Kayla DiVenere - PSYCHOPATH [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is masterfully constructed track. LA’s Kayla DiVenere utilizes not only her vocal talent to instill a mood, but the arrangement plays a huge role in conveying the emotion and feeling behind the well-written lyrics.

Coming with a Commercial Pop Punk sound ‘PSYCHOPATH’ delivers an up and down tempo that matches the impact of the writing and keeps the listener guessing what will come next as they lean in and lose the world around them.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Doc Marky T x Myah Marie x MVP Mhad - Feelings [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We have all been burned by our ‘Feelings,’ and this track is a soft slow building track that makes us feel that rising tide of emotion once again.

The vocals are vulnerable and invite you in and the production gets out of the way while still instilling an added layer to to the mood of this smooth track. This is one to add to your playlist you go to when your heart is heavy and the world feels like it has the upper hand.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Sophie Powers x DE'WAYNE - Greed [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sophie Powers is pissed off, and she brings in DE’WAYNE to help her call out the ‘Greed’ of those who have left her in this state. Think of a angrier and edgier Gwen Stefani and you have a solid idea of of what Powers brings to the table.

This track is an anthem you can belt out when the world has backed you into a corner. Solid Alternative Rock with an edge and hint of Pop Punk/Hip-Hop fusion.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Sarah Gross - Amy [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sarah Gross joins a growing movement of talented women pouring their heart and soul out with Folk driven Americana. Currently, Brandi Carlilse is the name many associate with this sound, but Gross offers a softer vocal style that stands on its own. This track, like the rest of the EP is written about the New York town she grew up in and the rich slate of characters that Gross walked beside over the years.”

— Travis Erwin

Harper Starling - Cannot Tell A Lie [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Look out Pop World, Harper Starling is storming onto the scene with talented pipes and attitude aplenty.

’Cannot Tell A Lie’ is the kind of track that rallies the women fed up with men’s shit, and that makes it a power anthem of sorts, but as a man myself I too can appreciate the talent and energy behind both the performance and the writing.

A fun track that has a life all its own!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jaci Butler - Straight to the Bank [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jaci Butler comes straight at you with a flow that is more Punk Pop than Hip-Hop. The track grabs and holds you through the entre progression.

Get ready to party with this single that takes you ‘Straight to the Bank.’ I was reminded of Gwen Stefani for sure, but Butler brings enough verve and energy of her own to make this track stand out as more than a single inspired by the works of others. This is a fun party vibe and one that works quite well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kellen Joseph - Shade of Blue [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“LA artist, Kellen Joseph offers up this emotive and vulnerable Rock track dealing with grief. The emotive vocal talent brings to life the well-written track that instills the sense of loss and confusion when the entire world seems to be moving on and you are still stuck in that place of sorrow.

This track has just a hint of Hip-Hop vibe, but really is more in line with the Alternative Rock sound of the late 90s or early 2000’s.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Caroline Romano - Ireland in 2009 [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“An ode to gritty teenage romance, ‘Ireland in 2009’ is packed with soaring vocals, anthemic production and Caroline Romano’s signature unfiltered lyricism. “It’s a story of falling in love in car parks and waking up in your school clothes,” she says. “It’s about being far too young to know anything at all and the all-or-nothing emotions that come with juvenescence.”

For me the song simply has heart and emption and a genuine ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

MJ Wood - You Are [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“There is an old school feel on the fringe of MJ Wood’s latest single ‘You Are,’ and yet the song feels decidedly contemporary. I hear influences from the past from talented artists such as Phil Collins, but the track still is fresh and original as well, and that is a testament to the artistry and passion behind the song.

Written as a love song to his wife, the lyrics are heartfelt and genuine and that shines in every moment.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Anna Dellaria - Okay [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Finding your personal ‘Okay’ in the face of turmoil is never easy, but sometimes trying is all we can do, becasur hte ugly truth is .... not everything is magically made better by time, medicine, or anything else. Anna Dellaria captures this with a delicate and haunting beauty with her tender and talented vocal performance. The track lifts and soars and dips and dives as does our lives and this track feels much like the ride we call life.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Maximilian Thanksalot - Toe on the Trigger [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sneaky clever writing and attitude lift this track from Maximillian Thanksalot above the fray. ‘Toe on the Trigger’ is an in your face Pop Punk track that blends intense lyrics and hard guitar licks to create a vibe that carries the day.

