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Staff IconThe Little Killers - The Little Killers (Cover Artwork)

The Little Killers

The Little Killers (2003)
Crypt

Reviewer Rating:


Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)


Published on January 27th 2004


Imagine if the Ramones grew up listening to Chuck Berry and tried applying it to a garage rock/punk formula. They probably wouldn't pull it off too well, right? Neither do the Little Killers, regardless of how much press they've received.

The effort is somewhat admirable, but listening to the trio's self-titled debut full-length on the practically-reincarnated Crypt Records is like riding on a train when you were little. You first get on and say to yourself, "wow, this is fun! Everything's going by fast, but looks so cool! I can even ride backwards!" Fifteen minutes pass and you're either passed the fuck out or so bored you want to get off. This album has the same effect, and is only 28 minutes long to begin with.

The first few songs sound pretty interesting, when you get over the fact that this genre's template for recording quality is painstakingly rough. There's a simple chord progression that keeps things uptempo if not completely raw, a nice solo at one point, and a bluesy harmonica that introduces "Jenna Lee." However, this chord progression keeps showing up later...doing the same thing...over and over again...much like drunk Uncle Fred every Thanksgiving. The vocals sing each song the same way, as if the band just substituted the lyrics without changing the vocal melody. Every song runs into each other like melted butter, save for the girls' part of the band's chorus line of "pucker up, pucker up!" in the eighth track (if and when you listen to this song, don't take it seriously for sanity's sake). "Choppin' Block" closes the album ridiculously abrupt and has no real finish.

Going simple and straightforward is usually the key to success in punk rock, but there's always the risk of monotony. I hate to say that The Little Killers, despite their name, have largely fallen victim.

MP3s
"Volume"
"Spider"




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    Carly77 (September 11, 2004)

    This reviewer doesn't have a clue either. The Little Killers kick ass.

    devildog1507 (February 2, 2004)

    Little Killers rule the day. Bash dashboard Confessional.

    PetroBPettson (February 1, 2004)

    Notaclevername,
    My band is thinking about doing a tour down south this summer. It'd be awsome if we could get a show with you guys. email me at hotbeefinjectionrocks@yahoo.com, and I'll hook you up with a demo, and hopefully we can rock Alabama come summer. ILCK's fucking destroy live!

    Anonymous (February 1, 2004)

    i'm glad to hear that there are still some people that are into rock 'n' roll
    my band is a kind of punk 'n' roll meets cock rock band out of Birmingham, AL, and the people down here don't understand us at all
    i mean, Alabama is where about half of the Estrus roster is from: the Immortal Lee County Killers, the Quadrajets (they're not as good as some, granted), the Dexateens, etc.
    you can't win 'em all, i guess

    -notaclevername

    Anonymous (January 31, 2004)

    That's awesome, I'd seriously spread the word throughout the KC scene... The kids are depraved down here, ya know? Then again they hate me for the Anti-Punk song I wrote about a year ago... And the time I opened for some local crust bands billed as "CRAUSTIC", but when we arrived, we said "Hey guys, we're the Clean Kids and we're just here to rock n roll" dressed in ... The crustys didn't care for our MODERN LOVERS covers, though... At least I still have my mini-amp and my dignity.

    -BSD

    PetroBPettson (January 31, 2004)

    Yeah, I'm serious. It's only like what, 60 cents or so to send a cd.....I can swing that.....I think you'd dig us. We're like Dead Boys meets Turbonegro at a Black Flag concert. Super sleazy Rockn'Roll! My email is hotbeefinjectionrocks@yahoo.com It'll be a few months before we record though.

    Anonymous (January 31, 2004)

    Coolios. If you're serious, reply and I'll give you my email.

    -BSD

    PetroBPettson (January 31, 2004)

    BSD,
    I think when The Whores Of Babylon record our cd, I'm sending you a copy. I think you'll fucking dig it a lot.

    Anonymous (January 30, 2004)

    Yeah, there was a time when Pagans originals and boots were all I lived off of... Now, can anybody tell me? WHAT'S THIS SHIT CALLED LOVE?

    -BSD

    PetroBPettson (January 30, 2004)

    Yup! And The Pagans were GREAT!!! and also some Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Thee Headcoats.

