If you recognize of Geese, you then in all probability know their origin story: A bunch of college associates from Brooklyn document an album throughout the pandemic as a final hurrah earlier than transport off to school; Partisan Information (dwelling of British rockers Idles and the Irish post-punks Fontaines DC) indicators the band and releases their LP (2021’s Projector); fairly quickly the kids are being anointed the newest saviors of New York rock, touring the world, acting on late-night tv, and creating important trade buzz with their run of gigs at SXSW in 2022. It’s a fantastic indie-rock success story. However it’s additionally plenty of hype to dwell as much as for a sophomore album, particularly one coming from youngsters who’re barely sufficiently old to legally drink at their very own exhibits.
On their debut, Geese confirmed off a beyond-their-years mastery of New York rock historical past, from Tv to No Wave to the Strokes, in addition to a extra expansive Radiohead-ish aspect. On 3D Nation, the band goes large, signaling its epic ambitions with a lead observe known as “2122” that might fill an area with its neo-prog bluster. The sound right here can recall to mind something from Parquet Courts to King Krule to Let It Bleed to Deep Purple to spaghetti Westerns. And if Projector suggested a band schooled within the Gang of 4 and different classic artwork punk, right here Geese sound like they’ve additionally spent equal time dipping into the Steely Dan aspect of the Seventies, with bongos, synth, strings, and clean backing vocals light method up within the combine.
U.Okay. producer James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode, Disgrace) helps them streamline all this into one thing which may’ve even been known as “radio-friendly” 20 or so years in the past. Geese’s experiments in maximalism don’t at all times absolutely land. A couple of moments really feel cluttered, and the extra chattery sections of backing vocals distract from the general drive of the music, sounding extra like glee membership than Merry Clayton. However for probably the most half, each detour they take leads someplace attention-grabbing.
Singer Cameron Winter shines all through the album. Whether or not exercising his spectacular falsetto on “I See Myself,” or shape-shifting between a yelp, spoken phrase, and nasally chant on the standout observe “Mysterious Love,” or showcasing a extra sturdy model of Alex Turner-style crooning on the eponymous single, “3D Nation,” he contorts his voice to suit any set of lyrics or musical model. It’s a welcome respite from the current development of talk-singing in indie rock, primarily from U.Okay. bands like Black Nation, New Street, and Dry Cleansing.
On lead single “Cowboy Nudes,” Winter hums, “I want that the top coulda come a bit sooner, we’ve been on the lookout for an opportunity to be alone,” because the group crafts an accessible indie-rock tune that’s below three minutes lengthy however nonetheless has time to construct towards a downtown New York dance jam paying homage to Speaking Heads, the Rapture, or current Parquet Courts. Conversely, the LP’s seven-minute standout, “Undoer,” exhibits how Geese can maintain it tight even the place they’re stretching out, stopping and beginning in unpredictable blues-rock jolts, earlier than ending in a hardcore curveball that appears like a Jeromes Dream B aspect in its burst of distortion and screaming. With 3D Nation, Geese haven’t solely prevented a sophomore droop, they’ve additionally delivered one of many higher New York rock albums of the previous few years, taking hand-me-down sounds and twisting them in methods solely they might think about.
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