Glass Mansions - Faith [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Have ‘Faith.’
In yourself.
Your true self.

That is the message behind this track. Pure and simple.

Trust in yourself and you will be happier and have purer more true connections. In this day and age of false and fake narratives via social media, we all crave more of a human connection, and this track is about shaking off the fear of losing followers by revealing too much of your true self.

This hard charged rock anthem comes at your straight and direct and that is what the lyrics are advocating as well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rivet City - Spare Me [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Rivet City brings a raspy Red Hot Chili Peppers vibe on this track. ‘Spare Me’ is the kind of single that you can simply fell the groove and medley and enjoy, or you can truly dive in and become immersed within the lyrics.

With a good energy and funky rhythm, the track has a lot of life even before you dig deep into the rich lyrical content. The band’s sound is both unique in tone and familiar in style making them truly stand out from the fray. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Don Blanquito - Fast Lane [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Don Blanquito drops a smooth Lo-fi groove that will speak to anyone who has ever cruised along the highways and byways of Southern California. Actually the track is a perfect car play no matter where your wheels happen to be rolling.

An easy smooth groove that just captures the mood and spirit of being behind the wheel when you are feeling carefree and ready to go somewhere of your own choosing. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

TWO - Phoenix [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The raw emotion of the vocals comes in with the first word and the build continues until you can almost feel the explosion to come. And when the rebirth of the namesake ‘Phoenix’ from the ashes comes up in a big bold chorus, it is hard not to feel the chill of dogged determination.

The track feels sensual and bare in the most vulnerable of ways, and yet it conveys strength and resolve that rings loud and true. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers - Never Thought [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers comes with an attitude and edge that feels like both Punk, and Rock, and generational in all the best ways.

Per the band’s description ... ‘Never Thought’ is a quarter-life-crisis, a coming-of-age and a breakup song, squeezed into two, angsty minutes.

That definition fits, proving this band knows not only what they want to say, but also has the talent to achieve exactly that. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius - Easy Graces [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bringing a classic singer/songwriter vibe, Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius gives us this guitar driven track about loneliness amid a crowd. With lyrical nods to Dylan and Petty, the track has a hint of what can best be described as weed tranquility, but that is not to say there isn’t a deep meaning and takeaway.

The easy going vibe of ‘Easy Graces’ comes with a haunting quality that speaks to being misunderstood or worse unseen in a world that prizes itself on likes, shares and social engagement of all kinds.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ben Labat - Born to Cross Lines [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The ability to make a listener truly feel the emotions of what you are singing is a gift, and Ben Labat shares that gift with his latest single, ‘Born to Cross Lines.’ A little Folk, a little soul, and a whole lot of talent are at the heart of the track. that pulls you in and holds you with a smooth melody and vocals that simply feel right and natural. This is the kind of emotion that comes from a life spent living forward and the hard earned wisdom is a gift for all that truly stop and focus on the lyrics and performance. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Neon Dreams - Sick of Feeling Useless [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Uplifting and energetic, ‘Sick of Feeling Useless’ is the new single from Halifax alt-pop duo Neon Dreams.

This is the kind of track that sweeps you up and carries you on the wave of bright sounds and clean vocals, but in order to achieve that, a track must also bring a lyrically relevance that connects for most of us. And this song certainly does that with a nice Pop vibe that gathers you in from the very first line. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Pocket Band - Just For You [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Straight up, low key rock song with a a hint of Reggae and a smooth pop groove to the chorus.

There is something decidedly West Cost feeling about this Chili Pepper-esque track. An easy groove to fall into and ride out makes this a track you could roll down the highway with or hang out with friends beer in hand.

The current times makes the latter feel especially nostalgic but tracks like this make me feel like we will get back to those days soon. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Customers - Lost The World [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“A rocking Blues number, that delivers a hard punch musically. The vocals lean to a spoken Blues style, but for me it was the hard edge of the music that kept me listening here. Something tells me this band is one that puts on a must see show on stage and I hope they venture down to Southern California so that I can see them live for myself.

Rock and Roll isn’t dead but it is hard to find and The Customers out of Oakland, California are hell bent to keep the sound alive and well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Paden - All The Saints [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A quiet first verse ushers in this emotional cry for help. The track ramps up the emotional intensity as well as the tempo as the song progresses and the build pulls the listener along effortlessly until the second voice comes in with a surprising softness that drives home the vulnerability.

Fans of Coldplay will find it easy to connect with Paden’s style and sensibilities. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

OSTON - Shrug ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“A fun track about not quite fitting in, ‘Shrug’ highlights OSTON’s vocal capabilities with a nicely varied and energetic performance. Written after moving to LA from Utah, the track is about the insecurities we all feel when forced beyond out comfort zone and the point is that sometimes it is better to simply shrug such feelings off, and stay true to who you are, rather than bend in uncomfortable ways. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Modslee x Ariza - Don't Really Wanna Know [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Powerful lyrics and emotional performance gives this track an unrelenting allure that draws you deep into the treachery of heartbreak.

Escaping the memories of a lost love is tougher in this digital age where the current lives and statuses are but a click away, so even when we ‘Don’t Really Want To Know’ what is going on with that ex, the compulsion to check in is a hard one to fight. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kelsy Karter - "Devil On My Shoulder" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track is a seductress. I didn’t really want to give in to it’s devilish charms, but Kelsy Karter gives a varied performance that is hard not to fall for, and the imagery of the video is fun and gripping as well.

Karter lives up to her unpredictable reputation with this track and the energy is undeniable. Give it a listen and be careful lest you to find a ‘Devil On My Shoulder.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Cool Quest - PUNISHER [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is a modern soulful track that drips with trepidation and pending emotion. You can run from trouble, but you never truly escape and this song is about knowing that fact and waiting for the moment when it comes time to pay for the things we have already done.

The vocal tone is intriguing through a variety of delivery styles and the beat and melody add to the rising tension of the track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Stellar Ash - Watch Me Go [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Straight up Rock and Roll that comes at you with attitude and something to say. This track is well-written and the performance engaging. The single stood out for me not only for the talent behind it, but the sheer fact it did not go out of its way to replicate a sound that came before it. Far too often modern Rock music is heavily reliant on the ghosts of the past, but here I got the sense that Stellar Ash simply were expressing themselves as they saw fit. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Blank Statues - Chameleon [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track from Blank Statues conjures up the 90’s sound with hints of Nirvana, The Black Crowes, and Soundgarden all in the mix, but like the title, the single is a bit of a ‘Chameleon’ as it progresses along giving us a soulful rock and roll refrain early before settling into a sick guitar solo that then ushers in a Cobain-esque outro that stick with you. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Pat Rossi - Anxiety [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Pat Rossi comes in with a vocal style that feels part of a huge rock ballad before his solo performance settles into a more of an emotional rock vibe. There is a definite frayed feeling to the varying parts, and given that lyrical the track is a look at anxiety this is no doubt the exact effect Rossi was hoping for in the arrangement.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Yorxe - Hide Your Bodies [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Yorxe stacks the lines of these lyrics up like the proverbial bodies she sings about. Coming at you with a sinister vibe, her performance is intriguingly dark, while the beat and melody feels both Industrial and pop like at times. The track begs for a video as it stirs imagery all on its own and would be even more potent with the perfect visuals to punctuate the aura heavy track.

The timing of this track could harm it’s potential as the thought of stacking bodies has taken on new meaning in recent weeks, but for those able to step outside of the news cycle and appreciate music on its own merits this is a track that speaks for itself. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The High 90's - Lights Out [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“A dark brooding Rock song bringing a traditional classic sound, ‘Lights Out’ is a lyrical masterpiece. Capturing the plight of depression, this well-written track gives a glimpse of what it feel likes to be drowning in your own thoughts and emotions.

The hard rocking beat often gives way to soaring guitars on this track, but the transitions are balanced and everything about this one conveys the emotions behind the single. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)