Fake Shark - Superstitious Thing [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is the song you will be singing the rest of the day. With a hook you can’t escape from and an energy that bites into the soul, ‘Superstitious Thing’ is a single with true allure. Add in a fantastic and farcical video and the track is all the more memorable.

There is a Robert Palmer, ‘Addicted To Love’ kind of draw here that can’t be denied. The imagery will bring a smile to your face and the rhythm will have you moving along. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

AFIKA - Guide Me Home Featuring TOTEM [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Music is a form of art and AFIKA is a true artist. He guides us into his new song ‘Guide Me Home’ with the vocals on Totem in a revelation of peace. For the lost souls who walk in the middle of nowhere not sure what direction to follow this will not only move your soul but save it with its lyricism”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Tireek, Lonely Leonard - Hold On [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes all any of us can do is ‘Hold On’ as we go through tough times. And sometimes you gotta hold on for years to get where you want to be.

Tireek and Lonely Leonard team up to give is a glimpse of their coming up through tough times, but finding the love and strength around them to help them hold on. Both flows are honest and engaging, and the beat production feels right for the emotions fueling the track”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Flawes - Look No Further (Lowlights Version) [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Flawes released an album titled Highlights not long ago, and now they are dropping a follow up EP aptly called Lowlights which includes four raw, stripped down versions of emotional tracks from that first album. ‘Look No Further’ is one of them, and here the vocal talent and songwriting shines through in the most bare vulnerable way. Most music is born in such a fashion and here you can feel that intimacy behind the track as we experience it in something close to it’s purest form.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Pocket Band - Just For You [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Straight up, low key rock song with a a hint of Reggae and a smooth pop groove to the chorus.

There is something decidedly West Cost feeling about this Chili Pepper-esque track. An easy groove to fall into and ride out makes this a track you could roll down the highway with or hang out with friends beer in hand.

The current times makes the latter feel especially nostalgic but tracks like this make me feel like we will get back to those days soon. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Dror - "Bloodline" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Dror drops this noir-esque track that puts his unique tone to great use. This is very much a storytelling song and the video advances the narrative quite well. Think Bonnie and Clyde, meets a modern Ride or Die vibe with the allure of a pop song and the emotion of classic R&B. You can taste the energy in every vivid word of this track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club (Acoustic Video) [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A magic club where everyone can freely be themselves without fear of judgment? That is what Chappell Roan has given us here with ‘Pink Pony Club,’ a heart-rendering vocal ballad about acceptance. The piano melody and Roan’s vocals invite you in and the tender songwriting holds you, leaving you eager to discover what’s next in this song of both hope and sadness. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lilla Vargen - Love You Twice [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Reconciliation is a tough thing to achieve after the trusses of trust have been burnt and both parties have walked away from that burning bridge. There has perhaps never been a more beautiful song written about that very thing than ‘Love You Twice.’.

The emotion of rekindling the promise of love is a tough to capture because it us so nuanced. Not only did Lilla Vargen capture that, but she did so with an undeniable hook that speaks even to a hard-heartened man like me, who would never for a second consider turning toward the ex in my own life.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

NIIVA - Love Games [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 .5 out of 5

“NIIVA starts ‘Love Games’ with a soft vulnerability that is alluring yet somehow leaves you wary at the same time. Not wary of the talent, but rather of what she drop next lyrically. The track keeps you on your toes and offers a few different vibes and arrangement all of which are seamlessly transitioned so that you are never left with emotional whiplash. Coy and talent I have the feeling the very talented NIIVA holds her own in any games she plays.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Crash -Homeless In LA [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“In a world where so many people are homeless or have experienced a time where they slept on the street, in a car, or been so broke they ate a $2 fast food meal. One of the leading cities for the homeless is LA. Artist Crash’s new single ‘Homeless In LA’ tells his story of having somewhere to go but really not having anywhere to go but the streets of LA.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Very Very - Daydreams [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The melody here brings a dreamy lullaby type of vibe though the lyrics offer a darker feel though the light tone covers up that fact if you are not truly paying attention to the words. The video too has elements of both dark and light and hints at the blackness with a wry bit of humor for those of us with sadistic streak. This is a surprisingly complex song and video if you care to take the deep dive, but the track works as an engaging bit of entertainment if you only want to splash in the shallow end of the emotional pool.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

YP GottiGang x Ju$tin Gray - Pretty Pretty [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Some tracks capture you in their beat progression and pull you effortlessly along for the duration. ‘Pretty Pretty’ is such a song and while lyrically there are few surprises, the words are engaging enough that you are compelled to join in and sing along.

