The Mayblues - Modern Nocturne [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This track delivers that smooth, almost snakelike Alternative Rock rhythm that Nirvana made famous. here that vocal style comes slithering in over the top of a bluesy beat.

Lyrically, the song details a doomed relationship that was meant to be casual, in the friends with benefits kind of way, but those situations never last long, because invariably one party catches THE FEELS. And we all know once the feels come out, there will soon be a cosmic train wreck that derails what was only meant to be a steady hook up.

Call it commentary of today’s dating world if you must. But what matters here is the single has genuine heart and emotion along with a talented retro vibe. Check out this rock solid single from The Mayblues. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grand Am - Five Days A Week And Twice On Sunday [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Inspired by a storytelling acquaintance in New Orleans, ‘Five Days A Week and Twice on Sunday’ is a bluesy Alternative Rock single about the power and definitive feelings love inspires in us all. The track captures the desperate need and want quite well all with a soulful groove that shines through the beat and melody.

Grand Am has given a track that pulls you in and hooks you with both emotion, and a hint of funk behind their Rock and Roll sound. ”

— 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)

COUNTERFEIT. - 11:44 [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jumping right in with the opening line ... ‘Raise your middle finger, gotta let them know,’ COUNTERFEIT. wastes no time bringing energy and passion to their latest single ‘11:44.’

The track came to me labeled as Indie Rock, but in a lot of ways it feels more Punk to me than anything else. The lyrics are calling for change and engagement with the world around us. This is a rocking political track full of energy and solid writing. A high-energy song urging action.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

MoCity Jones - Won't Be Long [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“If you are thirsty for some old school sound, with a modern spin — then MoCity Jones has you covered.

The lyrics are sharp and relevant. The flow definitely has an old soul to it, both in that it shows the influences of the past, and that brings a hint that Soul sound, especially during the chorus.

The track builds in tempo and emotional impact and I can see myself putting this on more than one playlist and listening to it for years to come. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Beecher's Fault - Head On [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Like the title suggests, ‘Head On’ is a track that straight up faces what it is attempting to say, and expresses the emotions at hand without much subterfuge.

Smooth, soft vocals, that carry a hint of Folk in the tone, deliver an uplifting and encouraging set of lyrics that are affirmative and entertaining at the same time. The melody is not complex , and overall the song brings gentle, but meaningful message that is easy to connect and stay focused upon.”

— 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)

EDES - Back To You [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Do you believe in connection? Or sometimes you may wonder how you and a friend or relative may have lost touch? ‘Back to You’ is the debut single from Norwegian producer/singer Edes.; with a nice laid back melody he tells how time and time again he tries to start over but leaves back to you”

— Kreadiv Kesh (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)

Murphy's Law - Cypher [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This isnt a BET Cypher but the flow would take the audience by storm if giving the chance. What started out as a creepy melody ended up to be a smooth lyrical Cypher by Murphy’s Law. Even when he started to speed up after the 2 mark he still gave us the smooth tempo throughout the whole track”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Jordana - Signs [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track brings an oddly mesmerizing mix of sounds and emotions. There is an almost, Napoleon Dynamite quality in the synthesized do-it-yourself vibe to the initial melody and beat. And yet, the whole thing also delivers a sophisticated set of vocals and complexity that comes out in layers. The lyrics are well-written and the production decisions are both compelling and befuddlingly perfect.

This single is hard to categorize, but perhaps Bedroom Pop is the best choice.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Soulllfoo x Ed Summers - Love to Love [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A soulful groove leads this track off before the main vocal flow drops in with a steady back beat and smooth roll. The performance feels both intimate and aggressive in a way that is tough to pull off. There is confidence in the delivery as well as an urgent need to make things work. That dynamic makes this an intriguing track and the production and beat keep you on the hook with an undeniable energy that will makes you want to move to the beat. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

4ndreas - Good Times Ain't Cheap (prod. 4ndreas) [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The stark truth always hits hard, and ‘Good Times Ain’t Cheap’ delivers nothing but the truth. An emotional track that brings out the feels for what once was, what might have been, and what could be ... this is the kind of song that puts water on flaming bridges and leads us back to those we love and care about the most. The writing is sharp, and poignant, and the delivery allows us to feel these words to our core. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

social links:
instagram.com/4ndreas
twitter.com/4ndreas_ny

Dėnz x Hanz x YNG Milly - Dial [ Review]

Rating 4 out of 5

“Do you hate prank calls? Are you tired of playing games? ‘Dial’ is not just a song but a story among different artists. They tell us their situations with their significant other and how some relationships are a thing of the past. After all the calls there’s still the dial tone at the end. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

American Authors - Microphone [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A high energy track with a hint of Latin influence in the beat and melody, and a big bold Pop sound vocally. This track will get you moving and comes with lyrics that encourage you to join in and sing along. The easy groove to find and settle in on this track just feels like fun.

A party anthem that is no doubt a big hit when played live. Check out the band’s coming tour dates to have that experience for yourself.”

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Jan 21- Atlanta Terminal West At King Plow Arts Center, Atlanta, GA
Jan 27-Houston Warehouse Live, Houston, TX
Feb 4- Anaheim House Of Blues, Anaheim, CA
Feb 8 - Seattle Showbox Theatre, Seattle, WA
Feb 9 - Boise Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
Feb 18 - Chicago Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL
Feb 19- Nashville Basement East, Nashville, TN
Feb 21 - Columbus Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH
Feb 22- Akron Goodyear Theater, Akron, OH
Feb 23- Pontiac Crofoot Ballroom, Pontiac, MI
”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Anthony Sceam - Louder (ft. ATARII) [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There are a lot of tracks out there claiming to be bangers, but not a one holds an edge on ‘Louder’ when it comes to being a true banger. The team of Anthony Sceam and Atarii deliver Hip-Hop influenced vocals over the top of a thumping production that rises into a series of sick drops.

This is a track to test your speakers and the energy of your party, because if this doesn’t get everyone pumped you need a new crew to hang with. Trap, EDM, Hip-Hop, Bass House. This single is truly a blend of styles and in this case Frankenstein is no monster, but rather a banging bad ass.”

— 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)

Tia Carys - Figure Me Out [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Mesmerized.

That’s how Tia Carys left me from the outset. There is something about her vocals and confident demeanor in the video that hooked me instantly.

The vocal flow varied from almost a freestyle kind of feel, to a deliberate pop production, but through it all the lyrics pop and the attitude prevails.

Dropping the challenge is there right in the title, ‘Figure Me Out,’ but I am not sure I met that declaration because Carys is still a bit of mystery for me. That said, I did figure out that this is a track that I want to hear over and over again. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

SLIM MUCHO - YELLOWSTONE MEMOIRS [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“A chill rap vibe that brings truth and emotion through strong writing and observation of the world we live in. Short and sweet and to the point, the track falls in the stream of conscious type of delivery, which works well here because of a talented vocal tone and the passionate delivery.

I did find myself wishing there was more as it ended a bit abruptly but on the other hand it is every artist’s job to leave us wanting more. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Dylan Rockoff - Out Of Season [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Dylan Rockoff is a talented singer/songwriter that we have featured here on LA on Lock before. Smooth emotional vocals deliver this track about the reflection of a past love that did not last. The emotion of the track captures the mixed bag of feelings that comes with a mix of fond memories and the fact things came to an end.

Falling between a soft Pop ballad and a stripped down coffee house vibe ‘Out of Season,’ is a highly relatable single that tugs all the right strings.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)