This album is actually one I've had for years without listening to, which I now regret, because I loved it from beginning to end. I'm familiar with Alice Cooper primarily for his reputation as a 'shocking' rocker of the early 70s and his classic rock radio show that 105.9 in Central Illinois runs at nights. But unlike say, Kiss, Killer proves that Cooper and his backing band had quite a lot of musical substance as well. It's one of those albums that I can't easily categorize, as it crosses rough garage rock, psychedelia, and camp into one near-seamless blend.
The lyrics tend to be intentionally ridiculous, as witnessed by song titles like "Dead Babies." But I am of the opinion that hard rock should not take itself too seriously, and the theatrical side of the group works just well on LP as I imagine it did in their live shows. The musical aspects of a song like "Dead Babies" should not be forgotten as it starts off quiet and menacing with an Eastern-tinged riff before launching into an over-the-top chorus ("Dead babies/can't take care of themselves"). What I'm most impressed with here is the diversity of ideas both within and between songs, as they pull off two-minute garage rockers like "You Drive Me Nervous" just as well as eight-minute freakouts like "Halo of Flies." Thumbs up all around!
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