Alice Cooper - Killer
Warner Bros Records - 1971
9.5/10
Alice Cooper’s follow-up to the first stab at a fully realized sound is a solid example of how you can churn out a record that doesn’t tamper with the formula, but varies it enough to be different. Killer could easily be seen as a warmer version of Love It To Death, acting as a counterpart in a way. There’s still a few fast proto-metal bangers, more emphasis on proto-doom epics, and easygoing rock ‘n roll. But instead of focusing on the darker waves (which are still present), there’s a lean towards a lighter environment.
To break this down, we’ll start with the easy stuff. Opener “Under My Wheels” and the overlooked banger “You Drive Me Nervous” pummel in with furious drum-lines and aggressive vocal work that capitalizes on the front man's rasp. On the other hand, you get dialed back rock numbers like the classic “Be My Lover” or “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” both of which stick to catchy chorus structure and quick presence for assured accessibility. The placement of these songs did wonders for the record, spreading out the easy ones nicely. Why?
Because the rest of Killer is anything but those descriptors. “Halo Of Flies” is like this record’s “Black Juju” epic; it invokes serious bass licks, several shifts in tone, drastic explosions following suspense, and furious riffs with structural integrity over intense drums. The difference is that this one never really feels dark, despite the lyrics slightly alluding to that. Things feel warm the whole way through, regardless of what emotion the band is reaching for. Frankly, this is one the greatest songs across Cooper’s 25+ album career, and not hearing it would be doing yourself a disservice.
The darker vibes that still work their way in are found in the title track and “Dead Babies,” a controversial tale about neglectful parents. Both also rake in the aforementioned doom hints, yet neither quite reach the intensity levels of “Halo Of Flies.” Everything mentioned may sound a bit contradictory and inconsistent, but the general energy from song to song is balanced enough to make things work organically. That, and you have “Desperado” acting as the glue to the album, likely the only track to borrow from everything mentioned. A western tale giving the warmer slow structures the stage under acoustics, accessible lyrics, a strong chorus, and advanced instrumentation was a good move.
Given that I found it easier to talk about this record than its counterpart, the only reason why Love It To Death holds some weight over it is because its groundwork is just a bit tighter. Also, its only filler “Sun Arise” flowed way nicer than this one’s obvious one. I love “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” as much as the next guy, but let’s be honest with ourselves. These aren’t so much complaints as they are observations, because this is objectively a perfect disc front to back. And while I prefer Love It To Death, “Halo Of Flies” is still better than anything on there.
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