Estella Dawn - Wonderlust [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Estella Dawn is fed up with the added scrutiny women face. Too think? Too thick? To sensual. Not alluring enough? ‘Wonderlust’ is an intricately delivered revolt to the idea the opinions of others should get in the way of who you are and how you feel.

Dawn’s vocals are lush and rich and brimming with seething attitude, though you get the sense there is even more power lurking there should she need to call upon it. This track makes a statement for a talented young artist.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Makena - Time of My Life [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“On a track that will leaving you trying to decide if you should laugh, cry, or dance, Makena gives us a gamut of emotions.

’Time of My Life’ is an ode to growing up and finding your place in the world through tough times and good times and all the times in between. There is a pop element to the vocals that adds a lightness to what lyrically at times is a very dark song.

Showcasing a variety of vocal styles, the track also offers that hopeful feeling you get with the knowledge you are not alone in your hopes, fears, and struggles.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Maudlin - The Best Thing [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Dark and dirty best describes the mood here. A song of emotional reflection on the suffering that our hearts can put us through.

Two lonely dirty souls ... is part of a line from these well-written lyrics, and if you think of human lust and love in those terms, you will be smack dab in the mindset of this single.

Maudlin is raw and real in the telling of “The Best Thing.’”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

BabyJake - MadHappySad [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“BabyJake is showing all the emotions with ‘MadHappySad,’ and he’s doing it with a verve and style that hooks you in deep.

The 8-Bit video game inspired video is a nice visual touch that adds a layer of thought in that all-too-often we approach life as if it were a game. We are desperateness to hit that next stage that we go through the so-called steps to level-up. Often that is settling into a relationship and we know we are supposed to, but sometimes the person is right and wrong at the same time. Sometimes they are simply there because we feel like they are supposed to be, and in that sense the emotions are conflicting.

This track is about doing more with your life besides leveling-up in the expected ways.”

— 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)

Super Sthlm Bros. - CHEF [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Some songs are impossible not to move to. ‘CHEF’ from Super Sthlm Bros. is one of those songs. The energy is instant, and the vocals come in with that swagger and verve to finish the job of hooking you.

This all immersive groove is funky for damn sure, and if you can listen to this one without moving some part of your body then I gotta wonder, what happened to your soul?”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

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)