An apt title, Killer is the best Alice Cooper ever released from both his solo and group days.
It only has a hint of the weirdness and theatrical direction Cooper would take from 1975 onward, choosing instead to load up on hard rockers and stellar instrumental interplay. From the longer arty pieces to the three-minute rockers, Killer has it all.
“Under My Wheels” is a hell of an opener, a cross between the Stones and what would become Electric Light Orchestra. “Be My Lover” is a laid-back rocker with a hint of attitude, while “Desperado” sounds like the Doors through Motor City eyes.
“Halo Of Flies” is an extended piece that starts with a clanging guitar riff before breaking into a driving rock number with a hint of Spanish rhythms. Eventually, Cooper breaks into song, parodying The Sound Of Music at one point and The Mamas and the Papas at another. The track overall sounds a bit like a Black Sabbath nightmare, veering in styles and breaking into an awesome drum/bass duet at the end. It’s one of the man’s finest moments.
“You Drive Me Nervous” is another mid-tempo rocker and the title track is worth revisiting, with a lot of guitars that rival any Black Sabbath work of the time, with a slow organ riff attached to the end. “Yeah Yeah Yeah” is generic and “Dead Babies” goes for shock value; both fail to make much of an impact.
Still, to see why Alice Cooper was the original and best, this is the place to start.
