Elsewhere! - Overrated [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”

— Quote Source

“Elsewhere! has dropped the new single, “Overrated,’ which is an ironic title, because the song and talent are anything — but over rated.

Coming with a pure Indie Pop sound, the track has a bit of Bieber vibe vocally, and comes with a nice groove behind it that conjures comparisons to The 1975. This is an easy build to fall in and join if you feel like belting out the words along with the performance.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Hot Mondy - Pale Ember [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The best music is always timeless, and very often beyond easy genre classification. That is the case with Hot Monday’s single, ‘Pale Ember.’ There are Indie Rock elements, and Americana elements which combine to give the track a Springsteen sort of threadbare vibe as well as an emotional brand of regret that permeates the delivery and makes it all feel so real. The writing is emotionally stirring and the performance conveys the feelings in every line. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Woodward - What I'm In Need Of [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Rock and Roll ain’t dead!

Woodward brings some retro vibes with this contemporary Indie Rock track, but they do so without making the single feel dated in anyway.

’What I’m In Need Of’ is a hard-charged single that conjures forth bands like Foreigner, Van Halen, and Motley Crue, however, Woodward has their own modern spin and brand of sound. No fan of true rock and roll will be disappointed by this one.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Under the Rug - Raindrops [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The stripped down arrangement of ‘Raindrops’ helps set the mood and make the track feel alive in a soft and gentle kind of way. Much like a calming rainfall does wonders for your soul, this track just feels refreshing to your ears and mind.

Under The Rug adds a bit of an odd interlude to the end of the video and track, but even that brought a smile to this jaded reviewers face. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Painted Roses - Temptation [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The Painted Roses feel like a band you’ve heard before. Not in a copycat — everybody is doing it kind of way, but in that timeless Rock and Roll sound that makes them sound as if you’ve been listening to the band all your life.

‘Temptation’ is a brooding kind of track with a deliberate build that takes a few twists and turns along gthe way. Per the band’s description ... ‘song features three separate parts which are meant to guide the listener through an average panic attack in a day in the life of the songwriter.’

I am not sure I got that first listen through, but I was engaged and entertained and plan to dive back in and break this track down once I’ve added it to my playlists.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Evan Blair - Sleepwalker [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Watching someone you love suffer and twist in the wind is a tough experience. Evan Blair was in such a relationship, only he was the one stuck in a bad place and despite his efforts to shake off the doldrums he remained a ‘Sleepwalker’ despite their best efforts to pull him out.

This song is his Indie Rock ode to that time and experience. There is a bit of 90’s nostalgia, but the track still feels relevant and contemporary as well. Reminded me a great deal of Weezer, with feeling overtly derivative. ”

— Travis Erwin ~LA on Lock Blogger

Wavy Trees - Nobody Cares [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Indie Rock Bands and California go together like weed and ... well California. Wavy Trees offers up a sound and song that incorporates all of that and then some with ‘Nobody Cares.’

The irony is I do care about this song and this band. You should too because both are pretty damn good and we needs artists to keep the Rock and Roll spirit alive.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Gravity Circus - Shaky Little Dice Roll [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track from Gravity Circus gave me White Stripes vibes right from the start. WIth a bendy and brooding arrangement the build and progression offers a bit of funky Rock and Roll spirit, with a hardcore edge lurking there in the background. This is a hard track to to join in and sing along with by the second run through the chorus. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Satellite Station - For The Coast [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The Satellite Station offers up a haunting distant sound that perfectly convey the emotions of this track. ‘For The Coast’ is a melancholic ode reflection about starting over and finding the courage to venture out an reinvent yourself in some new and unexpected way. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Shedonist - I Don't Want You Anymore [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track hooked me with a few powerful phrases early on, though if I am honest the tempo and arrangement did feel odd to me at first. A jaded breakup song, this track has that sort of building anger and attitude that mirrors the way our minds works as we process and come to such decisions and once that fact hit me, the genius of this track truly came forward. The emotion carries the day along with the strong writing and in the end this track perfectly convey the mix of emotions. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Rightfield - Birthday Party [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Far too often our pasts are there to confront us. Be a memory or an actual sighting of the person that takes us back and leashes that floodgate. Here on this timeless track from Rightfield, the jolt arrives in the form of a ‘Birthday Party’ with the forced social awkwardness of encountering an ex for the first time.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

