David Frank - Don't Miss A Moment [Music Review] April 24, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Folk, Pop, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 David Frank is poised to be the next big name in the Folk Pop sound. This high energy track and strong writing offers an upbeat bit of motivation. LIke a warm hug this one wraps around you and pulls you in close.There will probably be Mumford comparisons but this one feels a little tighter and more Commercial overall for me. I expect to hear this track a lot this coming summer. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Marella - I Think She's In Love With Me [Music Review] April 12, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Marella has a Retro vibe over a Contemporary sound. That might sound weird but give them a lsitena nd you’ll see what I mean.There are elements of surf rock and some traditional vibes to go with a lively West Coast spirit that feels right at home in today’s Pop landscape. Beach Boys meets Glass Animals.’I Think She’s In Love With Me,’ is about that hopeless feeling of falling in live and there is a nice blend of emotion and nostalgia to make you feel the lyrical build each step of the way. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Nolea - Room [Music Review] April 09, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Alternative Rating: 4 out of 5 There is no dearth of musical talent in LA and now the band Nolea joins that fray with a an intelligent brand of introspections that is both chill and mentally provocative. ’Room’ is the kind of spacious song that allows the listen the rom they need to come to the emotion and lyrical build. There is an ethereal quality to the delivery and production dynamics here that simply allows you to freefall into the track. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Stela Cole - Die Hard [Music Video Review] January 29, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stela Cole has a smoky brand of vocals that are emotive and powerful yet still vulnerable and sultry at times. There is a hint of gravel that reminded me of Miley but the overall style felt unique enough for Cole to avoid any direct comparisons. ’Die Hard’ is about those bad or at least flawed relationships that are never quite destructive or absolute enough for a clean end and break so it begins to feel like a bad loop of break-ups and make-ups. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Garrett Zoukis - Senses [Music Review] January 29, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap Rating: 3.5 out of 5 The writing and premise of this track captivated me from the start. LA rapper Garrett Zoukis delivers this one with a steady low-key flow that did leave me craving an escalation, but still managed to hold my attention and focus despite that rising sense being absent from the track. ’Senses’ is about the way our five senses shape our memories of a person and how any one of them can conjure those memories back to the forefront of our minds. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Eurotripp - Unforgivable [Music Review] November 17, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music, Alternative, Pop, Punk Rating: 3.5 out of 5 I like how the track has a Pop syth vibe for a few beats before it delves into a 90’s Rock vibe. Clean, deliberate vocals deliver the lyrical side of the track that fits the 90s sound quite well. Good clean music always works, and yes this feels like a throwback in some ways, but Eurotripp manages to accomplish that without feeling dated or derivative. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock BLogger
Thorslund - Hours to Go [Music Video Review] November 17, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Rock, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 Thorslund is back with that hard charging rock sound that is at home no matter the decade. Get pumped for the weekend with ‘Hours To Go.’ The band was founded by the Thorslund brothers and takes the vintage rock sounds of the 70’s and 80s and brings them to today with fun, energetic lyrics to get you off your phone and back out in the world because this is music to move by. Be it strutting down the Sunset Strip or mashing that gas pedal and hitting the open road. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
NonSense - The Audacity [Music Review] November 07, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 NonSense caps off a prolific year with his single ‘The Audacity.’ NonSense had this to say about his creation ... “The track is about standing tall atop your mountain despite those who feel they can stand in your way. Being the very best version of YOU and you alone at the behest of naysayers.”Delivered in an old school Boom Bap style, the lyrical flow hits and the writing comes with a punch. The Carson, California native channels many of his musical heros in this diverse build and sound. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
The Stemmas - Eyes Wide Open [Music Video Review] October 27, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4.5 out of 5 The Stemmas are an emerging, Indie musical collective started by guitarist and executive producer, Jerry Conrad, and lead vocalist Tommy White but expanded to an impressive group of accomplished artists and collaborators.’Eyes Wide Open’ is a timeless rock song of boredoma nd questioning and taking a chance to find what answers might be out there in the world. This is Rock and Rolls as it should be, but is seldom heard these days int he glossy world of manufactured corporate music. The right kind of grit and IDGAF attitude, with the video to match. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Alex McArtor - Oxygen Thief [Music Video Review] July 28, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Alternative, Pop Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Alex McArtor has a vocal richness and emotes an emotional depth that lends this track a wisdom beyond her twenty-one years. Which goes to show when artists tap into their inner-self and infuse those emotions that nothing is impossible or off the table regardless of age or circumstances. Written in Laurel Canyon, this is a perfect addition to the rich history of music born from the Southern California hotspot. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Social Drag - Remind Me [Music Review] May 13, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Adult Contemporary, Country, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 This track from Social Drag feels a bit like a 90s throwback. Could have been released then as Country with an edge, or a Sheryl Crow-esque track about the emotions of failed relationships, but that is not to say the single is dated. It’s not. And while ‘Remind Me’ doesn’t quite fit the Outlaw or Americana sound of today’s Alt-Country, labels are not what good music is about anyway, and neither are timestamps. This track simply conveys the emotions it was intended with solid talent behind it so for me or anyone to place it in a strict category is a waste of time. Listen and enjoy, or feel and wallow if you prefer, but either way the intent of the song was established and delivered, and in the the end ... that’s all that matters in the subjective world of expressive art. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
