With a name like Will Sanderson-Thwaite, one would expect classical music rather than the hip-hop/street poet material that he produces under the name of Gecko. There’s certainly intelligence, wit and musicality in abundance though, for Gecko is the thinking man’s Mike Skinner.
A mournful string sample underscores the smart opener ‘Theme’, the title track is dancefloor friendly, ‘What Is This?’ follows a glum-rock guitar line whilst ‘Seems All The Time’ is set to a rocksteady reggae rhythm. That’s quite a lot of genres covered in the opening four tracks and the diversity is certainly one of Mr. Sanderson-Thwaite’s great strengths. I’m not always a fan of accented vocals but Gecko’s Bristolian tones work well and his popular culture references (Fruit Corners, Russell Brand) are clever without being too clever. ‘Short Story’ is one of the few songs that doesn’t quite work, Gecko’s laddish charm isn’t quite suited to romantic balladry but the track that succeeds it, ‘The Library’, is a delight featuring a classy old school hip-hop sample and some inspired lyrics (including the tagline “If you want the Internet go to the library, if you want a book, then go to the bookshop”) . The lo-fi production also complements Gecko’s DIY ethic and overall this is a charming release with tunes clearly given priority over self-aggrandisement.
Web Sites:
Gecko’s MySpace
Gecko’s Store
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