Geese – Getting Killed Review

Topping the 3D and 4D Country highs Geese took us to on their previous releases is near impossible. But frontman Cameron Winter and the rest of the talented collective forming Geese are capable of surprise. Getting Killed, their latest album, is an exciting instrumental blowout. Expect the usual, phenomenal standard. Getting Killed offers that usual, staggering Geese standard with new messages of lust and shame. A leaked opening song, Trinidad, sets the mood for those shambolic but passionate displays, the suddenness of their creativity over ten days heard out. There is a jagged edge to Geese, which other artists may have sought to sand down. Not Geese, it would make their work sound weaker if they tried to perfect those moments, to take away the vibrancy and heart which comes from those spontaneous moments. You can hear as much across Getting Killed, an album which has the experimentation necessary for finding a new route through noise and art rock genre pieces.  

Cobra and Husbands are a phenomenal example of what Geese are offering. The former is an instrumental dissonance and a raging voice, the latter a cool and laid-back procedure where the warmer style of performance is heard. Geese has once more showcased their talent for deeply layered songs, pieces of work which are only fully explored after repeat listens. Getting Killed, their title track, is an occasion worth celebrating. Every song is a magnificent opportunity to get that little bit closer to Geese and their ever-evolving meaning. Their title track is a masterclass in mood-setting instrumentals, questioning lyrical work, and vocals that tie it all together. It’s all the band needs, and they provide it consistently enough on their fourth album. Getting Killed spends most of its time on the brink of falling apart. The fact it never does is as impressive as the out-there moments Winter and the band create.  

Part of the thrill to Getting Killed is the stream of consciousness Winter writes with. 100 Horses is a blistering piece of work, not just for its instrumental, drifting qualities, but the cultural commentaries Winter makes. Dance music in the times of war, the dancing animal and their equestrian leader. These are the depths you can expect from Geese, it was as big a part of 3D Country as it is here, but the band sounds more comfortable in leaning into the wilder and weirder on this album. Angelic encounters are not moments to impart knowledge but are, more realistically, fearsome encounters which scare the soul. Bow Down offers that, another incredibly inventive and opportune storytelling moment. Pair it with the hellfire of Taxes and you have an abridged version of The Divine Comedy. Fear of death is not the driving force of Getting Killed but the realisation of what you lose is.  

Album closer Long Island City Here I Come is a fantastic end, a neat bow wrapped around a bold project. Is it a vision of heaven? A location filled with promise and satisfaction? No. It’s another stop-off for anxieties and emotional shortcomings, brought to life with Winter’s unique vocal strength and the biting, instrumental successes of Geese. It’s an all-time great album closer. Will the music die again? Geese has some sensational momentum behind them on this latest release, much of it will be a real kick for those with a vested interest in music history. Not in the evolution of notes, but in the death of Buddy Holly, the feelings of animosity and courage which come through a blistering ten days of dedication to one project. These are the wilder years of Geese and their instrumental and lyrical growth is clear. Getting Killed is a phenomenal occasion where media literacy is as important as the howls and crashes of an instrumentally enlightened group.