Rhys - Thanks a lot now I can't smile [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Rhys was born in Portland but moved to Sweden when she was only ten years old. The influence of both American and Swedish Pop can be found in her sound and the tender emotion is palpable in every single line. This particular track reminded me of Pink a great deal but that is not to say Rhys doesn’t have her own unique spin and delivery. The writing is also strong and in it you can truly lose yourself into the world of the singer. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Yung Gravy - Steppin On The Beat [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Yung Gravy always brings the verve and energy and ‘Steppin On The Beats’ is no exception. Gravy hits me like a cross of Macklemore, and Timberlake because he has that goofy side yet still manages to come off as cool and engaging in an original way. The beat here grabs and holds you and you can’t help but smile and move along.

This track is simply pure fun.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Charlie Curtis-Beard - Anime & Chardonnay ft. Akintoye [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This collaboration between LA based Charlie Curtis-Beard and Akintoye, is a Tik Tok forged explosion of fun.

’Anime & Chardonnay’ sets the vibe right from the start, and the party continues from there. Riding an infectious groove and snappy hook the track has only one flaw — it’s too short. Give it a listen and you too can enjoy the ear candy of a raucous good time.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Belle Roscoe - Soho Shoes [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Sometimes as a curator and reviewer it is best to get out of the way and let the band tell you what they want you to know about their art. This is one of those times ...

From the band:

’We were inspired during London lockdown to film a music video. We wanted to capture the dystopian landscape we were all suddenly catapulted into and it felt like the perfect marriage for SOHO SHOES.

It was a “gorilla” style mission, 4am starts most mornings for about a month. No traffic, no pollution, not a person in sight...

We were arrested one time but it didn’t deter us. We were on a mission. It became an obsession going out every morning to discover London like never before. It also galvanised a creative outlet during a time when we couldn’t play music.

We were armed with an iphone, a gimbal and a dancing walrus.’”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Gregory Ackerman - All This Thinking [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Born and raised in LA, Gregory Ackerman delivers a timeless Indie Folk sound. “All This Thinking’ is rich in emotion and it wraps around you warming the soul like a nice heavy blanket. The groove and melody are easy to fall in on and the performance makes the song feel as if you are listening to an old friend’s advice. The guitar captured my and held me as tightly as the vocals.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Leeroy Stagger - More Love Than Money [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Leeroy Stagger sounds like what I imagine the Grateful Dead would be with Jason Isbell fronting them. ‘More Love Than Money’ is a groove and a mood, but the writing delivers more emotion than you’d expect from such a fun and light melody. A song that makes you want to shout amen as you sing along and feel every word.

Stagger is one voice I’d love to see perform in person as I have now featured a few tracks from the talented Canadian. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

JonPaul Wallace - Here We Go [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“JonPaul Wallace is all about energy and personality and that comes across in both this song and his bio. JonPaul, don’t call him plain old Jon, is having fun delivering ‘Here We Go’ and you will hav jsut as much fun listening. It is the kind of track that will lift you up, and propel you forward to take on whatever you face. That said, lyrically the track does a great job of motivation, but does not offer a lot in the way of deep insights beyond the infectious rhythm and energy.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

maticulous - Close Range (feat. Kev Brown & J Scienide) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Give it to maticulous — for creating this beat and producing the track in such a way to maximize the talents of Kev Brown and J Scienide.

’Close Range’ has that easy roll that put me in mind of Tupac, and the groove is one you can ride while cruising solo or chilling with your people. An easy rhythm and fall to flow into and feel as it unfurls pulling you along with it. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Andi - Money [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Andi infuses passion and attitude in every line of her performance of ‘Money.’ The keys add a brooding beat to this sultry track about the lure and dark side of money. The track has a clear message, but makes said point with a dark, siren-like tone and Electro Pop vibes so that the message does not feel like a warning or lecture as much as simply a statement of observance that the listener can take or leave as they see fit. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jack Blair - One for Me [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We all need to take time to do stuff simply for our own pleasure, and this track is an uplifting reminder of that. The chorus has a Mumford & Son vibe and the verses are a bit more lowkey, but overall the track is a clear pick me up and is the perfect add to your motivational playlists.

