Album Review: Geese - Getting Killed

Geese

Getting Killed

**** out of *****

The third album from the Brooklyn based outfit Geese is an enchanting mix of freak out sounds with an underlining groove that holds Getting Killed together. The art-rock outfit push, pull, and warp things over eleven thought provoking, yet still danceable efforts on this breakout offering. 

One of the keys to the albums success is that the band, Max Bassin – drums, production, Dominic DiGesu – bass, production, Emily Green – guitar, production, Cameron Winter – vocals, guitar, keyboards, production, mixing, took an invite from producer Kenny Beats and recorded in his LA studio for ten days. The results feel fresh and moving, at times like a first take. There is a freedom to these songs as the band pulls back on the classic rock guitars and is willing to experiment, trying anything.

Somewhat surprisingly the most aggressive/challenging song starts the album. "Trindad" is a cacophony of sound that has touches of Sonic Youth meets Tom Waits as the band bangs, clangs and bawls all over the speakers. Musical flares fire all around and some listeners may be put off by the chaos, but it is worth sticking around. 

"Cobra" mellows things out and eases back into a relaxed indie rock channel with shaking percussion and guitar lines as Winter sings earnestly about love. Winter's vocals can fluctuate throughout the album, being buried behind the sound at times, floating on top, or being very reminiscent of Thom Yorke. Geese certainly take inspiration from Radiohead with the title track feeling like something inspired by the British art rockers, while the searching "Islands of Men" winningly blends The Slip's "Even Rats" with Radiohead's "Nude".

While there is constant weirdness throughout the album, such as the piano driven "Half Real" and the layers upon layers of sound on the curious "100 Horses", the key to all of this is the almighty percussion based groove. Whether it is Bassin and DiGesu on the low end, or the production of Beats, things would crash into art rock pretension if not for that groove which links the songs and keeps things excellently grounded and bumping.       

"Husbands" starts laconic only to become more engaged with layers of vocals around a chill groove, the aggressive "Bow Down" stays flowing with fluid drumming, while "Taxes" just may be the best of the bunch, starting sparse and building with layers of beats, vocals, bass and percussion as the tune swells and explodes with pop brightness. Frantic percussion and large swells close things out with "Long Island City Here I Come" as the band wrap up an experimental album that manages to push boundaries and still engage. 

The overarching groove pushes Getting Killed along as various levels of chaos swirl around the backbone beats. At times haphazard, at times fleeting, at times deadly serious, Geese are playing with a freedom and confidence throughout the strong record.   

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