“JWADI doesn’t mess around jumping straight right into it on this Reggae heavy Alt Rock fusion. This song is a vibe. I fell in and felt it deep within me. With each subsequent listen I found new lyrical nuances to keep me coming back time and time again.”
“This track has a nostalgic feel by design. Inspired by the ever-changing vibe of their hometown, Nashville, Tennessee, The Criticals unleash a 90’s Indie Rock vibe that certainly differs from what people think about when they first think of Nashville.
The band has long been one of my favorites here at LA on Lock and again they continue to impress with a wide range of style and sound. Just like their hometown.”
“PICKLE JUICE was formed by a group of ski bums. A global collection of talents based in Canada, the band conjured up a timeless brand of Rock and Roll sound. “curbstomp’ is the kind of track that would have been a hit anytime over the last three decades so get in early and help start spreading the world about this fun and energetic band. ”
“Turmoil and strife seem to be the new normal in this increasingly divisive world. Music is a salve for many of us and this track fits the current mood of so many quite well. I’ll turn it over to the band PHWOAR and let them explain where their new single , ‘Waiting for the Sun,’ comes from.
”This is a song about resilience. It explores hope as a form of rebellion and learning to find strength in times of weakness. In the UK, January 20 (this song’s release date) is known as Blue Monday, which is supposedly the most depressing day of the year (coincidentally in 2025, it is also the day of the US presidential inauguration). Blue Monday was concocted to sell you stuff, using people’s mental health as an excuse to do so. This song is a reminder that mental health is not something to be made light of in order to sell holidays and stuff. It’s also a reminder to ourselves and anybody going through difficult times that the lowest ebb is never a constant. There’s always light after the darkness. Sometimes we’re just forced into waiting for the sun. x”
This song and its intent should resonate for many as we delve into an unpredictable era.”
“What I love about this track is its bold confidence. Gio takes chances with a performance that straddles the line between an Emo Alt Rock vibe and a Rap flow. The lyrical build is well rendered and the emotion comes through in genuine fashion.
That said this is a track that requires a bit of patience as the speedy delivery makes it tricky in parts to discern the lyrics and stay with the build in that regard. This is definitely one of those track that grows on you and means more with each subsequent listen. ”
“Lisa Heller utilizes her vocal talent and energy to unleash ‘U LIKE THAT.’ The track is about an ongoing relationship that both parties know isn’t going anywhere but hey fun is fun while it lasts and sometimes those urges take over our common sense.
The high energy track has a Commercial edge and is right at home in the Alt Pop landscape. ”
“Rock-n-Roll ain’t dead but damn is it hard to find these days. Old Man Jones is looking to remedy that with their latest album. ‘Never Wake Up’ is the second single from Shine Your Light.
Founded by John Amoriello, a founding member of the Heavy Metal band, From Nothing which disbanded after Covid. Old Man Jones is more straight up Rock & Roll and this single is a hard charging ride that stands out in the best of ways among the current musical landscape.”
“This track starts as a melancholic slow burn about the end of a relationship, but the build follows the same pattern most of us go through post breakup. So as the song build it shifts in tone to a more hopeful array of emotions.
Eastcliff does a great job of allowing the emotions to dictate the pace and build. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a journey and one well worth taking.”
“Jake Dillon has the ability to hook listeners with one or two words. This emotive delivery is a strength of his work though you can’t dismiss the writing which has that simple, yet poignant quality that hooks the audience with its relatability.
’Camp out at Wal-Mart’ is a song about the personal journey that is life and it drips with humanity in all the best ways. ”
“Two dudes from rural Tennessee wrote a Rock song called ‘Danish Eyes’ in LA, then went across the pond to record it in England. Yeah, you read that right and that’s the absolute beauty of Rock and Roll.
The Criticals are rock throwbacks ina way as they do things most pop stars and fame chasers are unwilling to do, and they do it to stay fresh and on the cutting edge. This isn’t a band that chases trends, but rather embraces who they are and works to create the best version of themselves on a constant basis.