malleus incus stapes - Seven Year Storm [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“If a classic, prohibition era speakeasy had a sound, this track would be it. ‘Seven Year Storm’ is a bluesy, jazzy, Indie rock ride through hard times and an IDGAF attitude. This offering isn’t as commercial sounding as much of the music we feature on LA on Lock, but something about the spirit of the song spoke to me.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

DEVORA - Body Bag [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“For my money, the best Rock and Roll is born from anger and attitude. DEVORA offers up plenty of both in this ode to personal rage and frustration.

’Body Bag’ sounds like Sheryl Crow, if Sheryl Crow were pissed off and ready to start enacting revenge on all her enemies while teamed up with Rob Zombie to score the soundtrack. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kath Myers - According to the Law [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Kath Myers is a bit of an enigma. Launching her foray into the music business at thirty-one, she brings a different perspective to the her writing and ‘According to the Law’ deals with the emptiness and social stigma of dating someone considerable younger.

Written about a relationship she had with a person 15 years younger than herself, and with a view into a perspective not often represented in contemporary American music the song stands out in a unique way ... You were born too late / You’re just a baby / By the time you’re in your prime I’m gonna be an old lady / But I’m in my prime today so let’s do it anyway ... she sings over sparse piano, guitar, drums and a deep seated bass line that sit back and set a deceptively grand stage for Myers’ incredible vocals to shine with a sheen that belies her relative lack of experience behind a mic.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Julian Lamadrid - 15 Minutes [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Julian Lamadrid conjures up the style of Prince, the vibe of Timberlake, and the energy of Bruno here on on this track. ‘15 Minutes’ is an energetic Electro Pop joy ride with an artistic flair that is undeniable. This is a track you will be hearing a lot of this summer and beyond.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Opus Kink - Wild Bill [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Peaky Blinders meets Ray Wylie Hubbard. Chances are most of you have no idea who Ray Wylie Hubbard is but this track put me in mind of the Outlaw Texas songwriter.

Opus Kink hails from Brighton, England and this track has a gritty Cowboy PUnk/ British fusion vibe that simply works in a dark gritty way.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Riley Pearce - Night.Love.Sleep [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Riley Pearce taps into the human psyche with ease, both in the writing and the performance. Delivering a sound that lands somewhere between Springsteen and Coldplay, this Aussie evokes strong emotion with a slow, yet steady build that matches the tone of the lyrics step for step. Can’t wait to hear more from this artist. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Blume Hinges - Nobody's Daughter [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Passion goes a long way into making an artist’s vision come through in a way others can feel. That is the strength of ‘Nobody’s Daughter’ by Blume Hinges. The style is a little bit Punk, a little bit Indie Rock, with just a hint of Southern Rock and Americana in the mix. The writing is strong and the delivery meaningful in that raw, angsty way that works so well for tracks like this. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

EĐĐIE - Livia [Review]

“A hard-charging song about a girl named ‘Livia.’ On the surface you might wonder why you are supposed to care about Livia or her namesake song, but the energy here is palpable and the rock permeates a timeless vibe that feels both classic and contemporary instantly. A big bold track that hooks you and puts you right there yearning for Livia.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Caveat Empire - Company Man [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Rock and Roll has long been about taking a seething rage and distilling it down into a musical art form that the masses can sip from. True to that, Caveat Empire has created an elixir for the times with their single, ‘Company Man,’ a song of true anger and brewing rage. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)