This year, the energetic post punk rocket that is Geese has well and truly launched. Having gained an impressive following with only three singles, an album from the New York band has been highly anticipated. Maia Gibbs gives us the run down on Geese's debut album, 'Projector'.
Geese is an up and coming band you really don’t want to miss. Originating from Brooklyn, their album Projector (released Oct 29th) is that of home studio dreams. The band traces its beginnings back to 2016, when Cameron Winter (vocals, keyboard), Max Bassin (drums), and Green met Dominic DiGesu (bass) and Foster Hudson (guitar) during freshman year of high school. Upon hearing the album, it's fair to say that their relatively small time as a professional band has in no way hindered their chemistry.
Guitarist Gus Green told NME that the album itself was supposed to be the “last piece of music we made before split [up] and went to college”. And I can’t help to think what a shame it would have been if it didn’t end up in the hands of indie powerhouse Partisan Records/PIAS, who showed their vote of confidence by signing a few high school graduates on their unreleased teenage-basement album. You may know PIAS as the home IDLES, Fontaines D.C. and Chubby and the Gang - a pretty cool set of a colleagues to chat round the water-cooler with.
"[Geese] offer something much more unique, a band of youthful energy and aged lyrical intelligence..."
Projector’s nine songs merge all the restless anxiety and pent-up frustration of trying to figure out life at 18. But that’s not to say that Geese is an angsty-teenage band, destined for posters of childhood bedrooms and old tour t-shirts that become pyjamas. No, they offer something much more unique, a band of youthful energy and aged lyrical intelligence, they’re a band for anyone. Their three singles: Projector, Low Era and Disco have become top contenders on the Alexa at our family parties.
The riff of title track Projector was apparently the first thing ever written for the record. You can really see it as the jumping point for the rest of the album, and is a great place to venture in to this small but varied discography.
However it was my personal favourite Disco that was the very first Geese track the world heard. Although it is an arguably unconventional introduction, it only promises the surprises and daring musical choices ahead. Despite it’s namesake it does not take inspiration from the Studio 54-era. It does however stretches to nearly seven-minutes, a sense of excess distinctly seventies. It’s a melting pot of psychedelic and post-punk influences, polished and trimmed to sleek perfection. Winter’s guttural vocals undeniably demand center stage, and tease perfectly the album to come. Fantasies / Survival is another track with a strange attraction - it begs for a foot-tapping. It’s masterfully controlled, with a chugging guitar riff and echoey vocals. It sounds beautifully homemade, filtering off into a lively yet surreal jam session.
Exploding House is a track with confusing yet exciting timing, keeping listeners on their toes. You don’t know when you’re going to stumble into a speedy section or fall back down into calm. It’s diverse and varied, it’s like going down a path less taken. Geese’s exploration with pace seems to be a big part of Projector, especially with the album’s closing song `Opportunity Is Knocking’ it’s starts off fast-paced before beautifully slowing down then pumping back up. It’s a masterfully done musical equilibrium, the midway keyboard section perfectly tying each end of the song together.
First World Warrior is dreamy, with a synth that mesmerises and shines with the vocals in a starry concoction. Bottle is one less easy to describe in vague, cryptic emotional metaphors, but I’ll try. The backbone of the song is the drums and bass, the keys and lyrics are it’s limbs that allows it to dance. Each loud note is complimented by an equal subtlety. If there’s one thing I can say about Geese is that they’ve mastered the idea of harmony.
Projector is a compelling yet challenging listen, and that’s what I love best about it. Geese don’t back down to conventionality or expectation. What I love most about them is listening to their songs and being completely surprised by the end. It's a remarkable debut, and one that I would recommend to anyone.
Written by: Maia Gibbs
Edited by: Elliot Fox
In article images courtesy of Geese via Facebook. Video courtesy of Geese via YouTube.
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