Killin' Time

Clint Black

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: May 2, 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002WD2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #142,603 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
When this debut album came out in 1989, Clint Black was poised to be bigger than contemporaneous debut artist Garth Brooks. It didn't happen--Garth had friends in low places--but of all the talent-rich Nashville Class of '89 (which also included Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt), Black's built the most consistently top-of-the-line body of work. The foundations are all here, inside the album's odd bookends (the honky-tonkin' strained analogy of "Straight from the Factory" and the country cabaret of "Live and Learn"), starting with his first hit, "A Better Man," a gracious breakup song blessed with a nifty descending guitar line. Another hit, the title track, boasts an even niftier, Duane Eddy-style hook; while a third hit, "Nobody's Home," displays Black's knack for power-shifting a slowish tune into overdrive with an unexpectedly dramatic chorus. "I'll Be Gone" features snappy guitar and foreshadows another Black trademark, the fiercely played instrumental takeouts that grace many of his later numbers. With an expressive, warm Texas drawl, enduring songwriting abilities (almost uniquely, Black cowrites all his material), and music steeped in country's past but attuned to present-day influences, Black is one of contemporary country's consummate artists. Killin' Time shows he had the complete package from the start. --Ken Barnes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Debut, June 24, 2004

By	Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Clint's debut was a huge breakout hit (selling over 3 million copies to date) and still sounds fantastic today. Some of his all-time best songs are here, and the CD yielded four #1 country songs - "A Better Man" (1 week), "Killin' Time" (1 week), "Nobody's Home" (3 weeks), and "Walkin' Away" (2 weeks). In addition, "Nothing's News" went to #3; however, every song on the CD sounds like it could have been a hit. Clint's voice sounds terrific, and the sound is classic country replete with twangy guitars and steel bass. His voice was initially compared to Merle Haggard, although he also developed his own style right off the bat. In fact, "A Better Man" made history as the first debut single in 13 years to hit #1, since Freddy Fender with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls."

What I admire most is that the collection is remarkably cohesive and the songs flow together so well. At the same time, a variety of styles are represented, including the playful honky-tonk of "Straight from the Factory," the bluesy "Nothing's News," and the danceable "A Better Man." I still frequently listen to this collection, although I rarely listen to Clint's other CDs. Unfortunately, the "Killin' Time" CD is so great that it somewhat overshadowed his subsequent releases, but just sit back and enjoy some great country music. Most highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Country before country was cool, February 4, 2001

By A Customer

Before Garth and the 500 or so hat-acts that bum-rushed the country scene after he showed up (I can count four named "Wade"), there was this album, and the promise of country music fulfilled, in just forty minutes of compact, jaw-droppingly elegant songcraft. Is there another country album out there which defies the rigid formula of three-hits-and-filler that made the genre die a premature death in the early 80's? This might not be the best country album ever, but it sure might be the one that brought it back alive.

The true value of this record is immediately apparent when you recall the sad state of affairs country music was in during the late 1980's. Alabama, Randy Travis and other country monoliths had become cartoon characters of themselves, and there was so much crossover that to listen to a country station you'd think it was easy listening. Not a pedal steel in earshot. (Sound familiar?) And here came Clint Black, full of Haggard-y hype and touted as the next-big-thing; I can remember hearing the word "traditional" associated with his debut, and until I first heard it I wanted to buy it out of sheer curiosity anyway.

The record is timeless. The songs are flawlessly played and beautifully written. His voice wraps around every note with the warmth of a wool blanket, and the instrumental ability of his ROAD BAND (now THAT'S what I call country) kept the whole thing cooking. About three weeks ago, I dug this cassette up and cranked it on a road trip and sang every line, recalling how incredible the moments were that I first found this gem, getting a little sad because, although there have been some great albums since, there hasn't been anything in the interim that can even stand up to this masterpiece. Highly, highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best country debuts of all time, December 24, 2001

By	retrowens (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Killin' Time (Audio Cassette)

Killin' Time was Clint Black's debut album, and what a great one it was! Fans of country music will probably recognize the album's two biggest hits, "A Better Man" and the title track, "Killin' Time."

Killin' Time only has nine songs on it, but five of those songs were #1 hits. These songs are: "A Better Man," "Killin' Time," "Nobody's Home," "Walkin' Away," and "Nothing's News." Now how many albums in any kind of music do you know of that have five chart-toppers included? Let alone a debut album.

Almost all of the songs have good lyrics and are reasonably catchy. My favorites are "A Better Man," "Killin' Time," "Nobody's Home," and "Walkin' Away."

I can't really say since I haven't heard all of Clint Black's albums, but Killin' Time would probably be my favorite that he has to offer other than his first Greatest Hits. "Killin' Time" and "A Better Man" are my favorite Clint Black songs of all, and they're both on this album, that's why I think that.

Killin' Time is just good ol' traditional country music that features songs that are sung by a great, and possibly under rated country singer. Of all the country debuts I've heard, it ranks up there with the best of them without a doubt. If you like country music, I recommend Killin' Time.