Moby Rich - friends* [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Alt-pop duo Moby Rich joined forces with the multi-platinumed talent, Bishop Briggs for a new single. In the case of ‘Friends*’ the asterisk is important, because sometimes those friends mean more to us than we are willing to let on. The longer you have been designated as friends, the harder it is to take the risk and let it be known you wish to be more.

I don’t think there is a person of dating age alive that has not found themselves in this scenario so the song hits home for us all. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Rad Trads - 99 in October [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Bringing a humorous take on a serious problem, The Rad Trads ask the tongue-in-cheek question ... What happens to that summer fling when global warming extends summer into perpetuity?

The track delivers a solid summer vibe and a wealth of sounds to the mix giving it a fun energy. And lyrically the single is sharp, but the heart of the premise is indeed a serious matter. The fact the band was able to toe the line and give us both is a testament to their talent and skill, both while performing, and creating. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kane Miller - Something New [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kane Miller is an artist we have featured before, and again he has given us a single that I am compelled to share. A song of hope and rebirth, ‘Something New’ delivers an energy that feels like the first bright rays of warm sunshine after a long chilly night. The hope is tangible in both the lyrics and performance, giving this track a light airy vibe of optimism that we can all feed off of.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Little Sister - Money, Jeans, Sex & Guns [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Little Sister delivers an almost timeless sound on ‘Money, Jeans, Sex, & Guns.’ This is a track that would be at home in any decade from the 80’s forward, but that is not to say it feels dated or retro, because it is just as fitting here in 2020.

There is a hint of Springsteen in the vocals, and a bit of The Killers in the sound as well. The melody offers as much emotion as the well-written lyrics.

Straight up low key rock and roll that speaks loudly. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

somegirlnamedanna - kitchen table [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“somegirlnamedanna is a mouthful, but this track establishes that same girl as a big force to be reckoned with so perhaps they two are perfectly matched. Emotion laid bare, such as this song gives us, speaks loudly far beyond the actual decimal level or style. The vocal tone of yearning vulnerability on the track only adds to the punch of this track.

’Kitchen Table’ is as true a song as you are likely to hear this year, or any other, and the homespun vibe of the video is the perfect accompaniment.”

— 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)

Fake Shark - Superstitious Thing [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is the song you will be singing the rest of the day. With a hook you can’t escape from and an energy that bites into the soul, ‘Superstitious Thing’ is a single with true allure. Add in a fantastic and farcical video and the track is all the more memorable.

There is a Robert Palmer, ‘Addicted To Love’ kind of draw here that can’t be denied. The imagery will bring a smile to your face and the rhythm will have you moving along. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Streetlight Shakers - The Story [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This upbeat, piano driven ballad is invigorating to the soul. ‘The Story’ highlights the fact that our stories each individually are never truly finished because each of our tales are interwoven with others and even once we are gone these interactions mean that threads of who and what we are carry on. The soaring chorus and vocals pull you along and the energy is truly palpable on the track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Girl Wilde - Alphabet Soup [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The aptly named, Girl Wilde truly delivers a wildness in the ragged vocal style of this new single, ‘Alphabet Soup.’

The raspy, almost pained sound to the early vocals will not land for everyone, but for me personally, the raw vulnerability and honesty of both the lyrics and performance were perfect and I was immediately dialed in.

This is the second track from Girl Wilde we have featured, and while the two brought different sounds, it is very clear this is a talented artist capable of delivering the needed emotion in diverse ways to engage and entertain. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Smokey Brights - I Love You But Damn [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Sometimes lyrics hit you with such honesty and earnest emotion that you are hooked immediately. Such was the case with “I Love You But Damn.’

Reminding me a bit of Springsteen and Americana band, American Aquarium, this tranquil songwriter’s track spoke to me every step of the way.

The road to a lasting relationship is tough for everyone, and when you add distance and messing that person to the mix the pitfalls are all the more harrowing. Smokey Brights delivers the feels on this track and I can’t wait to hear more.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kellie Rose - I'm fine [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kellie Rose engages with her vocals, which build and accelerate to pull you in and along as she sings about being fine when you actually are anything but.

’I’m Fine’ is what we say when we don’t really want to talk about our true thoughts and emotions, so it is ironic that it is through that phrase that Rose truly does express herself here. The energy of this track makes it stand out and worthy of notice. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Stevie wolf - Ink [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The honest genuine emotion of this track comes through immediately. Ink is a softly delivered ode to the scars we all bear, but to truly get a sense of the songs heart I defer to the artist ...

