EP Review: Mt. Goose's “the demo tapes”
by Ryan N Risch | published Jul. 2nd, 2024
Coming off a series of high-octane shows around basements in Henrietta, RIT students Alex, Shaun, and Steven have released their debut project as the curiously named mt goose. Titled “the demo tapes,” this EP sees the band hone in on the same rawness and speed that has permeated across the RIT band scene. Their songs undercut with experimental sonic textures with a particular knack for combining anything they want.
From the first chords on the opening track, this EP hardly takes its foot off the gas. Each track is catapulted forward by the relatively straightforward clashing of cymbals and bass drums, yet their angular transitions keep each track distinctive and unpredictable. This can especially be felt on the tracks “Don’t Eat the Fruit” or “GVBee” which visit elements of indie rock and more before crashing back into the band’s aggressive stylings.
Bassist and lead vocalist Alex bears a lot of this unpredictability, delivering lines that are equally chaotic and infectious. His rapid fluctuation between an almost disaffected drone and punchy shouting creates these jarring vocal hooks that are strangely addictive in conjunction with their songs’ distorted under layers.
Warped, wonky, distorted, muffled, bended, compressed, distant, frenzied, hushed, hazy, dissonant, creative and chaotic. This is a non-exhaustive list of adjectives I wrote down in my journal to describe the band’s tone throughout. Put simply, “the demo tapes” is shrouded in enough distortion to kill a horse, hiding any distinct meanings under rich, melodic bass lines and fuzzy guitars.
Overall, mt goose provides an incredibly engaging punk performance on this EP, while still leaving room to explore their sound. The band has a clear ear for piecing together obscure sonic ideas that make the EP really stick together on subsequent listens, and make the journey worthwhile. You can stream their music on Spotify and Apple Music and check out their instagram @mt_goose_band.
Standout Tracks:
“Perkin Prediction Theory”
“Chili Pup”
“GVBee”