Just like that, Geese seems to have exploded overnight with a swift, Strokes-like trajectory. I don’t remember the last time I was this shocked and floored hearing a new album. Getting Killed brings even more swagger than 3D Country. In my mind, it solidifies the band’s mission to reinvent rock ‘n roll with the force of a wrecking ball. This band will be around for a long time. I wondered if the new, weird thoughts and feelings I had listening to Getting Killed for the first time were on a similar level to what listeners experienced when they first heard Dark Side of the Moon or Songs in the Key of Life.
The music is on another level. Tribal-like drum sequences fuel a rhythm section that feels equally urban and bucolic. And the guitar and key riffs stubbornly opt for chord progressions that you just don’t see coming. But I think the most defining aspect of Getting Killed is Cameron Winter’s voice and lyrics. He wields words as a way to spew. A medium to ruminate on topics few dare to explore. And he does it with the foresight and craft of some of the true luminaries in music – a Dylan of our times. One listen to “Islands Of Men” simply isn’t enough to unpack what he’s doing here.
It’s a satire of the fragility of masculinity. Few have written about this topic. Even fewer have sung about it. It’s no banger to be clear. But it may be one of Getting Killed’s true anthems. “Islands of Men” is built in two key movements. The first section with its prodding, pulsing Bowie-esque vibe. It slowly dials up in intensity before boldly bowing out to the second movement. This is where the song resets. Where Winters hangs back, allowing the drums, guitars, bass and keys blend to form a mesmerizing swell. They simply say everything else that needs to be said. A song of the times.
”YOU CAN’T KEEP RUNNING AWAY FROM WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS FAKE.