This is the kind of track you have to give a few listens to pick up on everything being laud down but you won’t mind at all. A true mood setter. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

ROE x Ciaran Lavery - Destroyer [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“A dark brooding Indie Rock sound that hit me like Joan Jett fronting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The emotion is present in the delivery as well as the music, and the writing insures that you have little choice but fall in and feel this one start to finish.

ROE and Ciaran Lavery team to bring the track to life, and the combination works to perfection on this single.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Sarpa Salpa - Your House [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Coming to SXSW in March 2022, Sarpa Salpa is a British band that has one foot in the synth heavy sound of the 80s, and another firmly panted in the contemporary world of Indie Pop. ‘Your House’ has a nice Indietronica vibe to it even though lyrically the track is heavier and darker than the arrangement might first suggest. I liked this emotional juxtaposition and in it found my own groove to stay invested and connected for the entire build and duration.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

GEEK - Chicken Wing [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is one of those tracks I wanted to dismiss, but instead quickly found myself on the hook and moving along with the cadence and beat. This is pure ear worm type track that will stick with you even if you don’t want it to, but it is also the kind of song that gets people up on their feet and moving. The writing delivers some punches and the attitude of the performance carries those lines quite well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

ella jane - Calling Card [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“We’ve all been deceived and fooled by another person, and that treachery is even worse when you fall for that person in a romantic way. ella jane’s track is a tongue in cheek Pop ode to revenge on such people. The lyrics are sharp and witty and this song is sort of like Sheryl Crow as Dexter in musical form.

A fun ride with incredible talent to back it up!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Katelyn Tarver - Hurt Like That [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Katelyn Tarver is an accomplished singer/songwriter that deserves far more accolades than she has received thus far.

’Hurt Like That’ is yet another feather in her quiver of talented tracks and both the performance and the writing sparkle here. Give this track a listen, then take a deep dive into Tarver’s library and discover the wonders that awaits you.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Suitcase Souls - Nashville October [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Fans of Jason Isbell and Phoebe Bridgers, will find it easy to connect to Suitcase Souls and their new single, ‘Nashville October.’

Deferring to the band here is what they say of the track ... “‘Nashville October’ is the smoke smell in your jacket from last night’s backyard hang, the photos in your camera roll of a selfie that *barely* fit everyone, the feeling of letting go of a past season to grab hold of right now and living in the moment.”

The track does have that worn nostalgic feel that makes our memories both fuzzy and acute and in that the emotions is easy to find and feel. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock BLogger

Valley Boy - Disgusting [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Valley Boy stays true to the title and offers up a set of lyrics that might indeed be ‘Disgusting’ by the norms society puts on us all, but the writing and delivery are certainly honest and engaging and those two qualities go a very long way in making music feel alive and true.

The build and progression shifts and grows in intensity toward the end and this makes us feel the power of simple, declarative truths that we all hold secret for fear of being judged. In this, the song offers an understated brilliance.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

AJA - Better Off Without You [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Seventeen year old AJA comes with with emphatic energy and verve on the new track, “Better Off Without You.’ The attitude wins the day here in this ode to breaking free from toxic people.

AJA is a young talent but her age does not diminish the power or substance so keep an ye and an ear on this rising talent for years to come. And be sure to add this track to your playlists to call up anytime you are feeling fierce and determined to exorcise the idiots from your own life. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Morning Herald - Under The Roof [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The Morning Herald sounds more like something you’d read over coffee, rather than plug into your ears and listen to, but this Philly band delivers a dash of Chili Peppers roasted over an Arcade Fire served with a side of Tame Impala for inspiration.

’Under The Roof’ is the kind of Indie Rock song that feels timeless in its approach and sound, and the overall vibe drips with the savory juice of rock and roll. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger