Julia Gartha - Not In The Room [Music Review]

“Long distance relationships are a challenge to be sure, but if one party only has one foot in the relationship the whole thing is truly doomed. ‘Not in the Room’ is an Alt Pop track about that very thing. Julia Gartha sings the track from the perspective of the marginalized lover who laments the fact they are not missed the way they feel they should.

The track has an almost Kacey Musgraves or Maren Morris kind of vibe that is at home in either the Pop world or today’s mainstream country.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Adelaide Heldman - Historical Figure [Music Review]

“Seventeen year old, Adelaide Heldman has a bright future in front of her, but that is not to say she doesn’t already possess the talents of a Pop star.

’Historical Figure’ is a folksy Pop track that gives off Kacey Musgraves or Maren Morris vibes.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kieran Phillips - Houston [Music Review]

“A Country-Blues song about Houston, Texas from a Liverpool artist might not have been on your bingo card but here it is just the same. ‘Houston’ is a road song about new beginnings and perhap a little redemption too. The growl and gravel does have a hint of Uk influence and that adds to the uniqueness as does the funky guitar groove driving it all.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dustin Ryan -Settling The Score [Review]

“Dustin Ryan’s “Settling The Score” brings a rootsy country-rock sound to a song about conflict, division, and the search for common ground. The warm instrumentation gives the track an authentic, grounded feel, while Ryan’s storytelling keeps the focus on the emotions and human experiences behind the struggle.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

J. Killen - Oak Tree [Music Video Review]

“All Country/Americana artist, J Killen has taken a circuitous and bumpy road to his latest release. ‘Oak Tree’ is a single from his album titled, Depression Dollars.

The song deals with grief and loss and how that can shape how you live the rest of your life. Killen has seen his share of strife and those experiences can be felt in his writing and performance.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Marshall Sidbury - Carry the Load [Music Review]

“Leon Helm and The Band would be proud to hear a modern roadman like Marshal Sibury. Authenticity is hard to come by but in ‘Carry the Load’ you can hear the miles behind Sidbury.

I rarely share an artist’s bio but this one is too rih not too.

Marshall Sidbury has been writing songs since he left home, in the New Mexico desert, to work as a cattle hand on the rodeo circuit. One night after the rodeo, he was stabbed by a jealous husband in an Arkansas juke joint and had a spiritual awakening.

He quit the rodeo and left the next day to play the piano in a traveling Pentecostal revival, until he was bitten multiple times by a venomous snake and could not travel to the next destination.

After he recovered, he took a job in a tobacco warehouse near Durham, North Carolina, where he lives today. Along the way, he’s picked up songs and musical styles. From Mexican border towns to the work chants he learned as a prisoner during a brief stint in a Texas penitentiary, Marshall blends them all into his own brand of American music.

Yes he does!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Margot Perkinson -Ain't It Sweet [Review]

“Ain’t It Sweet by Margot Perkinson delivers a smooth, feel-good sound with charming vocals and a timeless warmth that lives up to its title. The track blends soulful melodies with a laid-back groove, making it an easy listen that leaves a lasting impression.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Blogger]

Mckai - Can't Love The Same [Music Review]

“Americana from a Canadian?

Sure, why not. Mckai’s latest single, ‘Can’t Love the Same,’ certainly fits the ambiguous genre. A little bit Indie Folk, some Alt Country, to go with singer/songwriter vibes. Lyrically, the track is about how we love everyone differently because with each new experience and heartbreak we carry those experiences within us and each reshapes how we behave and react.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Rivertown- Like You [Review]

“Like You” by Rivertown is a warm, melodic track that blends heartfelt lyrics with smooth, inviting production. The song’s easygoing rhythm and genuine vocals create a cozy, reflective vibe that sticks with you. It’s a feel-good listen that highlights the band’s knack for catchy, emotional songwriting.”

— Kreadiv Kesh

Tape Division - Grip Too Tight [Music Review]

“Tape Division takes on Country Pop with their latest single ‘Grip Too Tight.’ That is their description of this track but for me the sound is more soulful than country, more bluesy than Pop. This track has a Teddy Swims type vibe and style.

But genre aside the track is well-written and we’ve all certainly held on a little too tight and found ourselves in a vulnerable position as a result.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Logan Garrett - Take Me Down (feat. Madeline Edwards)

“Logan Garrett teams up with Country vocalist Madeline Edwards to create the most unlikely of fusions. EDM and Country are rarely intertwined and enver as successfully as on this track, ‘ Take Me Down.’

There is a vibe not all that different than than Mumford & Sons though this song relies less on that folksy Rock side and leans into emotional defiance to exhibit the diverse talent.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jelly Crystal x Nicole Sabouné - Forever Is Not That Long [Music Review]

“Jelly Crystal and nicole Saboune team up on this Pop infused Country ode to the beautiful fragility of life and the anxiety we all fear of our impermanence. The vocals are loving and tender and this track will no doubt be shared among loving couples as a stand in for their love and fear that forever simply isn’t long enough.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Tom Mackell - Where the Wild Things Go [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Tom Mackell is a songwriter with a country sound though not that Mainstream pablum that comes out of corporate Nashville. Mackell fits in the Alt Country/Americana scene that is ripe with good music. ‘Where The Wild Things Go’ has sort of a Flatland Cavalry vibe for fans looking for a comparison.

This is an emotive, strongly written track performed with an emotive style that pulls the listener along for the full ride.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dax - Lonely Dirt Road [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Dax is a versatile artist adept at conveying emotion via a variety of genres, but you can always hear and feel the passion fueling his artistry.

’Lonely Dirt Road’ straddles that line between the Rock and the Nashville style of modern Pop Country. The delivery is deliberate and emotive. A few times I craved a touch less production on the vocal side because I have faith Dax could have delivered these emotional words straight up with quite so much production coloring the sound. That said, this is a track that is accessible to all and one easy to feel as much as you hear.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Ben Chase - Bad Day To Be A Beer [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Ben Chase delivers a memorable country track with “A Cold Beer in the Summer,” capturing the essence of summer in a unique and relatable way. The song explores the dual nature of summer—joyful and vibrant, yet sometimes sweltering and intense—through the metaphor of being a cold beer in the heat. Chase’s storytelling paints a vivid picture of how summer can be both a refreshing escape and a time of introspection. The track is catchy and easy to rock to, with an infectious beat that will have listeners tapping along before they fully absorb the depth of the lyrics. It’s a song that effortlessly blends a fun, laid-back vibe with a more reflective undertone, making it a perfect addition to any summer playlist. Whether you’re in the mood to relax or reflect, “A Cold Beer in the Summer” offers a refreshing take on the season.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

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Emma Kade - End Game [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“I rarely like Pop Country offerings because straddling the fence tends to do little more than leave you with a crotch full of splinters. That said, Emma Kade, does it well on this song.

’End Game’ is a throwback of sorts to a time when artists like Shania Twain, Tricia Yearwood, and later Taylor Swift toed that line between Country emotion and Pop sound and structure. Kade has managed to achieve the same brand of engaging song with a contemporary vibe that will no doubt hold crossover appeal. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Karen Lee Batten - Somewhere in Between [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is a tricky review for me. I do hear and appreciate the talent, though my personal Country tastes lean more toward the Outlaw and Americana sound, rather than the more Commercial Mainstream cranked out by Nashville. This track however falls in between with a sound that harkens to the 90’s brand of Country Music rarely heard among the Pop heavy and bro-country stars of today.

All that said, Karen Lee Batten clearly has the talent to deliver an emotionally laden song and this single, ‘Somewhere In Between’ does the job she intends.

Fans of of the retro 90s sound will appreciate this track, and who knows maybe Batten can help lead Country music back to a better place.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dayna Reid - This House [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“This track from Canadian artist, Dyna Reid leans more into the Mainstream Country sound than I usually connect with, though her rich vocal tone and earnest lyrics kept me invested in the build. ‘This House’ doesn’t break a ton of new ground, though it is delivered with solid talent and rises above the fray by feeling genuine and honest which has long been the bastion of good Country music.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Joh Chase - Avalanche [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“The video here did not add much for me, but then again it didn’t need to because the songwriting and performance is though evoking and provocative enough to carry me forward.

Some things just hit hard instantly, and that was the case for me. on this song. For those needing a comparison, there is a hint of Brandi Carlile, more in the talented defiance and writing than the vocal tone. ‘Avalanche’ is a track that will bury you in the best possible ways. The emotions, the nuance, the strong vocals and emotive power.

If I had to label this one I’d call it Americana, but good, no great, music transcends genre and this track did that for me.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Eric Lee- Happy Holidays [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“At first I didn’t like the song. However, the country infused holiday track began to have musical progression. I like how Eric Lee took time to combine classic Christmas clips and they align with the song. This song will get anyone in the holiday spirit regardless of age and background. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]