Delivering a bit of verve and attitude, YP GottiGang and Ju$tin Gray leave us with a track at home in the car with windows down, in the the club, or on that playlist for your girl.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

MADic - Trump Check [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track drops a comical flow on the whole lock down, quarantine, Covid mindset. From blowing your stimulus wad on a one big joint, to Tiger King references, this one hits many notes of our time of self containment, but it does so with a wry smile and a thumping beat.

MADic obviously blew off some much needed steam by writing, recording, mix and mastering this one over a short 72 hour time-frame while stuck in confinement in NYC. His diverse talents show up throughout, and the video is a entertaining as well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mikano -Fuego [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“What do you have to lose? Shxt according to Mikano”

” In a Men In Black meets Dead President visual, Mikano gives us a paced flow in the first verse then a strong flow comes in. As the guys are seen jumping around and having fun in an empty deck the song may sound simple but it is catchy. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Kelsy Karter - "Devil On My Shoulder" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track is a seductress. I didn’t really want to give in to it’s devilish charms, but Kelsy Karter gives a varied performance that is hard not to fall for, and the imagery of the video is fun and gripping as well.

Karter lives up to her unpredictable reputation with this track and the energy is undeniable. Give it a listen and be careful lest you to find a ‘Devil On My Shoulder.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Picture This - "Troublemaker" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There are some tracks that just grab you and refuse to let you go. Picture This has given us one of those infectious singles with ‘Troublemaker.’

There is a campy quality to the video that grips you in the same way as a classic comedy that you don’t want to laugh and get drawn into, but then you find yourself quoting lines from that very flick years later. Here, the allure goes beyond the video, and this is a set of lyrics you will find yourself singing along to later as well. Don’t fight it, just give in and enjoy this unadulterated fun.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

S.G Goodman - Red Bird Morning [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Writing up a personal narrative, and tying it to something more so that it feels personally relevant for others is not easy chore, but S.G. Goodman has done so with ‘Red Bird Morning.’ Written about her time at the Standing Rock Protest the track feels both personally evocative, and intimately inviting. Like an old friend opening the screen door with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, and asking you in for a cup. The vocals are soft and yet ragged at the edges, and in them, is empathy, emotion and a knowledge you can’t help but crave more of. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

FLYNN - One of Us [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The story behind FLYNN’s new single, ‘One of Us’ is not a new tale in that a dreamer leaves behind his family in friends in pursuit of something more only to miss the things that shaped them. However, Flynn’s incredible talents do make this a unique listening experience. From emotionally laden lyrics to the complexities of his voice, FLYNN uses all he has to give us a rich experience of coming back home. OF feeling that connection to not only who we once were but what made us who we now are as well.

The video was shot in various Dublin locations and showcases an ease that also comes through int he song itself. An ease of having gone out and grown as a person and artists and an ease that there is no true need to run from the past because you can go chase dreams, and still be in tough with the pierces of your past that make you ‘One of Us.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Stellar Ash - Watch Me Go [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Straight up Rock and Roll that comes at you with attitude and something to say. This track is well-written and the performance engaging. The single stood out for me not only for the talent behind it, but the sheer fact it did not go out of its way to replicate a sound that came before it. Far too often modern Rock music is heavily reliant on the ghosts of the past, but here I got the sense that Stellar Ash simply were expressing themselves as they saw fit. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Carmanah - Best Interests [Music Video Review]

“This track has a groovy little beat and melody that pools and mingles with your soul like cool water on a hot summer day. This soothing quality is not like a calm tranquility, but rather an infusion you didn’t even know you needed so badly.

But rather than trying to describe how the song came about and its meaning I am going to leave that to the band itself and defer to the words of lead singer Laura Mitic ... ‘People are living in a state of nature deprivation, whether conscious or not. The song tells of someone swooping in and pulling their person out of a city and running with them to the coastline. It is intended to be slightly satirical, but there’s a hint of seriousness as well since the song touches on mental health and the state of the world we live in: over consuming, lusty for capitalist greed and concrete (in the literal sense).”

On the timeliness of the track she adds, ‘We are all being encouraged to consider the health of “us” as a community, rather than “us” as an individual. Now is the time to push selfishness aside and have each other’s best interests in mind. Now is the time to be caring for each other and to learn from this experience so we can move forward with our collective planet’s best interests in mind as well.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)