The Gecko Club

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Amazon

The Gecko Club don’t distinguish themselves from hundreds of other bands, but they don’t embarrass themselves either. Working around a format where guitar power pop is king and all should genuflect to it, the group open up this musical journey with a warm, Cure-ish “Sixteen Different Ways” that also recalls the Connells at their finest. “Kaleidoscope” takes a bit longer to cozy up to, but “Pretty Victorian” is, well, quite pretty. But the Gecko Club can also dish out Morrissey-ish maudlin Britpop, as is the case with “Chairman of the Bored” and the jangle-laced “Justified”. The album is also strong because it never has a rough spot, with “Run So Far” and the calming title track ensuring the consistency remains top notch.  The homestretch contains more of the same with “Had a Secret” and the dance-rock vibe coming from “Brand New Hope”. But things take a noticeable swing with softer singer-songwriter tracks like “Penguin Song”.

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