Zoe Brush - Ego [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“I like that this track came in with a piano beat reminiscent of Dolly Parton’s classic ‘9 to 5.’ Like that famous track, Zoe Brush’s single, ‘Ego’ delivers attitude and a pissed off, not going to take it quietly vibe that makes the song come alive.

Brush begins with a bit of anger before the chorus transitions into a soft and cheerful, SCREW YOU! The juxtaposition of styles and temperaments really caught me by surprise and made me smile. This is a fresh new spin on the women scorned cliched though rarely is the women this clever and talented.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Criticals - Under Your Nose [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The Criticals are a bad ass duo out of Nashville, but don;t let any preconceived ideas on the city’s musical heritage fool you. Few bands can bring that Rock attitude like these guys. ‘Under Your Nose’ is an energetic, attitude-fueled ode to that snow that comes in the little plastic baggies, and the women that it captivates.

A little Punk and a lot of Indie Rock vibe give this song its juice.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Claire London - Easy Does It [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Claire London has a vocal tone that feels both darkly theatrical and commercially alluring. This allows for a lot of diversity in sound and ‘Easy Does It’ utilizes this variation to keep you on the hook. Lyrically the track is about taking it easy on ourselves, though the writing is such that London stays on the right side of sentimentality. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

ZIKAI - Champagne For Breakfast [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“An Electro Pop track with one foot standing squarely in a classic R&B vibe, ‘Champagne For Breakfast’ offers a smooth sultry groove that hooks you from the the start.

ZIKAI is a rising Swedish star ready to explode internationally as well. Lyrically this track is about the easy rapport of a burgeoning love ... at least while the booze is flowing, but what happens the next morning?”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Neon Dreams - Sick of Feeling Useless [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Uplifting and energetic, ‘Sick of Feeling Useless’ is the new single from Halifax alt-pop duo Neon Dreams.

This is the kind of track that sweeps you up and carries you on the wave of bright sounds and clean vocals, but in order to achieve that, a track must also bring a lyrically relevance that connects for most of us. And this song certainly does that with a nice Pop vibe that gathers you in from the very first line. ”

— 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)

defbymisadventure - ender [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“It is not easy to create Instrumental Hip-Hop beats that can elevate and stand alone to speak by themselves. Irish ER doctor defbymisadventure has done so with ‘Ender.’ The hard beats and linear build grabbed me, pulled me in, and kept there start to finish. I could feel the intensity within the progression and for the writer in me the story of the track inspired definite imagery. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

KIA - Worth It [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“KIA gives a song of self-worth and affirmation. With soaring vocals that radiate strength and determination, but do not run from either emotion or vulnerability, KIA’s talent is worthy of diva status, though this track’s lyrics are almost anti-diva in nature.

This track is not about tiara’s and ivory pedestals for one, but rather an anthem to remind us all that we are indeed ‘Worth It.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Produkt x Rothstien - Supreme Wizards [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The writing here delivers authentic emotion and strong imagery. You can taste and feel the grit and scenes described in this track. The flow is steady and deliberate, but there is enough variation to bring home to message. The beat and production gets out of the way for the most part but adds enough layers to the track to help establish the mood and soul of this piece. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Flevans - Ten Feet Tall (feat. Laura Vane) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Flevans, along with Laura Vane, delivers the Funk on ‘Ten Feet Tall.” This single comes with an energy you can’t escape from ... not that you will want to, because this one is simply infectious.

Get up and move, or get down and groove, this is a song you can do either to. This is Funk the way it should be!”

— 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)

DAGNY - Somebody [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Nothing is quite as magical as falling in love, and while there are countless songs chronicling that very emotion, few have captured the spirit as well as DAGNY does with ‘Somebody.’

Fun and lively, this Electro Pop track drips with that carefree proclamation of happiness, and in that spirit the song comes alive. The vocal talent makes all of this possible and the production keeps pace with its own engaging sound.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Misty Boyce x Doe Paoro - The Clearing [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This Indie Rock song is absolutely meticulous. The vocal pairings are perfect, and the production spot on. From the backing to the melody, there are no missteps on this single. Lyrically the track is an emotionally heavy take on what comes next for our society in regards to the awakening of sexual assault and gender inequality. This is a thought provoking track that is also artistically captivating.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Miscellaneous Productions x Natasha Pheko - Refuge [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“I like the energy and spirit of this track, and those elements were what caught my attention first. This single would make a nice addition to your motivational playlists, no matter if you are headed to the gym or trying to rebuild a new life after a detour. The vocals are uplifting and the lyrics, while not complex, convey the message of hope and renewal and strength very well.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grace Davies - Amsterdam [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Offering a fresh contemporary spin on the classic song ‘Jolene,’ Grace Davis gives us this soaring and beautiful ode to jealousy.

Gliding along on the emotion, the song builds into a haunting ballad of fear and loss. The fact ‘Amsterdam’ is a place and not a person makes the helplessness of the situation feel all the more acute in that we realize how little control any of us have when it comes to the wants and desires of another person.

This is a song that makes you feel, makes you think, and makes you lose track of everything else around you. In other words, this is a great song.”

— 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)

Lorenzo Wood - More Than Friends [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Lorenzo Wood offers a track of hopeful promotion from the friend zone — to something more.

’More Than Friends’ is a soft Electro Pop track with a brief interlude of sultry saxophone to add to the musical layers and production. The emotion of the lyrics is real, and Wood’s performance is genuine as you can feel the plaintive hope in every word.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Customers - Lost The World [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“A rocking Blues number, that delivers a hard punch musically. The vocals lean to a spoken Blues style, but for me it was the hard edge of the music that kept me listening here. Something tells me this band is one that puts on a must see show on stage and I hope they venture down to Southern California so that I can see them live for myself.

Rock and Roll isn’t dead but it is hard to find and The Customers out of Oakland, California are hell bent to keep the sound alive and well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)