Devin Kennedy - Happy Yet [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Devin Kennedy has a voice that simply draws you in with its smooth groove and tone. The beat here is a bit erratic, and normally that would bother me, but given the nature of the lyrics it works well here.

The song deals with the constant chase. How we see images and posts of things that we think we want, but the more we go after and find them, the more apparent it becomes that our happiness does not lie in t e pursuit of the material things we see others proclaiming to bring them joy.

Happiness is more selfish and absolute to us individually, and finding those things is not always easy. So getting caught up emulating others is a pitfall we’ve all fallen into.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mia Mormino - Push & Pull [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Mia Mormino is an artist we have featured before and as long as she keeps releasing such quality track we will continue to be advocates for her rising stardom.

’Push & Pull’ delivers a perfect Valentine’s Day vibe with its sultry vocal track and alluring beat. Lyrically the track is sensual and intriguing. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Gavin Haley - The Way I Am (feat. Ella Vos, Luke Korns, Olivia Rouyre) [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The video has a retro feel and the single itself has that same timeless quality that good music often delivers.

Gavin Haley and Ella Vos team up here to bring a track about the intricacies of a relationship where the parties are struggling to better know each other, while still holding back the emotions that it takes to get there.

With a smooth pop groove, that hints at an almost contemporary Country sound at times, this track isn’t really about genre, as much as it is emotion. This is because the single transcends the categories marketers use, and is simply about the humanity of our hearts.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

OLGA - Kiss My Sadness Away [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The writing here is spot on perfection. Vocally, the first few lines felt a touch dated for me, but then the track took a turn and felt purely modern from then on. The beat and melody add to the whip-smart lyrics and make this track so sharp you simply cannot escape the hook.

The tale of a jaded lover considering a reconciliation, but only after the gets the damn answers she needs. Attitude prevails and pulls you deep into this relationship even if you’ve never been there yourself.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Gina Livia - in my head [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The musical vibe of this single is light and airy, but lyrically the song delivers a mood much darker. Over a nice Pop groove, Gina Livia lays down her lyrics of feeling isolated and alone. Being stuck ‘in her head’ and not willing to put herself out there. The track feels real and her vulnerability comes across in the performance as she longs to overcome these feelings in order to live life to its fullest. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

WHATEVER WE ARE - ROMANTICATION [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Escaping together is key to every relationship, and this track is about the hedonistic urge to let loose and reconnect in all the best ways. Think of it of the Pop song equivalent of What Happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, though of course when you are with the one you love, letting your lust carry you away doesn’t need neon lights and free booze to fuel the=at carnal desire. The track itself offers several different voices and styles, keeping you intrigued for the ride. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Helena Mayer - Headspace [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Helena Mayer delivers a Pop track dealing with the jumble of thoughts, emotions, fears, and doubts, that fill all of our heads. The track is about taking charge and not becoming overwhelmed by our own memories. The vocals are talented and engaging and the beat keeps the track moving forward with precision and bounce. A track that feels right for your workout playlist, or any other time when you are working toward a better you.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Laney Lynx - Bad Attitudes [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Laney Lynx delivers the line “You’re hanging out with a whack crew, what does that say about you,’ with pure Pop sugar to her vocals, but the sentiment behind the track is a bit more tart on the tongue. Still you will want to take a bite and think this one over. The lyrics deliver the internal conflict we go through when we find a person we like but don’t really like their friends or in fact their world. That fear that you don’t fit in, or perhaps will fit in too well, only to get drug down into more than you bargained for. The arrangement makes the track light and airy but there are definitely some undertones to the writing that make this feel more complex. The imagery of the video adds to both elements to tie it all together. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Brandon Colbein - Mess [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“With a bit of gravel to his voice, Brandon Colbein drops the emotional verses of ‘Mess’ on us and we can feel the disoriented pain of a bad a breakup. Then the chorus hits and Colbein’s voice smooths out into a higher pitched tone of emotional disbelief. The melody and the beat here deliver that same juxtaposition giving the song a back and forth feel that is exactly how most of us a feel when we are an emotional mess. The arrangement of the track shows as much talent as the vocals and songwriting making this a track with legs enough to become a lasting standard. Can’t wait to hear more from this talented artist. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Josie Dunne - Back To It [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There were times that these vocals reminded me of Lorde, and then there were elements that conjured thoughts of Katy Perry. Then again, the songwriting had that Taylor Swift feel. The common link here is that all of those women are extremely talented and that too is the case with Josie Dunne.

Dunne is not a simulator, but rather an innovator, and this song stands tall on its own merits. Matter of fact, the entire project shines so bright that you find yourself thinking ... The last time I heard something this good it was from a well established star. Thus the inexplicable need to draw comparisons.

