Da$Htone - "Someday" feat. Alma Cook & Ethan Butler [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“This is the very song we all need right now. As a stand alone single, ‘Someday’ would be a fun uplifting listen from a talented artist, but Da$Htone did not stop there. In a video that incorporates all of his community of greater Chicago, Da$Htone enlists the help of everyday folks and that took the spirit of this track to new heights.

The takeaway is a feel-good vibe and an engaging fun track that simply strikes the perfect tone right about now.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Dax - BLACK LIVES MATTER [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Dax is no stranger to LA on Lock, nor has ever been one to hold back or stay quiet. His take on what the world needs, ‘BLACK LIVE MATTER’ is a triumph of hope and truth.

Listen and feel these words. Listen and be part of the solution. Listen and demand more from your self, and from society.

Racism is ugly, music and compassion, and society that does not stand for bigotry are beautiful. Kudos for Dax on spreading beauty and love.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Eric Leon x TroyBoi -Lemme See [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Lemme see what you got. I heard your momma raised a Thot.”

Despite the choice of words this verse is catchy AF. Eric Leon x TroyBoi give us a new single that is full of energy. As you listen to the song the lyrics sound like he is saying the first thing that comes to his mind but putting a beat behind it, this is what makes the song so interesting”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Selli - Sober Kid [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Breaking up with someone you deeply care about, not because you want to, but because you have to, is a tough situation. Addiction ruins lives in so many ways and here on ‘Sober Kid,’ Selli details such a relationship. Along with the regret that comes after such a necessary act.

The imagery of the video is powerful, and the track itself shines brightest in its quieter, pensive moments. The writing is spot on, and though at times the autotune filters out some of the emotion, the overall performance remains quite gripping.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Theo Blue - The Same [Music Video Review]

Rate: 4 out of 5

“ With so many deaths to unarmed African Americans, Theo Blu is finding ways to bring awareness through music. The visual for ‘The Same’ starts out with a recap and leads into a poetic flow of awareness and empowerment. Shot in black and white to depict how the world should be but isn’t.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

An-G - BAAQ [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Let the coronation commence! An-G declares herself Queen in this, punch-you-in-the-mouth flow. Proclaiming to the world that she can do whatever the hell she wants, An-G is not shy on bluster be it with your man or otherwise. Brazen, and blazing, she ain’t talking trash, she is talking facts, at least in her mind.

Listen and scope out the video to judge for yourself if you think she can back up the swagger.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sarah Barrios - Mourn The Living [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Mourning is accepted when it comes to those who have passed on, but it often seems like we as society tell people to get over it and move on when they are mourning anything else but the dead.

With ‘Mourn The Living,’ Sarah Barrios gives is a heart-wrenching Pop ballad to the loss of relationships, friends, and even times gone by. The vocals deliver the sense of loss with a tender almost ragged emotion that hits hard.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Brooke Alexx - Stole My Heart - Acoustic [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Brooke Alexx steps away from a big Pop production with this raw emotional track. ‘Stole My Heart’ is a tender love ballad of heartache, hope, and fear.

Lyrically the song is about that one person that you can’t forget even though both of you have moved on, proving time and distance are sometimes not enough to repair the cracks true love leaves behind. Sometimes the journey is not what we expect and this tack captures that realization with grace and talent.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

N-Trigue Da Incredible- Way Out [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Everyday is a hustle. For most people their hustle consist of doing what they have to do to survive, They are driven with the ultimate goal of finding a way out. N-Trigue Da Incredible’s new single’ Way Out’ drops a hard beat with a smooth visual of cruising the streets telling the stories of life and the hustle”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Icarus Moth x Wit Blu - Perfect Outfit [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Make up sex! This track is the softest smoothest ode to angry smashing that you will ever hear.

The lyrical build is magic and the talented vocal performance oddly pop-like given the message being delivered. Somehow the mismatched combination is quite evocative and intriguing. But I suppose that is how love goes. Passion runs hot and cold, and is especially abrupt after making the corner after a big fight. So perhaps, this song has only captured that dynamic in perfect, musical bliss. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kiesza - Crave [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“There is a real 80’s vibe to this track, both in the sound and imagery of the video. Kiesza delivers the vocals with energy and a theatrical brand of emotion that works very well in the build toward the chorus.

’Crave’ is a song that just keeps rising and pulling you along until it explodes into a chorus that arrives with a smart satisfaction.

The video is simple in concept, but works well to keep you entertained and dialed in on the track.”

— 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)

Jaywop - Bill Bellamy [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes you just need something that sounds and feels different. Sometimes you need to smile and enjoy an offtrack bit of humor. Sometimes you need some Jaywop. None of that is to say that Jaywop is not seriously talented, because it takes true talent to create a track that sounds good and entertains in this way.

’Bill Bellamy’ is as clever as it is goofy and the vocal flow is as engaging as it is fun. Give it a listen to put a smile on your face.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

BabyJake - MadHappySad [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“BabyJake is showing all the emotions with ‘MadHappySad,’ and he’s doing it with a verve and style that hooks you in deep.

The 8-Bit video game inspired video is a nice visual touch that adds a layer of thought in that all-too-often we approach life as if it were a game. We are desperateness to hit that next stage that we go through the so-called steps to level-up. Often that is settling into a relationship and we know we are supposed to, but sometimes the person is right and wrong at the same time. Sometimes they are simply there because we feel like they are supposed to be, and in that sense the emotions are conflicting.

This track is about doing more with your life besides leveling-up in the expected ways.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Matt Lovell - Trouble [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Some songs simply come alive with the spirit behind them. it almost seems as if they take on a life of its own.

Let me introduce you to Matt Lovell and just such a song. “Nobody Cries Today’ is sassy and bluesy and groovy. Lyrically the track is about fighting your way through those tough dark times, by trying to stay positive and light. The writing is sharp and poignant with a wry bit of humor and sarcasm and it all comes alive.

The video adds more fun complete with a tinseled demon. Least I think that is what the dancing tinseled creature is supposed to be. Give it a watch. Give it a listen. This is one you won’t want to miss. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Dax - Joker [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Come here let me whisper something in your ear..... Dax’s new single ‘Joker’ is surely a musical delivery to your ears. He flips out on each verse with a crazy dynamic that is sure to grasp your attention when he rhymes. In a visual that attacks bullying he shows people regardless of appearance you shouldn’t judge because his talent goes beyond perception”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

12AM - Lost [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The raw, stripped bare vocal performance is palpable on this track. ‘Lost’ lays open the wound and emotion of missing the one that you love. Played over a piano melody, with vulnerable honest emotion, the track does not rely on embellishments or glossy production, but is simply the work of a talented songwriter openly pouring his heart out.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mustafa - Stay Alive [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“If Jack Johnson had grown up in an inner city, this is the track he would have written. Instead this tender , emotional track comes from Mustafa, a 23 year old songwriting poet who hails from Toronto’s Regent Park, an area that has seen its share of gun violence.

Mustafa was first moved to make music after losing several close friends to gun violence. He sings to the departed and to his hood. Even with his serene demeanor, the effect is riveting. Every part of the song is understated, from the single guitar to the subtle keys and the mere suggestion of percussion. The finger-picked acoustic notes wander along the scales without hurry, matching Mustafa’s breathy, soulful vocals perfectly as he goes from nostalgic, to hopeful, to profoundly sad.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Trinity Rose - Morning Text [Lyric Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Trinity Rose’s voice is the musical equivalent of that pretty girl next door. Sweet an innocent, but fully capable of breaking your heart if you are’t paying proper attention to her. And Rose’s latest single, ‘Morning Text’ feels exactly like that.

On the surface, that tantalizing R&B groove is smooth and mellow, but lyrically the track is a dagger to the heart of her enthralled morning messenger. The beauty of this track is in its simple complexity, and no, that is not an oxymoron.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jasmine Thompson - Love For The Lonely [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jasmine Thompson secured a record deal with Atlantic records at only 13 off the strength of her YouTube performances. Now 19, Thompson has only refined her talents that much more.

”Love For The Lonely’ is a powerful ballad about finding and maintaining love even when it is less scary to walk away or destroy the burgeoning relationship. The video adds to the emotion and isolated mindset giving the project a cohesive intimate vibe to go along with the powerful performance.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)