The Scarlet Opera - Alive [Music Review] February 27, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Lyric Video, Alternative, Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 The Scarlett Opera has a contemporary Queen feel to them in, that they do the unexpected and do it quite well and with purpose. No one quit compares to Freddy Mercury, but the vocals here soar and certainly deliver their own brand of standout talent that sweeps the listener up and into the build of the track. Slightly theatrical, boldly Rock & Roll this is a band to invest in early so you can tell all your friends you hard them before the world caught on. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
ZUSO - Take Me (Feat Jaki Nelson) [Music Review] February 21, 2023 by Travis Erwin in Music, EDM, Deep House Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Sydney based producer, ZUSO teams up with the vocal talent of LA’s Jaki Nelson for this after hours vibe that wraps around the listener like a firm hug. A track that simply feels right and comfortable, ‘Take Me’ is sort of tranquil and calm, yet still uplifting.The production is spot on and the vocals sync perfectly to create the exact track you need after a long night of being on the dancefloor. Call it a coming down song if you will but don’t dismiss this one as an afterthought, as it certainly has strong legs of its own. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Rob Law x Yelohill - Keep Rising [Music Video Review] April 07, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 Keep rising symbolizes and reflects on the struggles for artists coming up in the LA rap scene. Rob Law and Yelohill come from different hoods and different backgrounds, but the pain is the same. The sound of this song is like if Tupac and Nispey Hussle came together on a track. Uniting LA as one.The track brings heart and genuine emotion which keep the listener leaning in and anticipating the next line. The two flows offer a different style but the juxtapostion of that is what makes the track pop. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Limón Limón - Weird Vibes [Review] February 25, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 LA duo Limón Limón offers up this intriguing bop about the ‘Weird Vibes’ of our times. History has definitely taken an odd turn and this track captures the sentiments of most of us as we try to navigate our way through the mud and muck. A steady beat and tight vocals keep the track running straight and the strong writing brings home the points as well as the emotions of the track. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Anabl - Homecoming Queen [Review] February 18, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 The conflicting emotions of high school come in many forms and perhaps none stand out like the race for popularity. The struggle to stand out and conform at the same time is an odd dynamic and this track uses the race for ‘Homecoming Queen’ as the backdrop to express that. Anabl delivers an emotive set of lyrics and a contemporary Pop style to deliver the track and her spot on talent accentuate the strong writing and brings the song fully to life. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Ian Oshér - Never Alone [Review] November 19, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Electronic, Indie Electronic, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 Light and upbeat, ‘Never Alone’ from Ian Oshér is one of those songs that grabs you in immediately and refuses to let you go. The LA artists rides a nice calm wave to deliver the track. There is a subtle energy and spark without the track resorting to gimmicks or over production. The simple, straightforward lyrics and arrangement work quite well. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
CVBZ x American Authors - This Time is Right [Review] November 18, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 This is one of those big bold Indie Rock songs that feels as much like an anthem as anything else. The kind of build and arrangement that sweeps listeners up and in. The kind of track that incorporates various elements and genres to create a sound that resonates for music lovers of all. The energetic build and progression is joined by talented vocal performances to create a vibe that hooks and holds with ease. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
talker - Summerlin [Music Video Review] November 18, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 A song detailing the power of places and the strength of our emotional memories, ‘Summerlin’ is about the hometown of an ex boyfriend and how going to the place he came from rekindled the emotional duress of a tough breakup. In delivering the song, talker offers an emotive vulnerability that resonates and keeps the listener engaged in the lyrical build. A track with heart and emotion and genuine honesty in its songwriting and delivery. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Khamari - Doctor, My Eyes [Review] November 14, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Neo-Soul, R&B, Alternative Rating: 4 out of 5 A soft acoustical track of heartfelt vulnerability, ‘Doctor, My Eyes’ is not the track you might expect, but it is the track you need. Khamari showcases his artistic talents in both the delivery and the writing of this emotionally laden single. This is a song you feel as much as hear, and it definitely conveys a mood of melancholy and hopeful observance than we have all felt from time to time. — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger