Geese (Partisan)

Formed in Brooklyn in 2016, Geese emerged as one of New York’s most electrifying Indie Rock acts. They released their experimental debut album, Projector, in 2021, and after piquing fans’ interest with that first offering of jagged, Post-Punk, the band then took a left turn with the follow up album, 2023’s 3D Country, and sidestepped into Alt-Country cowboy Rock. After two rather disparate releases, fans weren’t sure what to expect from the band’s latest effort, Getting Killed, which was released in September on Partisan Records. As it turns out, Getting Killed examines the result of blowing up those former ideas and picking up the pieces to form a new, exacting vision. 

Getting Killed delves into chaotic, discordant Rock and experimental sounds, but with melodic overtones that make the record compelling and keep the listener engaged. Garage riffs are layered on top of Ukrainian choir samples; hypnotic drum machines pulse behind screeching guitars; lullaby-esque songs are interspersed with furious rockers. It’s a weird concoction of sounds, and it’s also inspired. The track “Trinidad” opens the album with a funky Blues groove and explodes into a chorus of metallic screams. “Cobra” channels dreamy ’60s rock, while “100 Horses” leans on Funk guitar and rhythmic percussion to propel the album’s most danceable track, as frontman Cameron Winter sings in his distinctive vocals, “There are 100 horses dancing, maybe 124, all the horses must go dancing, there’s only dance music in times of war.” 

Geese tracked the album with producer Kenneth Blume in his L.A. studio over the course of 10 fast-paced days, and that urgency can be heard in the music. It’s not note-perfect, but it’s raw and intentional. The first single, the melodic Indie Rock tune “Taxes,” set the stage for Geese’s new smorgasbord of sounds, and at press time, the latest single, “Cobra,” was up to #51 and rising on the JBE Top 200 chart, thanks to strong support from Radio Milwaukee, WFPK, KCMP, WFUV, WRLT and many more. Meanwhile, Getting Killed had risen to #14 on the JBE Non-Comm Albums chart. 

Geese have played festival sets at Bonnaroo, Governors Ball, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival, ACL and more, and have toured with the likes of Greta Van Fleet, Spoon, Jack White and Vampire Weekend. Geese is currently in the midst of the Getting Killed Tour, which marks the biggest headlining run of the band’s career yet. It is set to conclude with back-to-back hometown shows at Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre on November 20 and 21.

Photo by Mark Sommerfeld