Clint Black starts off the album with the snappy western swinger, *Straight From The Factory*. The song has a happy and friendly tone, but after that, Mr. Black slides into gut-wretching pain and emptiness with his deeply meaningfull, poetic lyrics and classic country melodies. *A Better Man* was one of the freshest songs to come along in years. Featuring a thick guitar intro that leads into a deep hook, the song is lightly dusted with keyboard and acoustic guitar. *Nobody's Home* is a soulfull ballad with the perfect melody and lyrics that will tug at your heart. The sophisticated *Walkin' Away* has a nice arrangement of fiddle and electric guitar. *You're Gonna Leave Me Again* will put a good vision in your mind, bringing you right into Clint's head when he says: "think I'll go down to the picture show, see if they're playin' something new". Listen for the beautifull fiddle solo at the end of this song. *I'll Be Gone* is an upbeat, rockin' tune similar to something you'd find on a Buck Owens record. *Nothing's News* includes a great pedal steel solo and tear-jerking lyrics that'll give you chills!--Especially where he says: "down at Ernie's ice-house liftin' longnecks to that good old country sound". *Winding Down* is another song where Clint is alone and is now singing about the aftermath of playin' all evening in the honkytonks. My favorite cut of the record is the title track, *Killin' Time*. The song has an infectious baritone guitar riff, a mean and addictive melody and hard pedal steel guitar. The album then closes with the haunting country-blues of *Live and Learn*.

The songs, all penned by Mr. Black, are very well written. I wouldn't call this a concept album, but each song tells a different story, a different chapter in the musician's life. The production and performances are inspired and Clint's vocals are smooth, superb! Black recorded this record with his road band, and it definitely shows. This is great music to listen to when you're alone and going through some hard times. It'll get inside of your soul. Highly recommended to anyone lookin' for some top-of-the-line music that defines the genre.

Thanks.

Classic Debut
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.

For fans of Merle Haggard
History will record 1989 as the year that the Berlin wall came down but country music fans know that it was also the year that American country radio stations abandoned most of the established stars (with a few exceptions) and started playing the music of a younger generation, led by Clint Black but also including Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson and others. Garth and Alan started more slowly but ultimately overtook Clint, though he has still had a lot of success in the intervening years. With this debut yielding five number one country hits, Clint's career got off to an unbelievably successful start.

Clint sounds very like Merle Haggard but it clearly didn't do him any harm. Actually, the emergence of Clint coincided with the end of Merle as a major contender in the country charts. This album contains ten outstanding original songs. Clint wrote some on his own and others with the help of one or two of his musicians. There is a mix of up-tempo songs and ballads. The five big hits were the title track, A better man, Nobody's home, Walking away and Nothing's news. You could get these hits via the two volumes of Greatest hits (the first volume contains two of them with the other three on the second volume) but the other five songs here are not available elsewhere and they are definitely worth hearing.

The five non-hits are Straight from the factory (a song using a lock and key as a metaphor for a relationship), You're gonna leave me again (about an unfaithful woman), I'll be gone (about a relationship on the verge of breakdown), Winding down (about people drinking after work) and Live and learn (a philosophical song).

Clint's overall record doesn't match Merle's and I doubt if it ever will, but this particular album is as good as any of Merle's original albums. If you enjoy Merle's music, buy this album.

One of the best debuts ever...
Without a doubt, this one of the best debut efforts in country music. This is by far Clint's best CD. Every song, from beginning to end, is strong.

This CD is a perfect blend of old and new (for 1989) country music. It's all here. If you're a fan of country music, this Cd must, repeat must, be in your collection
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