BOY LOCO - Slow Dancing [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“BOY LOCO delivers a nice, smooth track that emotes a nostalgic brand of reminiscences and motivates your heart to open up and feel. For me the track has a hint of regret, stemming from doubt that maybe the narrator did not hold onto the relationship the way they should have. Or perhaps there was a loss that ended things. Of course others may take this track as more of a post date type euphoria in that the singer simply cannot wait to get back together with their person for some slow dancing.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jade LeMac - Pick A Fight [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jade LeMac toes the line between love and hate in her latest single, ‘Pick A Fight.’ The track has a decided Pop edge, but definitely comes with a lyrical sharpness as well that will make you think long after that infectious beat and chorus have subsided.

The simply, yet effective video works perfectly to deliver the punch of the songwriting.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Lui Peng - Otherside [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Lui Peng deliver a pure Pop sound that has a Ed Sheeran meets the Weeknd vibe for me. ‘Otherside’ is an emotional love song that will no doubt make its way to a lot of shared playlists and dedications.

Coming with a nice emotive energy and upbeat tempo the track has a feel good side to go with the romantic vulnerability. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Bex - Did I Do Something Wrong? [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bex deliver the kind of vocal power and emotiveness that is rare individually but all the more so when found in tandem.

’Did I Do Something Wrong?’ offers a slow emotional build and conjured imagery all on its own. This lends the track a theatrical bent that cannot be ignored but here the drama does not feel manufactured simply real and genuine.

The track has a modern Stevie Nicks vibe and could have been a Fleetwood Mac track back in the day but that is not to say it feels dated or even particularly retro. More like timeless in this case. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Caroline Romano - Used by You [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Caroline Romano has established herself as one of my favorite artists that routinely submits their creative efforts to LA on Lock and I look forward to catching her show May 2nd at the El Rey Theatre here in Los Angeles.

’Used by You’ is a an honest unyielding track about one sided relationship and the amount one party is willing to give while the other simply takes and takes.

Catch this rising Alt-Pop star on tour at these locations.

Caroline Romano Tour Dates:

April 26 - Bend, OR @ Domino Room
April 27 - Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall
April 28 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
April 30 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
May 2 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
May 3 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
May 4 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
May 7 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues Cambridge Room
May 8 - Austin, TX @ Antone’s Nightclub

”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Ability - Constellations [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“With strong imagery and a hard-edged musical arrangement, ‘Constellations’ from The Ability is the Alternative Rock track you didn’t know you needed to hear.

There is an element of hope within this lyrical build, but there is also the peril and pain of the journey we all call life. The build almost feels hectic at times but then again, so does everyday existence so the vibe is perfect for the message the song is trying to convey. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

DUUNES - Emotional Damage [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“it is tough to hear the term ‘Emotional Damage’ and not think of the internet meme voice, but DUUNES quickly transcends that stigma with this powerfully written song. THe soaring arrangement and strong Indie Rock edge erase the voice from my head and carry me away with a set of meaningful lyrics that hits right at the heart.

I’ve given this single a few listens and with each one I feel more connected to the track. Songwriting as it should be!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Casino Havana - All For Nothing [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Casino Havana delivers this track with energetic Indie Rock energy and commitment. “All For Nothing’ is an anthem of jumping headfirst into the fray and both the sound and passion come through to sell that ideal.

This is modern Rock with intent and passion. The music and the vocals are dead on in that pursuit. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Gonsofus - Vanilla Blue

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“This funky little number comes straight out of Slovakia. And perhaps that is why the sound is so tough to categorize. Ther eis a retro vibe the energetic arrangement but also a Contemporary emotional thread that captivated me. Gonsofus is a track that layers in the sounds and feeling and when the female vocals hit I knew I was hooked in for the full ride. GIve the quirky number that is ‘Vanilla Blue’ a shot and I think you’ll become a mit mesmerized as well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Cloe Wilder - Fake ID [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Seventeen is a sandwich year. The euphoria that comes with the freedom of a driver’s license has faded and the big bastion of adulthood, eighteen, is still off on the distant horizon so it is no wonder seventeen is the time or restlessness and yearning.

