Do Geese See God
For my first album of the month, I really wanted to cover something truly special. In my mind, the ever-growing New York band Geese’s 2025 album Getting Killed fits the bill (no pun intended) and then some.
If this is the first you’re hearing of Geese, you’d be in a similar boat to most over the last year. They released their debut album Projector in 2021 and followed up with 3D Country in 2023. These albums saw Geese come into relative success, but it was frontman Cameron Winter’s 2024 solo album Heavy Metal that was the catalyst in the band’s recognition. Despite its name, Heavy Metal is wonderfully soft and stripped back album that’s worth a listen. It was the success of this album that resulted in Winter being one of the youngest (23) artists to headline Carnegie Hall – a concert personally shot by Paul Thomas Anderson.
After Heavy Metal’s release, many fans went back and discovered 3D Country and fell in love. With their newfound fanbase eagerly anticipating the release of a third album, the general consensus was that if the band were to deliver and the record was special, it would explode Geese into the limelight. I think it’s safe to say: deliver they did - and exploded they have. To put it into context: for a band that this time last year was largely unknown – they sold out all three 2026 Barrowlands performances within hours of release (two of which I had a hand in).
The success of Getting Killed has led media and critics to label Geese as “Gen Z’s first great American rock band”. Whilst this ‘rock’ label better describes their previous work, it’s very refreshing to see a very young band take their talents to guitars and drums. Whilst Cameron Winter receives the most credit for his songwriting and vocal performances – the rest of the band show talent in abundance on Getting Killed. Max Bassin provides incredibly interesting drum parts across the album, my personal favourite being Islands of Men, with its unorthodox accenting and careful progression. Emily Green’s catchy yet beautiful guitar riff on Cobra demonstrates her talent wonderfully, and Dominic Digesu’s bass solo at the end of Bow Down never fails to put a smile on my face. Together, the musicianship creates some moments of absolute magic, like the sudden drop halfway through Taxes.
One notable feature that separates Getting Killed from the rest of Geese’s catalogue is the mixing. With the help of legendary Hip-Hop producer ‘Kenny Beats’, Getting Killed features tracks with incredibly intricate mixing – finding that sweet spot between busyness and listenable. This layering of unusual effects and mixing feels like a work of art with each subtle layer serving a crucial purpose to achieve this unique sound. Upon relistening, it’s hard not to notice elements you didn’t realise were there, and yet they feel integral the second you realise their existence. Take the track Islands of Men for example - one of the longer tracks on the album that builds and falls throughout. At the end, when everything comes together, we have one of the highest highs of the album – with so much happening in the mix all playing their part in culminating this complex yet beautiful sound, all under a breathtaking vocal. It’s these deserved moments that epitomise what’s so special and exciting about Geese.
So if it’s not out and out rock, where does this album sit within the blurry lines of genre? Getting Killed varies in style so much from track to track but can crudely be summarised as a carefully shifting balance between controlled chaos and delicate restraint. One moment it’s jagged and erratic like on the frantic opener Trinidad. And before you know it, the mood shifts to something haunting and sparse like the beautiful yearning track Au Pays Du Cocaine. Geese find this perfect balance where every track takes you by surprise – without abrupt or jarring switches.
One of the undoubtable highlights of Getting Killed is Cameron Winter’s vocal performance. Whether it’s his gritty and raw style on Bow Down, or the desperate delivery of Cobra, he seems to truly reach into his soul on every track, and what’s left is superb.
Aiding Winter’s stunning vocal performance is his interesting lyrical style. Much of the album expresses themes of desperation, love and hope – some of which is painted through a humorous spin. On Taxes Winter sings:
If you want me to pay my taxes
You’re gonna have to come over with a crucifix
You’re gonna have to nail me down
Doctor doctor, heal yourself
I will break my own heart from now on
And on Half Real:
I've got half a mind
To just pay for the lobotomy
And tell 'em, "Get rid of the bad times
And get rid of the good times too
I've got no more thinking to do”
Also on Half Real:
He may say real love
Is a nail in the wall
And that's how a lot of assholes feel
But that's not how I feel at all
What feels most exciting about this album, is it feels like not only a breakthrough – but certainly the beginning of something really quite special. If you’re completely new to Geese or Cameron Winter, some of their work can be a little unusual at first. But from my personal experience of shoving their discography down the throat of anyone who’ll listen, you might not fully get along with it at first – but there will come a moment through curious relistening where everything clicks, and before you know it: you’re well and truly part of the gander.
Joe, March 2026