SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BONNY DOON – BONNY DOON

Bonny Doon
Bonny Doon
Salinas Records

Bonny Doon welcomes you into warmer weather with their debut, self-titled full-length album. With extended periods of sunshine coming your way, this LP is perfect to listen to after a long day with a cold drink, or while driving down empty highways on a summer road trip. Originating in Detroit, Bonny Doon strays from the familiar punk sound they formerly developed, drifting from traditional Midwest narratives of emptiness and post-industrial ruin. Instead, the band introduces a refreshing, melodically expressive album with poignant storytelling accompanied by happy-go-lucky hooks. Melancholy undertones epitomize country heartache, though Bonny Doon maintains a rock edge. After taking three years to naturally progress and mature as Bonny Doon, all while playing live shows and gaining traction in Detroit, the band has successfully come into their own with a well-crafted folk-rock sound. In the months spent developing their first full-length album, they began tracking on a reel-to-reel tape recorder, bouncing around various studio spaces until completion. The efforts of their labour are evident in their skillfully woven together rugged, yet polished, final product.

The sunset, back-porch, feel the music summons is comparable to Fred Eaglesmith’s 6 Volts in the way that somber lyricism contrasts feel-good foot-tapping rhythms. Unraveling the layers of Bonny Doon, the listener will notice how the depth of the lyrics are masked by breezy, smooth jams. Themes of change, long distance trials, and yearning juxtaposed with carefree melodies provide a nuance of what can aptly be described as the sun setting on expectations. In the wake of lost love, this album is a testament to how beauty can be found in the end of things. With subtle imagery of trips to the liquor store, getting drunk at a family wedding, or daydreaming about a lover in another State, Bonny Doon Captures the art of ruminating over the past, and wondering what could be in the future. The timelessness of the music makes Bonny Doon’s debut a success; this album will fill you with all kinds of nostalgia.

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