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)

Cobi - Don't Stop [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The soft piano melody invites you in, Cobi’s delicate yet emotive vocals makes you want to stay. Lyrically, this track will no doubt hold different meanings for different people, because this is that kind of artful songwriting that can deliver both intimacy and broad relevance.

’Don’t Stop” transcends genre, by falling into the power ballad spectrum of simply good music that speaks to a wide array of listener.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Caspa - No Friends [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Caspa drops his latest single, ‘No Friends,’ a track that is all about mood and vibe. The 21 year old hails from the Bahamas, and there is a laid back island feel to the flow, but lyrically, the track has a heavier truth about the fakeness that is so pervasive in this world. The vocals are delivered with a steady deliverance, and the emotion comes through without the production side of the track getting in the way of the rawness.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Joshua Wood Orchestra - Surrender [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track took a little bit to find its legs for me, but once the vocals really got going I was hooked in and enamored by the sound. The tone is unique, with a splash of Dylan and a bit more of Orbison going on vocally, with a Springsteen kind of vibe to the overall arrangement as well.

Lyrically, the track is more repetitive than perhaps most of the music that sticks with me but here it all works as part of a mood and attitude.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kevin Brown - Shine! [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kevin Brown keeps it positive in the face of haters and fake friends. ‘Shine!’ is about keeping your light on bright, despite a world filled with those trying to push you back into the dark.

The production here is lively and energetic, and Brown’s attitude truly does shine through in his vocal flow. This track would make a nice addition to your motivational playlists.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Year of the Tiger - Hot Kiss [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Add this one to your summer time playlist!

Year of the Tiger delivers a classic rock vibe that hints of 80s’ sound, but still delivers a nice contemporary vibe.

’Hot Kiss’ is a song that you will be singing along to after the first chorus, and it is exactly the kid of single that has both a party vibe and a reflective nostalgia that you can dig in on while listening alone as well.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Alex Russell x Drama Relax - Power Trip [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“The lyrical progression of this track is its true strength with each line building from the one before it, until they stack up to an engaging hook.

Both sets of vocals deliver enough emotion to make the track come alive. Written about the power struggles that occurs in some relationships, this track hits with a realness to go with a production heavy style that works well on this single.”

— 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)

Jameel3DN x Morcia Monique - Friends [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The flow here falls somewhere between stream of conscious and a spoken word freestyle. Either way, the truth comes across and the vibe is heartfelt emotion. A man trying to be who is without shame or hiding in a world where everyone wants to dictate who you are supposed to be. The backing is soft and delicate and adds a bit of emotion but at the end of this day this is simply a guy telling you how he feels. And he does it with style and class and truth.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Amanda Raye - No One Knows [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Some tracks simply cannot be pigeonholed into a genre or even time. Amanda Raye has given us such a single with ‘No One Knows.’

The irony of the title aside, this is a track that truly is beyond genre or era. There are times I hear a 70’s Stevie Nicks vibe, others where a Country/Americana sound that hints at Miranda Lambert shines through. There is a bit of Lady Gaga and Ronstadt and a decided 2020 mood, but also a sprinkle of 1985.

Give it listen to discover this talented artist for yourself, and maybe then you will know what I mean.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kadeema - What Are We Not Saying Now? [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Has the spirit of political correctness swung to far? Have we as a society muzzled ourselves to the point that we can no longer freely speak our mind? That is the question ‘What Are We Not Saying Now?’ asks.

Kadeema drops this well-written and thought provoking single, but the philosophical side aside the track packs entertaining value as well. The vocal are engaging and varied and the beat and melody energetic and persuasive. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grace Weber - Sideways [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Grace Weber is a bad ass. A sultry vocalist, a talented songwriter, and a strong-willed soul willing to unflinchingly speak her mind. IF that doesn’t make a person a bad ass, I don’t know what does.

’Sideways’ is a slow tempo track about taking back your confidence and power. The track has a definite R&B groove and a soulful vibe but still has a bit of Pop sensibilities underneath all of that. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Glass Mansions - Faith [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Have ‘Faith.’
In yourself.
Your true self.

That is the message behind this track. Pure and simple.

Trust in yourself and you will be happier and have purer more true connections. In this day and age of false and fake narratives via social media, we all crave more of a human connection, and this track is about shaking off the fear of losing followers by revealing too much of your true self.

This hard charged rock anthem comes at your straight and direct and that is what the lyrics are advocating as well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Danny Bowens - Keep Breathing [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Danny Bowens reminds us to ‘Keep Breathing’ with his latest single. The track delivers a true Electro Pop vibe and sound, with a set of lyrics that hit much like the self affirmations we’ve all given ourselves from time to time ... Relax, you got this, keep breathing and you can get through this.

These are messages we have all uttered or thought as we struggled, and here they come with a nice production and vocal talent, making this track a perfect add to that motivational playlist.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Cinzia & The Eclipse - Don't Call Me Up [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track comes with a melancholic vibe that feels right for the honest and genuine emotion of the lyrics. Reaching that definitive end of a relationship is tough, because the feelings you once had linger still, but being fed up with the ways things have gone is powerful as well.

Cinzia & The Eclipse have tapped into those feelings and given us a track that makes you feel every word of their single, ‘Don’t Call Me Up.’”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Olivia Lunny - Bedsheets [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Olivia Lunny hooked me with the longing hope of her vocal performance here on this track. The lyrics bring a strong emotional connection right from the beginning, and the soft steady flow held my focus in rapt attention.

’Bedsheets’ is about time running out on what could be. The longing and earnest hope is tangible and heartbreaking and much of that comes from the stellar vocal performance Though the songwriting has its own undeniable allure. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Confetti - Elephant In The Room [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Confetti is fun. The band I mean, because unlike their namesake, this kind of Confetti requires no cleanup up after the party. Fun and light, ‘Elephant In The Room’ brings that carefree party vibe with an infectious hook and energy. Witty and sarcastic in the best possible ways, this is a track that will put a smile on your face no matter how many times you blast it. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Stileto - Cravin [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Stileto’s new single ‘Cravin’ is demanding. Its versatility allows this song to be placed on the soundtrack for your favorite movie or the intro to a suspenseful Hulu series. ‘Cravin’ is your desire to have and dominate something you have been wanting. It’s simple just close your eyes and imagine being intoxicated by seduction.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Mark Mendy x Conan Mac - Carbon [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The word play here is fantastic. Couple that with a good, energetic Electro Pop vibe, and talented vocals and the track contains every element it needs to stand out from the crowd. This is no ‘Carbon’ copy of something you’ve already heard.

Erasing the treads of those who have stepped on your heart and soul is tough, and this track plays with that idea in the form of a carbon footprint you just can’t escape.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Cian Ducrot - anyone but her [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Cian Ducrot. Commit the name to memory, because this is one Independent Artist poised to take off.

Fresh off his single, ‘Fucked Up All The Time’ which was more personal, Ducrot gives us “anyone but her.’ This single is just as emotional, but this time Ducrot has taken a story that a fan shared with him, a story that impacted his own emotions and with the character whispering in his ear, he sat and wrote this track to bring her experiences to others.

As in the case with the track about his life the writing is such that it speaks to a wider audience because it taps into the true depth of the human situation. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)