Jack Blair is clearly feeling the words he wrote and that comes out in this engaging performance. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Mike Taveira x Allie X - Sex for Breakfast [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The clever word play and use of overlapping lyrics really hooked me in early. Both voices do a great job of selling the sultry emotion and lyrical build keeping the listener leaning in from start to finish. The overall tempo makes you want to move in a nice sultry groove.

This a nice addition to that playlist you use when the lights go off and the action heats up.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Nic Darwin - Fit [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Nic Darwin wrote ‘Fit’ about the struggle of trying to fit in with the so-called norms when you are the kid others have labeled as weird. Of course we all know the creative and imaginative side that pushes people to the outside of society are the very same traits that make them creative artists. And once they find success there, then suddenly those who mocked the same attributes are their biggest fans. It is an odd dynamic and this track captures all of that very well. ”

— Quote Source

SANNIA - Sad Rich Girls [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“SANNIA describes her single ‘Sad Rich Girls’ as ‘ ... pure catfight energy.’ Using the Paris Hilton era of reality TV as inspiration, SANNIA calls out the superficial bullshit and manufactured drama others use to elevate themselves while stepping on the back and throats of those around them.

This track might feel like a niche type of message, but in reality everyone has been both guilty and a victim of the kind of behavior called out in this song.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Confetti - Emo [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Confetti gives us a track that speaks to the age when you are caught between the free spirit of your early 20s and the stage where responsibility and obligation leave you wondering when and why life went wrong. The lyrics are wryly poignant in their humor but they land with deliberate emotion as well. ‘Emo’ is that song that feels like it was written specifically for you when in fact, it delivers a near universal appeal. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Caroline Romano - Oddities and Prodigies [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Caroline Romano drops ‘Oddities and Prodigies’ on us, and the track is bound to remind some of Pink as it delivers the same brand of energetic talent that hooks and pulls you along. The vocal talent makes the track, but the writing is strong and the hook keeps the listener engaged. If I had any negative critique at all it, is that the track is short at two minutes and I was left wanting more. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Marian Hill - It Never Ends [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We have all found ourselves immersed in such a spectacular night that we hope ‘It Never Ends.’ Marian Hill gives us a track to capture that vibe and mindset. The vocal groove is soft and alluring and the build holds you tight. The video adds imagery making us questioning why those magical moments can’t last forever. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dawson Fuss - Free [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The journey to self-discovery is an important trek we all embark on at some point. Many of us spend out entire lives in that pursuit, and while this track highlights Dawson Fuss’s own search, it has a universal quality that speaks to all of us.

The vocals are engaging and emotive, and that holds the listener and keeps them leaning in and feeling every last word of this Electro Pop track. I was hooked one simple, yet complex word — ‘Free.’”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Rett Madison - Skeptic's Angels [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Rett Madison give us a tender and vulnerable track about losing touch with that faith and wonderment we all have as kids but lose as age and skepticism takes over. The need to believe in something remains leaving us all a bit disjointed at times and this track beautifully captures the emotional struggle of being a realist but also letting go and simply trusting in something or someone. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Toby Johnson - California [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Toby Johnson offers up a track revealing his daydreams and desires over getting out and exploring the world once again. Maybe he’ll find love and maybe he’ll simply find a warm stretch of beach under the brilliant sunshine, but either way ‘California’ is calling.

This track does a good job of capturing the wonderment of our fantasies as we all long to take off and explore the world once again. This is all the more true after a rough 18 months or so that has kept us all closer to home than we would like. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Mack Imagine - Frosted Flakes [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Most people travel to LA to pursue their dreams but Mack Imagine’s new single “Frosted Flakes” is about finding a new love. LA has so much to offer and despite it being so big you can really find happiness with it. Even if you start being there alone you can find someone to enjoy the experience with you. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Mack Imagine is a singer-songwriting pop duo based in Southern California formed in 2020. During the pandemic, Matthew Zeko (guitar, vocals) and Jack Brady (piano, vocals) decided to quit covering songs--and started to write their own. Reaching from their life experiences and musical influences, the two began to quickly create their own aesthetic through their vocals and guitar melody writing.