “Sometimes” shows this is a songwriter that pulls no punches, in his words and his music. The clean guitar fills are reminiscent of The Cure’s “Just like Heaven”, a fantastic introduction. “Lullaby” begin with a scathing rant featured in the movie “Network” by Peter Finch’s character Howard Beale. Its set over a hypnotising western blues progression, it has the lonely whistle included. “What Have You Done” has great lyrics, its Gerry’s strength. “What have you done son Sold yer soul to a demon Dance like a dafty for a bag of snow.” Gerry doesn’t sugar coat anything. “Belter” is a future classic and standard for future songwriters. Youngsters want to learn this song on guitar; it reeks of charisma. “Fortune Favors the Bold” where he states he won’t sell out. “Now they tell me be solid make paper and do what you're told Guess I'd rather have holes in my shoes than be drowning in gold” Those are wonderful, wonderful lyrics and flow so easily. The title track “Erratic Cinematic” has shades of Bert Jansch and a little bit of Leo Kottke. Gerry is right “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” We are in new territory.  “Keysies” is a short but sweet folk song driven by childhood nostalgia. “Diamonds in the Mud” a gem literally; I think it’s one of Gerry’s best in terms of storytelling and lyrics. About characters, he knows like a shaman, a dour faced bastard with sarcastic eyeballs with a tongue that slashes like a lock knife. I love the line “The mayhem of Glasgow is buried deep in my blood.” Lyrics like that say so much about Gerry. It’s best to discover the song for yourself, be transported to the Southside.

“War TV” is where Gerry puts the boot in; steel toe capped boots I might add, into the deranged sycophants who lead us into wars we don’t want. “They're all quick to make war but they won't send their sons. Shout the odds like a gangster but they won't hold a gun.” With just those two lines, Gerry sums up the whole mess. Furthermore, he turns his venom on the silent majority who allow this to go on with their malicious silent consent or as he puts it “With your arse in the air and your head in the sand.” Overall “Erratic Cinematic” is one of the strongest records I have heard. Tracks like Sometimes, Lullaby, Belter, Diamonds in the Mud and War TV are fated to standards by aspiring songwriters in the future; I fully expect in a decade to be walking down Buchanan Street and hear some busker singing “Belter.” Gerry Cinnamon has created a record that if you want your mates to think you have taste in music you put “Erratic Cinematic” on top of your record pile.

Stuart Ritchie