Getting Killed

Geese

EB

I remember exactly where I was when I first heard “Gravity Blues” off of Geese’s 2023 album “3D Country” two years ago, the bridge of which remains stuck in my head. After years of Strokes knock-offs and mindless, easy-listening I basked in its uniqueness

Having followed their frontman Cameron Winter’s solo career, I had been anxiously anticipating the release of “Getting Killed”. His ballads as a solo artist are sprawling, devastating even, with a shocking temperament at only 22 years old. Lyrics overshadowed by slurred vocal gravels that initially read as lazy, but on relisten deliver some of the most beautiful portrayals of grief of a life still unlived. I hoped that “Getting Killed” would follow the direction Winter went in his solo work, but on a first listen I was underwhelmed. I didn’t quite get “Taxes” feeling it conformed to the genre that I didn’t expect them to buy into. But alas, I tuned in, and I’m glad I did. I’m embarrassed to say that I have watched their performance of “Taxes” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! multiple times now. They bring beautiful cinematography to their live performances, I really recommend checking them out.

Geese delivers on a decent album, regardless of it delivered on my personal desires for more of whatever happened on Winters’ "Heavy Metal”. It builds itself up over and over again–repetitive lyrics and melodies that cut themselves off. It lacks cohesion, yet is hard to imagine listening to any individual song. It’s not digestible and demands focus; in an age where music seems removed from the works of art they are, Geese will trip you up, maybe even get you killed.