If you’re not listening to The Criticals already, you should be!”
“Rebecca Haviland and Whiskey Heart have a sound that blends roots rock, soul, and Americana. Their latest release ‘Sins,’ is a powerful, grungy blues track that highlights Rebecca’s raw vocals and the band’s gritty, NYC-inspired sound.
There are plenty of things to like here and the talent is undeniable. The production dynamics could have left a more pleasing finish to the tone, but instead they leaned in on that raw grit a bit more than I would have liked and I do wish the song had stronger sense of build or escalation. That said, I would love to hear more music from this collection of talented performers.”
“Halo Kitsch has some fun calling out the fake hypocrisy of those who work so damn hard to be perfect. Perfect and predictable is a manufactured illusion fed these days by social media likes and follows. ‘BETWEEN YOUR TEETH’ is an ode to the real ones, the true friends that will tell you not what you want to hear, but what you NEED to hear.”
“Sometimes the painful truth is plain as day and yet we choose to ignore it. Vilhelm Buchaus is all about this dynamic on his new single, ‘My Mistake.’
The track has a 90’s Indie Rock vibe as it showcases a relationship that is doomed from the start even though he is diving in head first with the realization it won’t end well.”
“Richard Tyler Epperson taps into his personal history with the track, ‘All My LIfe.’
The talented songwriter has taken a song that his father first recorded as a, acoustic demo and put his own spin on it to create a link and legacy with his father. Motivated by the recent passing of his father, Epperson utilizes the emotion and meaning to give us a song that is personally meaningful to him that also has the ability to resonate with others in an impactful way.”
“Dax is a versatile artist adept at conveying emotion via a variety of genres, but you can always hear and feel the passion fueling his artistry.
’Lonely Dirt Road’ straddles that line between the Rock and the Nashville style of modern Pop Country. The delivery is deliberate and emotive. A few times I craved a touch less production on the vocal side because I have faith Dax could have delivered these emotional words straight up with quite so much production coloring the sound. That said, this is a track that is accessible to all and one easy to feel as much as you hear.”
“Lisa Heller is anything but a ‘Loser!!’ Though she sings that refrain with ease and kill. Delivery a Pop Punk brand of high-energy, Heller straddles the line of Pop Princess and Punk Girl Bad-Ass quite ably.
It’s hard to imagine her losing anything she wants to keep but this tracks has punch and you can’t help but believe in the performance and the artist.”
“Caroline Romano always delivers with a strong emotive performance and this latest single, ‘Pretty Boys,’ delivers on those expectations.
’Pretty Boys is my honest recount of heartbreak,’ Caroline shares. ‘It’s like reading straight from my diary—a dramatic story with a terribly disappointing ending. The song is a cautionary tale about the blurry line between friendship and something more. Just because you’ve kissed him doesn’t mean you should do it again, and just because he looks at you that way doesn’t mean you’re the only one.’
Romano knows how to tap into her own experiences and emotions to give listeners a full spectrum of artistry. ”
“The wordplay is cleverly and intelligently rendered on this Indie Rock gem from Richard Tyler Epperson. ‘Dream’ is an ode to taking care of you own mental space, the dance between reality and escapism because let’s face it we all need a break from all that life hits us with. But of course you can’t let the mind wander to far or you never really get where you want to go.”
“This track features a straightforward video, but the strength lies in its lyrics. JJ Wilde delivers a powerful and direct message about dealing with someone toxic. The alternative rock sound adds a burst of energy, making the song both playful and serious—a perfect blend of intensity and fun”
“Nadia Vaeh belts out this ode to living in the moment and taking nothing for granted. The hard guitar and her classic Rock style vocals are the earmarks of the track but ‘Rewind’ is also a deeply meaningful and personal song for Vaeh.
Written as a response to her mother’s death, Vaeh took her time to properly express the emotions and the result is a song that will resonate for many. ”