Rett Madison - Shame is a River [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Rett Madison has invited you deep into her psyche and personal vault of memories and emotions. Invite really isn’t a strong enough word, as she has more welcomed you with open arms thanks to her immense talent. The lyrics wrap around you tight and her emotive vocal performance offers the same level of warmth and understanding. All of that is possible because through sheer honest sharing, she has giving us a track with a strong relevance for us all. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sam Calver - River [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A beautiful contemporary track about the pure and immediate love of a father for his new born son.

Sam Calver delivers a varied and rich vocal performance to express the emotion of fatherhood. Lyrically, the track flows fluidly to bring forth the pride and wonder and hope of the moment quite well.”

— 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)

Digrasso - Make It Last [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Inspired by the unlikely source material of Mötley Crue’s track, ‘Wild Side,’ this big bright Electro Pop single comes alive instantly with its own bit of wildness.

Digrasso is a 24 year old POP/EDM music producer from Stockholm and on this track his talent shines through. ‘Make It Last’ simply feels like sunshine and energy and we all need a bit of that. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers - Never Thought [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Mel Bryant & the Mercy Makers comes with an attitude and edge that feels like both Punk, and Rock, and generational in all the best ways.

Per the band’s description ... ‘Never Thought’ is a quarter-life-crisis, a coming-of-age and a breakup song, squeezed into two, angsty minutes.

That definition fits, proving this band knows not only what they want to say, but also has the talent to achieve exactly that. ”

— 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)

Kieran Sid - Roll The Dice (Feat. Sam Jackson) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kieran Sid is more than ready to ‘Roll The Dice’ and with this single, he has bet on a winner. The track has a varied and unique sound that kept me at the table with every gambit. There is a vulnerability that is soft as the felt of your favorite craps table, but an energy that comes in with the chorus and feels like the pure adrenaline of hitting your roll on the Vegas strip.

How many dice references can I cram into one review? As many as it takes to get you to listen to this fantastic track.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sevi Ettinger - Dear Me [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Sevi Ettinger is a 17 year old singer songwriter from the United States now living in Shanghai. With vocal maturity beyond her years, Ettinger’s vocal talent may only be surpassed by her songwriting intuition. This track has a sophisticated Pop vibe without sacrificing the heart of the singer/songwriter sound.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

danny G - best friend [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A fun upbeat ode to the friendship side of love. danny G offers up a nice blend of vocal styles on this track, which is earmarked to help fellow musicians impacted by Covid-19 with all proceeds going to MusiCares.

So, consider downloading this one to add a fun energetic Pop style Hip-Hop track to your personal playlists, and to help musicians struggling through these tough times.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Infamous Mobb - "Like a Dream" (prod. by Havoc) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Infamous Mobb is back after a lengthy hiatus to give us a new single. ‘Like a Dream’ comes in with a laid-back, bluesy production from longtime collaborator, Havoc. That bit of grit sets the tone for the Mobb’s Big Twins, Ty Nitty, and Godfather Pt. III to spit their raw, realist bars about life as they know it in Queensbridge.

As the first single off their upcoming new album, ‘IM3,’ the track sets the bar high for Infamous Mobb’s return to the scene. The new album will include production from The Alchemist, DJ Muggs, Twiz The Beat Pro, DirtyDiggs, and more. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

David Redd - Say No More [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“David Redd brings a classic timeless Rock sound to his latest single, ‘Say No More.’ The art of songwriting is present in the lyrical structure of this track that conjures up thoughts of Springsteen, Isbell, Petty, and The Band.

Sitting somewhere between Rock and Americana this is a track that feels escapist somehow. A tune you would put on as you drive down a dark stretch of highway while trying to clear your mind or get away from something heavy and dark. There is enough emotional punch to make you feel but not so much that you can’t also feel free and alive as you listen.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Miles Morrison - Go Out (feat. Yo Gotti, Stunna Girl) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Hard beats, and in your face lyrics over a pure party vibe. That is what Miles Morrison gives you with ‘Go Out.’

Course nobody has been allowed to go out for a while now, but imagine the free for all that will come once it is safe to do so. This song’s vibe comes close to the hedonistic urges lurking inside us all right now. There is an old school raunchy side to this and combined with the beat and various vocals it all comes together just like the best of parties.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius - Easy Graces [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bringing a classic singer/songwriter vibe, Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius gives us this guitar driven track about loneliness amid a crowd. With lyrical nods to Dylan and Petty, the track has a hint of what can best be described as weed tranquility, but that is not to say there isn’t a deep meaning and takeaway.

The easy going vibe of ‘Easy Graces’ comes with a haunting quality that speaks to being misunderstood or worse unseen in a world that prizes itself on likes, shares and social engagement of all kinds.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mike Yorkz - Roaming [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“The emotion behind the writing is honest and real on this track, and the overall vibe shines through. I did find myself wishing for a bit less production on the vocal side and a more rawness to the vocal flow, but the tone shows clear talent and I was kept on the hook by the genuine feelings behind this track. The chorus avoided the pitfall of reaching for a gimmick and simply let the emotion behind the song play out.”

— 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)

Chuck the Show - Truly Happy [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is the happiest depressing song you will ever hear!

Chuck the Show drops some self deprecating humor in this smooth ode to the disappointment we all call life. This is the kind of track that will make you smile while you begrudgingly admit the truth behind the dark cloud of the lyrics.

Wryly funny in a Bloodhound Gang kind of way with more of a soulful R&B style groove to most of the vocal flow. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

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)