Stevie shares, “This song is kind of a mix between a love song and a fear song: afraid of falling in love, afraid of being too emotionally scarred for someone to love, thinking about the different kinds of marks and scars that we carry with us from the past. My ex was all tatted up, and it got me thinking about how maybe we’re all tattooed, but some of us on the inside. To me, this song was kind of written in an act of self-care and confession. Like I was in this relationship and carrying around these anxious thoughts in my head, and the song just came out in a flit of inspiration.”

The quiet guitar backing and the vocals style combine to be a tranquil elixir for the soul on this single.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lost Stars - All I Know [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is an engaging Electro Pop track about cutting ties to that on again/off again relationship.

Cutting that bind with someone who wants to be involved only when it is convenient to them is a tricky maneuver, because those people are often manipulative and skilled at their deception. This track is about finding strength, and perhaps it will speak loudly enough to others to give them the courage to finally break free, but even if you are not in this situation the single is lively and entertaining and delivers relevance to the modern dating world.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Pastis - Stars & Marmalade [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The early hook of the melody pulled me in on this track, and from that point on, I never lost focus. The single has an old soul vibe to its bones, though the flesh is clearly modern.

Our we made of ‘Stars & Marmalade?’ ... Who knows, but I am certain this Indie Rock track is made of talent and that this is a track that had true life for me. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Very Very - Daydreams [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The melody here brings a dreamy lullaby type of vibe though the lyrics offer a darker feel though the light tone covers up that fact if you are not truly paying attention to the words. The video too has elements of both dark and light and hints at the blackness with a wry bit of humor for those of us with sadistic streak. This is a surprisingly complex song and video if you care to take the deep dive, but the track works as an engaging bit of entertainment if you only want to splash in the shallow end of the emotional pool.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Picture This - "Troublemaker" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There are some tracks that just grab you and refuse to let you go. Picture This has given us one of those infectious singles with ‘Troublemaker.’

There is a campy quality to the video that grips you in the same way as a classic comedy that you don’t want to laugh and get drawn into, but then you find yourself quoting lines from that very flick years later. Here, the allure goes beyond the video, and this is a set of lyrics you will find yourself singing along to later as well. Don’t fight it, just give in and enjoy this unadulterated fun.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Luke Austin - Arrow [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Once upon a time, much of the mainstream music that came out of Nashville had genuine emotion behind it, but little by little that sound bled out to an over-saturated market of bro fueled party songs that said nothing and conjured even less emotionally. Luke Austin now calls Nashville home, but he hails from Toronto and here on this songwriter styled vibe, he brings exactly the emotion that once thrived in Music City.

I won’t call it country because the modern sound is as unpure as any genre these days, but this song is heavy on the emotion of love, and delivers steady unwavering vocals that some might feel fits what that genre once was. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Carmanah - Best Interests [Music Video Review]

“This track has a groovy little beat and melody that pools and mingles with your soul like cool water on a hot summer day. This soothing quality is not like a calm tranquility, but rather an infusion you didn’t even know you needed so badly.

But rather than trying to describe how the song came about and its meaning I am going to leave that to the band itself and defer to the words of lead singer Laura Mitic ... ‘People are living in a state of nature deprivation, whether conscious or not. The song tells of someone swooping in and pulling their person out of a city and running with them to the coastline. It is intended to be slightly satirical, but there’s a hint of seriousness as well since the song touches on mental health and the state of the world we live in: over consuming, lusty for capitalist greed and concrete (in the literal sense).”

On the timeliness of the track she adds, ‘We are all being encouraged to consider the health of “us” as a community, rather than “us” as an individual. Now is the time to push selfishness aside and have each other’s best interests in mind. Now is the time to be caring for each other and to learn from this experience so we can move forward with our collective planet’s best interests in mind as well.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Mowgli's - Vacation [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The Mowgli’s, who are fast becoming one of our favorite bands here at LA on Lock are back with another bit of ear candy. Smooth harmonies and an infectious beat keep the tempo upbeat and light in this ode to needing a ‘Vacation.’

Right now I think most of us are dreaming about getting away, or at least getting outside and this light airy bit of Indy Pop feels like a treat in its own right.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

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Leena Regan - Flowers [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Leena Regan captures the spirit and emotions of a runner quite well. I don’t mean a runner as in a jogger or marathoner, but rather a person that flees from others when things get to intense.

Yes, even these kind of runners haves emotions even if they run like hell from them. Don’t fall for a runner because they will bolt at the first sign of attachment.

’Flowers’ puts you inside that mindset and allows for some clarity to the motivation behind them, no matter which side of that spectrum you may be on. Delivering an Indie Pop sound, with engaging vocals and a nice commercial beat and production, this is a track that pulls you in and holds you there. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)