Well-established or not, Josie Dunne is a star. Catch her while shooting to the top and thank me for it later when you look like the cool music explorer than you are for telling all of your friends about Josie Dunne first.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grace Davies - Invisible [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Grace Davies shows us the impossible with this track. “Invisible’ is about all of those wounds and traumas we can’t see. The hurts and pains lurking in our heads and hearts that are impossible to see. Nevertheless, Davies has brought them all to the surface with her emotional performance.

The imagery of the video also does a great job of putting faces to the the emotions of this well-written song. This is the kind of track that change peoples minds and also make us feel as if we are not alone in our struggles, but none of that comes with a sacrifice on the artistry of the performance. This is not a preachy kind of song but one that we can all experience. Have experienced. We just didn’t know how to put the feelings into words.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Peri El - Slow Down [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track is all about the vocals. Peri El does a masterful job with pace and tempo and allowing the emotion to develop. There are moments of power and wonder, but the track is strongest for me in its quieter moments.

Toeing a line between a classic Adult Contemporary sound, and a more Commercial/Jazz vibe, the track changes when it hits the bridge. That interlude is brief, but works very well to give a unique spin on the track and keep the piece feeling solidly contemporary.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

NEO NOIR x AIMEE - Jezebel [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This track is one of these songs that feels like therapy for the artist that wrote it. The thing is, when a songwriter and performer puts this much into a track, it often turns out to be therapeutic for the rest of us as well.

The song is wryly humorous, in its directness, and the vocals bring a pure Pop rhythm that is easy to become engrossed in and sing along with. The chorus is catchy and fun, and overall the song offers one big FU to the narcissistic assholes we have all known. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Madison Beer - Good In Goodbye [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The track offers a few surprises early on, both in the sound and the imagery of the video, but at its heart, we have a pure Pop vibe with a cleverly written set of lyrics and an engaging sound. The chorus in particular is catchy and twisty and will have you singing along once you hear it.

Madison Beer delivers an alluring and talented performance that pulls you in and keeps you both listening and watching from the very beginning.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Hello Ocean - Whatever You Wanted [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track has an old school Adult Contemporary/ Country feel in the vein of Linda Ronstadt. The vocals are heartfelt and emotional and I could feel every last word. Lyrically, the single is delivered from the viewpoint of a forsaken lover who is not quite ready for the relationship to be over. ‘Whatever You Wanted’ is less about desperation, and more about hope. The plea of the heartbroken lover is soft and touching and explores a situation most of us have found ourselves in at some point.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Will Callan - Out Of My Life [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Will Callan is talented beyond his years ,both in vocal capacity, and in the layers to his songwriting. At only 16, Callan is creating and producing music from his bedroom that rivals that of heavily funded labels. This particular single is an energetic ode to moving on even when a big part of you doesn’t want to. That is a hard concept to grasp at any age as our hearts often overrule our minds.

Here, there is enough of a youthful spirit to keep the track this side of melancholy, but enough depth to make it a single you can listen to over and over again. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

MIDØS - When Will I Learn [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“MIDØS offers a sobering wake up call with, ‘When Will I Learn.’

Breaking free of a toxic relationship is tough, and it often takes a catastrophic event for us to see through the “blindness” that love can instill in us all.

This track is a Pop/Disco blend that sends listeners on an up and down roller coaster of just such a volatile relationship. The tempo is upbeat and urgent, and the lyrics poignant enough to have resonance for all of us, whether we have been there or not. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

wrs - why [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track delivers an exotic, almost dangerous vibe that instills an eager anticipation as you listen. Beneath that is a melancholy undertone that adds yet another layer to the single. Matter of fact, layered is the best way to describe this single from wrs.

The production brings different elements over the top of a steady beat and the various embellishments all add to the emotion of the track. Lyrically, ‘why’ deals with a love, or at least infatuation gone bad.

The imagery of the video brings all of this alive with vivid, understated imagery.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Vana Blu - Scarred [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track has a bit of a Retro feel with hints of George Michael, and even Prince, in the in vocal delivery. And yet, it also feels very contemporary in the musical arrangement and vibe.

A single that is easy to focus on so the lyrics really shine and come to life. We have all been ‘Scarred’ in one way or another and this track makes no bones about the scars, but it also lets us know that those scars are a part of who we are so it is important to acknowledge them and build a better tomorrow as a result.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rosemary Joaquin - "A Little More" [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The emotion of this track is delivered in slow, low-pitched vocals that feel earnest, and raw, and vulnerable in a starving for more kind of way. This makes sense given the title of the track is ‘A Little More,’ and the emotion is understandable as well, because in every new relationship or crush situation, we all want just a little bit more than we have. This track deals with that insatiable desire in a methodical yet entertaining way.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)