’Fake ID,’ by Cloe Wilder captures this with Pop perfection.

The track, and accompanying video, are fun and entertaining, but they also harbor a hint of darkness as the naiveness of childhood is pushed aside by the hungry lust for adulthood.

Of course everything in this world comes with a price which most of us do not learn until it is too late. This track layers int he fun and the the education these experiences give us as we transition in life.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

ANIKK - I Don't Wanna Lose Myself [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Twenty-three year old Swiss artist, ANIKK gives us an Alt Pop ode to co-dependency with her track, ‘I Don’t Wanna Lose Myself.’

Co-dependency gets a bad rap and I get why, but most of us find ourselves there at some point in life and when it’s good it’s great. Of course the wheels an come off at anytime and that is always scary.

The blend of emotions from such an intense relationship, vulnerability, hope, faith, love, lust, fear, and joy are all lurking here on this artful track and the performance makes you feel every last one of them.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jade LeMac - Narcissistic [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There are a ton of songs dealing with Toxic relationships, but most are delivered from a victim’s point of view and deal with the idea of emerging on the other side.

Jade LeMac gives us an entirely different take. Told from a ‘Narcissistic’ POV, LeMac gives us the adrenaline rush. The thrill of knowing something is wrong and doing it anyway. LeMac evokes a wry bit of irreverence in this ode to passion.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Òlah Bliss - Holy [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Written from the viewpoint of the down and out, this track is dark and brooding, but also about hope and the escape from rock bottom. Òlah Bliss infuses a vulnerability in the talented vocal delivery, and the music adds another layer to the emotions of this song with nuance and power.

’Holy’ was shaped by the artist’s own religious leanings, but the track is not overtly preachy and will appeal to the secular minded as well.”

— Travis Erwin ~LA on Lock Blogger

Sharna Pax -New Hope for the Dead [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This song is moody but deep. It starts off with a country guitar string to it then it goes into classic rock. Sharna Pax descriptive delivery will empower any listener with a bust of energy. Around the 2:20 mark she takes a sudden shift in delivery just to bring us back in.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [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

Ships Have Sailed - Find My Way [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The track has that light energetic vibe of artists such as One Republic or Mumford & Sons. There is a Folksy brand of Pop to the sound that is uplifting in nature. The gist of ‘Find My Way’ is about living your best life and taking the opportunities as they come because you never truly know wha tthe future entails.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dot. - Girls Night [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track unfurls like a sultry dreamscape. There is a retro vibe to the vocal style and build but at times the track has a more modern Pop edge and the infusion of the two in conjunction with the talented vocal performance held my intrigue for the full ride.

’GIrls Night’ is a fun ride and Dot. is the voice we need to lead a multicultural dance party. This time it just happens to be a nice slow song to hold the one you love tight as you let the song soak in. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jakke - Hurricane [Review]

Rating: 3 out of 4

“ People don’t value trust. They use your feelings and your trust like its the weather. Jakke mixes Alternative Rock and break beat creating a sound similar to Linkin Park in this track. The track is titled “Hurricane” because it describes the moods people go to when they are there for someone who doesn’t appreciate them.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Silos x Judge & Jury x Crazy Town Lighthouse [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This punk rock love track is very entertaining. It starts off with a little aggression but then the story unfolds. The song is about falling into a dark place but then finding light. The light then guides you to a better place of sobriety. I miss Linkin Park but Silos,Judge, Jury, and Crazy Town remind me of them.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Newport - Maybe I [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Newport is fast becoming one of my favorite contributors to LA on Lock. This is the second track we’ve featured and the emotive vocal delivery gripped me early on. The erratic beat and cadence is a perfect match to the lyrical build and emotions of the track, showcasing how deliberate and talented Newport is.

I’ll call this Alt Po for lack of a clear genre, but you’ll call it a great new find when you add it to your own playlists.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger