Sea Girls - Damage Done [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“If I am honest, the first couple of measures had me eager to dismiss this single, but then that line about freshman year hit my ears and I was hooked emotionally. The vocal performance held me tight from that moment on, and both the video and the melody tied it all together.

’Damage Done’ is songwriting done right, and this is a song that showcases the power music has us to pull us in and turn our hopes, fears, and memories a direction we were not expecting. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

JC Stewart - Have You Had Enough Wine? [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Bottle up a powerful performance, pour in well-written lyrics, and you come away with quite the tasty offering. But doing so is never easy so kudos to JC Stewart for stomping the grapes on this track.

Emotion pervades start to finish and you won’t need a snooty sommelier to verify what you already know ... this is a great song.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Bria Lee - Piece By Piece [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Emotional vocals and great songwriting make for great starting pieces toward the creation of something great. Add a smooth melody to the puzzle that fits perfectly and you are left with pure art.

’Piece By Piece” has assembled all of these pieces, as well as the intangible “IT” factor that makes you reach and turn up the volume when certain songs come on. There are no pieces missing to this instant classic. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mike Stocksdale - The Only One [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Love carries the power to make us all do things we might not otherwise.

Mike Stocksdale has captured that power in ‘The Only One’ and in doing so, gives us a straight-up rock song timeless in both the message and delivery. He isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but he is masterfully reminding us of the emotions that lurk inside us all.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grayson Ty - Back to Us [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Riding pure pop vibes, ‘Back To Us’ modernizes an 80s sound that at times feels like vintage Michael Jackson. But while his influences are clear, Grayson Ty’s talent stands out without relying too heavily on nostalgia.

This single is all about the emotion of trying to get back to that sweet spot in a relationship once it has hit the rocks.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jaclyn Manfredi - Parachute [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Parachute begins with a jump straight into a vintage, bad-girl rock sound, but then the chute opens and we glide into some good old funk. The contrast is wonderful, making this a single worth floating along for.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Damian Lynn - Wait [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Damian Lynn has given us a single that hooks you with an immediate urgency. And yet, the track also makes you ‘Wait’ just as the title suggests.

The melody does a masterful job of playing off the emotion of the lyrics and that pleading bridge arrives at the perfect time to add to the strong feelings of this one. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jenny Kern - Carousel [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Songwriting grabs the ring on this ride.

’Carousel’ circles around a tender guitar driven melody with emotional lyrics that bring out the feelings of being in an on-again/off-again relationship, and the hope each time that this ride will be the one that breaks that pattern.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Zenesoul- "Going Back" [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Zenesoul zaps the soul back into R&B and Neo-Soul with her new single “No Going Back””

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

The Graylings - Little Bird [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“The melody is dark and deep and before the first lyric is delivered, you already feel the emotions.

The metaphor of the “Little Bird’ is one that will hauntingly speak to anyone that has ever made a personal sacrifice in the name of love, only to eventually realize you clipped your own wings ... for all the wrong reasons.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Amy Loftus - Down The Line [Review]

“Amy Loftus takes us on a dreamy trip down the coast with her smooth vocals and twangy vibrations. With a perfect balance between acoustic and electric guitars, Loftus provides intimate lyrics with a bit of a rock edge.

There is no doubt that a song like this is perfect for a driving around with your hair billowing in the breeze, without a care in the world. ”

— B Giraldo (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jon Kerr - Gill's Bench [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes a simple melody is all that is needed to go along with a well-written song. Jon Kerr is not reinventing the wheel with Gill’s Bench, but he sure is spinning a good song.

The song unfolds like a sunny afternoon — warm and inviting, but as night falls, you are left wondering what tomorrow will bring.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kane Miller - All We Need [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“With a beautiful guitar melody and honest lyrics delivered from the heart, Kane Miller gvies us ‘All We Need’ with this single.

Music critics often have a lot to say, but at times there are no apt words. Only honest emotion. No need to wax poetically about a song that is best listened to, to be appreciated.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Grace Gaustad - Same Blood [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is a single that relies on the power of vocals, to do the emotional lifting. The melody is secondary to both the lyrics and the delivery in this piece, but the song does not suffer for that fact.

Heartfelt and true this one is for the lonely-hearted, the broken-hearted, and all of us that feel our music down deep.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Zoe Zobrist - Someday [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Comparisons to Kasey Musgraves will be inevitable because of the tonal quality when Zobrist hits that high register. However, ‘Someday’ comes with a different vibe and sound overall, and this single stands out for those qualities.

The writing is sharp, hooking me at the first verse, and the emotion of this song proves Zobrist has something to say rather than simply, something to sell.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

NIGHT TRAVELER - 1984 (Native) [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“This song put me back in a car traveling down a long dark stretch of highway. I could feel the grip of that steering wheel and the longing in my heart. The emotion is carried by strong vocals and the delicately beautiful instrumentation. Perhaps not every listener will have a shared experience, but the artfulness of a well-written song, performed flawlessly, gives you the chance to know how it feels just the same.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)