    Anonymous (January 29, 2004)

    Did Crypt do the Pagans too?

    -BSD

    PetroBPettson (January 29, 2004)

    Both great, but nothing beats Oblivions' "Play 9 songs with Mr. Quintron", Gories "I know You're fine, but how you doin'?", and New Bomb Turks' "Destroy Oh-boy!". Crypt records fucking RULES!

    devildog1507 (January 29, 2004)

    still the best:
    Devil Dogs and Nine Pound Hammer

    PetroBPettson (January 29, 2004)

    .....And don't forget The Gories and the fucking Oblivions!!!!! Two of the best bands EVER!!!!

    notaclevername (January 28, 2004)

    I like-a de record
    granted, it's not as good as "Get Action" by Teengenerate, "Saturday Night Fever" by the Devil Dogs, or even close to being on par with "!!Destroy, Oh Boy!!" by the Turks, but it's still a solid Crypt record
    it's good to have that label back: now they should get off their asses and bring rock 'n' roll back to its public until they start seething with fury once again

    Anonymous (January 28, 2004)

    great band and it surely is more punk than all this emo/indie shit that is often reviewed here

    Anonymous (January 28, 2004)

    worst band name ever

    Anonymous (January 28, 2004)

    You know, I usually like music like this, but this band isn't doing it for me.
    There's a serious lack of emotion in their songs...with most rock and roll bands you at least get some attitude. These guys are just playing rehashed music without any of the draws of the originals.
    As to the reviewer, I don't see any Ramones influence aside from the use of 3 chords. I guess I can see the Chuck Berry call, if you took his solos, toned them down a notch and played them much sloppier.

    Anonymous (January 28, 2004)

    I like it.

    sounds like old Rolling Stones more than anything else...not punk but fun rock n' roll.

    devildog1507 (January 28, 2004)

    thrice is music for majorcocksuckers.

    PetroBPettson (January 28, 2004)

    BSD-likes good music(yay!)....hates Family Guy and Jews(nay).

    Anonymous (January 28, 2004)

    You're just related to the jew, ya damned dirty thriceworshipper.

    -BSD

    Anonymous (January 27, 2004)

    That analogy with the train ride made my day....

    yes, it was a bad day.

    thriceequalsgod (January 27, 2004)

    BSD... please, i beg of you:

    stick to the news comments.. you are much more likable on there.

    Anonymous (January 27, 2004)

    Most of what you call "proto punk" is garage rock from the 60's/early 70's.

    I like how anything remotely original or refreshing, and having to do with rock n roll is labeled as "garage", though.

    Even better is the age remark... Glorious, eh? That's as dumb as if I sai "What do you know, old man?". You're just the site bandwagon jumper, though. We all need one of those, I guess.

    -BSD

    inagreendase (January 27, 2004)

    Oh, and they don't sound anything like the Dolls. The Dolls are waaay more snotty and really not garage in any mannerism.

    PetroBPettson (January 27, 2004)

    I saw these guys open for The Dirtbombs at their record release in Detroit. They were pretty good. 8 outta 10. I know they get a lot of credit just because they brought back Crypt....but then I remember that Crypt is the best label ever, so fair or not, the Little Killers get my blessing. The Mystery Girls played too though, and the Little Killers didn't exactly blow them away. MG's = 9 outta 10. The Dirtbombs were off that night, but they'll still always get a 10 because on their worst night, they blow 99.9% of everything out there away.

    inagreendase (January 27, 2004)

    ...that is, assuming you're talking about the HeartBreakers.

    inagreendase (January 27, 2004)

    BSD, I've heard both bands before you discovered your first pube.

    Anonymous (January 27, 2004)

    Hahahahaha.

    Maybe I'll write a song about this review called "The Poseur Listens to Real Punk".

    These guys sound more like the NY Dolls and the Heartnreakers (two bands Inagreendase has neeever heard), just not as good.

    But yeah, if you like Green Day so much that you'll make an SN out of it, you probably won't like these guys. It's real rock n roll, sorry.

    -BSD

    devildog1507 (January 27, 2004)

    I think tgey are great and the reviewer is a fucking wanker with no taste. Pucker up and Happy are killer songs.

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