It’s been a slow month for major album releases. I’m starting to wonder if Taylor Swift’s latest drop scared everyone off—like she shot a gun in an upper-class neighborhood, and now no one else wants to release a new album. To make up for this, I’m reviewing a smaller album from last month. My only other option was the latest album from The Wiggles, and I’m not brave enough for that yet.
Geese is an indie rock band from New York (say that in your best stereotypical accent) that has started making waves after their 2023 breakout sophomore studio album, “3D Country,” brought them further into the indie rock zeitgeist. They’re what I’d call “Windmill Scene” adjacent, that is to say, similar to bands like Black Midi, Black Country New Road, and especially Squid. The main differences are that Geese is American—they lack the funny British accents—and they draw from more homegrown influences, including American post punk bands, and the post punk revival of the 2000s. Bands like Television and The Strokes color their sounds, as well as classic hard rock groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Their music feels more like a throwback than the experimental, forward-pushing approach of the “Windmill” bands.
I liked “3D Country.” It showed a lot of promise for a band I had never heard of before, and it had a compelling mix of complete hard rock barn burners and slower, more contemplative tracks. If nothing else, it made me curious to see where the band would go next. Even though I didn’t love every song on “3D Country,” it was an extremely promising sign.
This brings us to their newest album, the bluntly titled “Getting Killed,” released in September. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year—not just because I wanted to see what the band would do next, but because the earlier singles were strong. The first single, “Taxes,” sets the pace for the album: a low-key indie track that starts slow before bursting into a bright rush of sound by the end. When lead singer Cameron Winters sings, “You’re gonna have to nail me down,” the song rushes into a sprint and doesn’t let up. It’s gorgeous—the guitars sound so hopeful and powerful, and Winter’s singing shifts from quiet and awkward to explosive and triumphant.
The second single, and the album’s opener, “Trinidad,” follows the same formula as “Taxes” but in the opposite way. It starts slow, with plodding guitars and horns that rip harshly with each beat, before exploding into an anxious, manic burst as Winter screams, “There’s a bomb in my car,” over and over with such raw panic that you believe it. If “Taxes” sounds like a hopeful run through the forest, then this sounds like a panic attack after you hear unfamiliar footsteps in the leaves. The last single, “100 Horses,” is a Led Zeppelin-esque rager with some of the album’s most propulsive guitar work. Throughout these tracks, Winter’s vocals effectively bounce back and forth between Thom Yorke-esque croons and insane, punky shouts.
The album is a cavalcade of influences, with the title track “Getting Killed” recalling “In Rainbows”-era Radiohead during its quieter moments. Tracks like “Bow Down” and the closer, “Long Island City Here I Come,” evoke Television and their debut album, “Marquee Moon.” I usually rag on bands and artists that lean heavily on their influences, but Geese makes it work by expanding upon their influences and creating something new with those sounds. Their music may bring older bands to my mind, but their sound is unique enough that I don’t feel the urge to listen to those groups instead. Tracks like “Islands of Men” and “Au Pays du Cocaine” both feel wholly unique to Geese, with touches of chamber folk and psychedelic rock adding depth to the band’s sound. Winter’s vocals provide the final layer of character, shifting fluidity through tones and emotions—sounding rough enough to add grit, but being smooth enough to not be grating.
Geese is one of those bands I love talking about—an up-and-coming indie band constantly finding new potential and sounds throughout their journey that makes them a joy to follow, and consistently exciting. I implore you to give this album a listen, and plenty of other indie bands you can find, and support smaller musicians finding new pockets of sound in time-tested genres.
Hello there stranger, this is Kate Megathlin, writer for weekly music reviews for the Seattle Collegian, here to assert how much more important her opinions are than yours. She is a Seattle Central student with a major love of music and music culture, and every week she’ll try to deliver reviews of new albums coming out, if you want to recommend albums for her to review, email her at Kate.Megathlin@seattlecollegian.com.
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