Gecko Henry is a musical project that formed and recorded in Santa Cruz, and continues to creatively grow throughout the San Jose region. Whilst the sound is reminiscent of Nirvana-inspired garage jam sessions, the songs themselves are quite calculated, mathematically chopped up into higher and lower portions to form the perfect song salad.
“I recorded all of this in one weekend, alone in my kitchen at the La Bahia apartments on Beach St. back in May of this year,” said the band’s only/front man, Mitchell Nelson (formerly in the musical group, Ted’s Approval).
Click to listen to Justin by Gecko Henry
He goes on to elaborate about how Santa Cruz became such an important influence on the band’s sound: “Throughout the writing and recording of this album, I was highly influenced by Santa Cruz, particularly in consideration of the romantic ideals attributed to the area, and the various ways in which they’re strained and distorted in the lives of its residents.”
Indeed, one can hear Gecko Henry’s melodic rendition romantic distortion almost literally–guitar riffs seem to both splash like water and jingle like bells in songs like Nikki, and the vocals seem to plead both honestly and tired, similar to Julian Casablancas of The Strokes. Ironically, the personal titles of the song aren’t actually named after people whom Gecko Henry had written these feelings out for, but are actually named after childhood pets (“as a gift to their memory”)! Still, the songs remain deeply personal and of-a-moment (one gets the feeling that these songs are trying to catch specifically the moments which are most intangible or fleeting).
Click to listen to Nikki by Gecko Henry
“Having recently moved out of town, this association feels more meaningful than ever;” said the band, “now when I go back and listen to this, I hear a love letter to Santa Cruz and its dream of endless youth.”
More information about Gecko Henry, as well as more of their music, can be found here.
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