Golden Mixtape

With a mom who has never cared for music other than Cher and a dad who loves nothing but the sounds of B.B. King and Etta James, many sounds of the past were taught to me by VH1 weekend marathons and movies like Forrest Gump. Thankfully pop culture raised me and made it easy for me to recognize the pasts influence on Erick Serna and The Killing Floor’s new album, The Grip. It’s been available since the end of September, but has just found its way to me to tell its tale.

One can hear the Southern style instantly in the title track, “The Grip.” That  Southern Rock was matched with a more recent sound with “Hey Sweet Thing” and as it played over and over again in my iTunes it hit me, Jane’s Addiction. So from the south of the 70’s to the Alt. Rock realm of the early 90’s, Erick Serna and The Killing Floor has it all covered with The Grip.

In the end this album is one big jam session, that’s easier typed than done. “Lies” and “Whisky Song” run together ceaselessly, a good thing for those who are in tune with the instrumentals of songs. It also would make for an intriguing live show for those types of people as well. You know the type, they air drum, and play their invisible guitar and move their fingers along to aerial chords. Who knows if they’re playing right, all that matters is they feel the music of Erick Serna and The Killing Floor and their album, The Grip.

Review by Kendra

Originally published on Nov 7, 2011