KILLINGBIRD "Killingbird"
by Lita Love

Cover: 7
It has a chick on it so that's cool. Also, there is a good use of colors, it stands out when you see it in a record store. It would have scored higher, but there is a a star on the cover. I deducted 2 points since Pretty Boy Floyd's latest cd also had a star on the cover. It's not as obvious because the chick's face is over the star, but any link to Pretty Boy Floyd is worth a deduction.

Booklet: 7
It includes the lyrics, which is good so I can sing along at home if I feel so inclined. Then we have your standard credits and simply a "special thanks to everyone who has supported us" (note to bands: you could get an automatic 10 by including Metal Sludge). I also like the clear CD tray with shit underneath....not actually shit, but the band's logo. There is only one picture of the band which is slightly distorted, but you can get the idea of the what they probably sound like by looking at the picture. Kind of the standard "RAWK" look of the current day...spikey hair, lots of tattoos, etc. All in all, a simple but very professional looking booklet. Again I had to deduct a couple points. This time, for the bald guy. He's probably an okay guy, but lately there seems to be too many bald guys in music.

Songs: 7
There are some cool songs on this CD. Stand out tracks include: "Not Long Dead", "Cocaine Tongue", and "Down From My Cloud". I also like their cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven". There were a couple of slow moments, specifically "Outta Mind" and "Sometimes You're Strange".

Comments:
Overall, this is a decent debut record. If you're a fan of straight-ahead rock, you will like it.