Way way back in 1971,this was the first album recorded by the 5 original band members called Alice Cooper from a position of fame,found a year earlier with '18' off 'Love it to death' .
I got this album in '72 after buying 'school's out' at the tender age of 11.
I'd say to any new fan of the coop that this is a must album to have,one which captures alice's harder side of the music.
Killer opens with the quick paced rocker 'under my wheels' still used today as part of the stage show,quickly followed by michael bruces 'be my lover' ,which is definatley someones life story to date. track 3 is the epic 'halo of flies' with its eastern theme and heavy rock,changing by violins to a drum and bass section,and ending franetically as a crescendo.Pure classic alice(and whats missing from todays albums).Desperado is a very clever ballad/rock chorus of a gun slinger from the wild west,another class song!
Track 5 is possibly the weakest of the album but still no mean song with its wailing guitars 'you drive me nervous' then 'yeah yeah yeah','under my wing,youcan pull my leg or anything' a first sight of a little humour. 'Dead babies' visits the macabre side of alice,with little betty eating a pound of aspirin from the shelf upon the wall,brilliant.
the last track and title track is a return to the 'black juju' type of theme,which definatley has occultist overtones with its rock verses,middle rock instrumental(just like the longer tracks off easy action or pretties for you)then the wailing vocals and seance like chanting finishing off with the organ and drums to the hanging. Inspirational!!!!!
If you like the lighter side of alice,go for billion dollar babies, but for the dark side of the coop,this has to be the best early cooper album of them all