ph: 847.363.5244
geckoclu
Reviews
Andrew D. Huber - Days Amidst the Dust - review from the U.K.!
Andrew D. Huber - Days Amidst The Dust (NorthLight Records)
The third solo album from the Gecko Club frontman, Andrew D. Huber, is another hugely satisfying slab of lively Celtic folk-rock. Lyrically, he’s coming out fighting, with songs of resistance and reclamation providing no shortage of fist-in-the-air moments. When he’s at full tilt, he hits his acoustic guitar like it’s wronged him in a previous life, but for the most part he shows mercy, and let his voice and words provide the passion. He fills out the sound with various wood and string instruments, including bouzouki and mandolin.
The album opens with “Resurrection Mary”, a wonderfully evocative title for a song that refers to Chicago’s infamous hitchhiker ghost story, though Huber messes with the narrative and turns it into something different. Perhaps it’s a love song - definitely a song of longing. It’s my favourite track here, but there’s plenty more good stuff to enjoy. “Grand Marais” transports the listener to the banks of Lake Superior and the Minnesota harbour town that gives the song its name. It’s a song about the troubadour life, a form that when done well can be compelling. Here Huber nails it. On “Bottom of the Glass” he teaches his guitar a lesson it won’t forget in a while, and it’s good and rousing. “Letter from St. Paul” is no less powerful, though infinitely quieter.
www.geckoclub.com
Rob F. - Leicester Bangs 'Zine
Andrew D. Huber - Feature article
http://huntley.patch.com/articles/huber-putting-finishing-touches-on-third-solo-album#photo-7378324
Andrew D. Huber - Seagull
Excellent, excellent. FIVE STARS
Review by 3rdAlteration
Andrew D. Huber creates a true album experience with great poetic lyrics and carefully crafted music throughout. Seagull has got soul, love, sadness, joy, spirituality, booze and trains: it's like Johnny Cash meets the Waterboys ("One More Round", "Union Station" and "Yellow to Crystal" are particular standouts in those terms). Highly recommend.
The Gecko Club: Evergreen
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”.
Andrew D. Huber - TEN SONGS FROM THE SIDE ROOM
Impact Press
August-September 2003
Readers' tapes TOP PICK
"You know how you need a shot of sake after a sushi bender? Well, after you've digested all the punk and hardcore in your CD collection, let Andrew Huber clean your palette. His soft acoustic songs are right from the pages of James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg, and he even gets a little rockin' and twangy on tracks like "Tearin' Me Down." Get your mellow on." (SH)
Great Review from Music Morsels!Andrew D. Huber - Ten Songs From the Side Room Singer/songwriter/guitarist for the band Gecko Club, Andrew D. Huber's first solo album melds folkish melodies with styles ranging from mellow country in "Celebrity" to the atmospheric "London" and rollicking "Favorite Local Bar." Andrew's voice gains notice right away with it's pleasing timber fueled by a sort of ambient power. Solid lyrics and the talent and desire to do things a bit different bode well here. URL: http://www.andrewdhuber.com E-mail: geckoclub@aol.comrecommendedA friend of mine recommended the song "superhero" to me while I was going through a rough time......ended up loving the whole album......"I am no superhero, and I will never be so blessed" kinda says it all.completely listenableThis album drew me in a bit. The songs are short and shamelessly rely on catchy melodies. The guitar playing is adept and the vocals ring pretty & clear. Lyrics are a little perplexing at times, but that may be intentional - kind of like a movie with a real-life ending. If the stark lyric and production of track #2 ("Celebrity") doesn't move you, you may be dead. My other favorite was "First Ten Year", which laments missing the big high school reunion -- sort of. Have not heard the Gecko Club's album (his electric band I guess?) but this one is pretty damn good.Up-close, personal, and honest musicThe great storytelling lyrics of Micheal McDermott combined with the multi-instrumentalist talents of Robert Johnson (the other RJ). Something for everyone. Check this CD out!Cool music, great coverNot being that much of a big fan of this genre (more of a classical listener I guess) I thought some of these songs were pretty cool. Overall a good purchase -- the picture on the cover is worth the cost alone! -- Charlotte S.
Tokens, Trash, or Tarot Cards
Recording
Volume 16: Number 11, August 2003
Readers' tapes"'The Present' is a driving male rock vocal song . . . Healthy driving bass with good tone. We like the sound of the entire drum kit. . . . A real band that can play tightly."Volume 4: Issue 21, August 23, 2000
Gecko Club: Artist of the Week
- "The Gecko Club is more fun to listen to than the name might suggest. Operating under the moniker since '94, Andrew Huber plays guitar and sings, Tom Huber plays bass and keys, and Chris Kahl plays drums. The trio is augmented by Christopher Collins on fiddle on a number of tracks. Tokens, Trash, or Tarot Cards is all tension and melodies. This crew carries fuzz guitar pop close to its collective heart. The overall sound of this record is tuneful. The vocals are buried ever so slightly beneath the surface. [Songs] like "Merry Merry" and "KellyAnne Sometimes" suggest a tuneful bittersweet mood rather than hit the listener over the head. "Church For You" is a blurry tapestry of sadness, and yet there is a smile through the tears. Where there are obvious nods to anglo pop, there is also the stray homage to bands like Psychadelic Furs or Peter Gabriel. Their cheerful yet pouty songs manage to stick with you. Enjoying airplay in a number of markets out east, and college radio in the midwest, Gecko Club seem to be well on their way. Do you like subtle shimmering pop? Gecko Club's got the goods."
T. Alexander
Top 40 Baby!!OK maybe not actual Top 40 charting here, but there are several missed hits within this album (at least to my humble ears). Melody is king with the gecko, as evident thoughout the whole disc; check out "KellyAnne Sometimes", "The Present", and "Fall" and dry your tears after the empathetic "Lighthouse". Hope to hear more from these guys down the road.
Been Nowhere (out-of-print demo)
- Cake Magazine, Issue # 25
- "My dictionary defines the gecko as a lizard with "a short, stout body, a large head, and suction pads on its feet". A pretty apt description of this local four piece, if you ask me. For the most part, their music can be tagged as dreamy, psychadelic pop with few frills which, at its best, ventures close to Robyn Hitchcock and the Chills. In fact, "Kaleidoscope" is the best Chills' song I've never heard them do. At it's worst, there is a self-importance to the orchestration they bring to some of the songs (all four members boast classical training) which has a tendency to bring things to a sloggy halt such as on "Everywhere Between Us". Regardless, it's the music that matters and here it's quite good. In fact, these songs are catchy enough and alluring enough to stick to you like, well, a gecko would." (GK -- Cake Magazine, issue # 25)
ph: 847.363.5244
geckoclu
