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)

Molly Hammar - Alone [Review]

“With soaring vocals, Molly Hammar brings her latest single, ‘Alone’ to a big bold sound that sweeps you in as a listener — and holds you with the power and emotion.

Being alone can be tough, but being with the wrong person can be so much worse, and far more harmful in the long run. The overall vibe here is tough to pin to a traditional genre as it contains elements of Pop, R&B, and EDM and yet the the blend is very engaging and entertaining.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

CIAN DUCROT - FUCKED UP ALL THE TIME [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“The feeling that you are failing others is a hard one to take, but when you feel like you are failing yourself, that pain is all the worse. And sometimes you can’t escape one of those facts, without intensifying the other. This single by Cian Ducrot is all about the demands of expectations others put on you and balancing them with the things that make you happy.

The haunting and emotional vocals here are a huge part of the story, but lyrically this track emotes from the very beginning. And the imagery of the video, of one man trying to do it all, proves very effectual as well. This is a piece of music that will truly make you stop and think about your own direction. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

MOLI - So Jealous [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The envy of others via social media, and social stalking fueled by jealousy. These are the twin emotions MOLI calls upon in ‘So Jealous,’ and both come through in every word. At times the vocal flow has a ZZ Ward meets Elle King vibe, but at other times it feels more like a pure Pop refrain. Either way the track is quite entertaining and engaging. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

FAMES - what do i call u? [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Lyrically, ‘What Do I Call U’ is an emotional question poised to a former love, and the line about the word ex feeling wrong — ‘because it crosses out how important you were’ — is quite powerful and sums up the vibe of the song very well.

The song comes with a Pop vibe, but is as well-written as any track you are likely to find in any genre. Real and honest, the words and performance pulls you in and holds you there.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kat Hammock - Space [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The need for space from a person or place is something most of us have felt at one time or another. Here in the midst of this quarantine, that need is no doubt stronger than ever before as we all feel stuck in one way or another.

Here in this track, the sweet vocal vibe of Kat Hammock borders on a traditional singer/Songwriter vibe with a hint of Country and the combination pulls you in close to her heart. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Cam Pendley - Nothing Changes [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Cam Pendley takes a reflective look at his relationship history in this smooth soulful track. The emotion of his regrets and fears come through in both the performance and the songwriting and it is in this that the single finds it heart. The track has hints of an Electro Pop beat and melody with the vocal vibe of a singer/songwriter style.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Couchsleepers - All I Want [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“There is a fun funky groove to the melody here, and coupled with the engaging vocal flow, ‘All I Want’ is a quietly energetic track that delivers hints of Elton John and John Mayer. An engaging set of lyrics holds you with the genuine emotion of their words and the build and progression offers enough variation to keep you guessing. Though not so much ... that you can’t fall in line and sing along. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Bad Flamingo - Bad Apple [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“There is something dark and sinister growing here in this sound, but trust me when I say ‘Bad Apple’ is far from rotten. Coming with a melody that at times feels like it is straight from an old Spaghetti western, and at others feels like like a modern, emotional Pop ballad, Bad Flamingo pairs this unique musical vibe with vocals that feel both haunting, and alluring.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jared Minnix - Slow Down [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Quarantine submissions have been flooding my inbox and most fail to capture the true thoughts and feelings, but Jared Minnix has written one that truly captures the vibe of these troubling times.

Soft Pop vocals and a calm, yet energetic melody back these lyrics which feel true and genuine. No one can predict what’s coming next, but perhaps Minnix has created the soundtrack for these odd days where time has very little meaning.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Peaceful James - Sometimes I just Miss Her [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Blending a singer/songwriter vibe with an engaging Hip-Hop vibe, Peaceful James gives us a melancholy ode to lost love. A smooth chill flow tinged with sadness and emotion unfurls the lyrics of this track. The pain and suffering is there and this track is a bit like having a conversation with a heart-broken friend. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ryan Cassata - Catcher in the Rye [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Dylan, Guthrie, Petty, Isbell. Elements of these great songwriters, and others, come through in the vulnerable raw lyrics of Ryan Cassata. The melody too has been created to covey the inner thoughts of this talented artist.

Sure the masters of the craft have influenced Cassata, but I would be remiss not to proclaim the individuality as well. ‘Catcher in the Rye’ is a song about falling in love after a traumatic past filled with violent hate crimes and bullying in Cassata’s conservative hometown on Long Island. Cassatta explained more by saying ‘In this music video, I go back to my hometown (Bay Shore, NY) and visit some of the places that hurt me the most as a young queer/trans person.’

The video is bleak in the gray tones, but in the words there is a hope, a spirit that is part defiant and part relief, a sense of I’ve survived and now it is my time to thrive.

This recording was done live, without embellishments or retakes and this fact only adds to artistry as we listen to a true songwriter bare their soul. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Chris Milam - Meanwhile [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“This is a songwriter’s track through and through. The emotion is real and raw and while the vocal performance shows some breaks with a flat note or two, it is these same imperfections where the track shines with genuine emotion. This track about coping and dealing with loss and like that emotion the single often feels exposed and vulnerable. Because of this, you can truly connect with these well-written lyrics.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

UPSAHL - 12345SEX [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes it is best to defer to the artist when trying to talk about the origins of a song. And UPSAHL says it best when she wrote about her thoughts behind ‘12345SEX’ ... ‘fuck it, I’m going to make a song simply about being horny and living your best life with no apologies.’

Evocative and alluring, ‘12345SEX’ lures you like a siren’s song with its sexy beat and tantalizing vocals. This is pure hedonist Pop that works because it is sultry and seductive in all the best ways. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Katie Windt - Winter Moon [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Growing up in South Africa, Katie Windt had to adjust to harsh Canadian winters after moving to Calgary. That struggle helped fueled this track about relationships and how they can be tested by the cold and so much more. Windt’s vocal are powerful and varied in emotion, but rather than the track feeling jumbled, the overall arrangement pulls us along as she runs the gamut of thoughts. There is a bluesy element to the guitar early on, but the track soon settles into a high-energy Pop vibe.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Bethany Ferrie - Stayed [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bethany Ferrie has one of those voices that just feels warm and inviting right from the start. This fact, along with the emotion of the lyrics gives ‘Stayed’ a timeless quality and also makes it tough to categorize in an easy to pigeon hole kind of way..

The tempo and delivery gives you time to think and reflect on the well-written words, and that is a bonus because this is the kind of song that will mean something different for each of us”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

penelope - slippin' to you [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The overwhelming sense of loss is a tricky little thing that can hit you long after the fact, and from the most innocuous angles. This track is about a lost love, and the emotions that hit you out of the blue as a result. The writing here make your realize how close the grief over a relationship’s end, is very similar to the grieving loss of a departed love one. Expect, there is an added bit of awkward hurt when you are left to wonder what that person is doing at any given moment. Re they thinking of you? Do they ever think of you? And they are right there at hand, often only blocks away, or perhaps on the other side of town.

This track delivers such complexities of the mind in soft Pop glory that at times reminded me of vintage Joni Mitchel, with a modern vibe to make it feel all the more relevant.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Link Lewis - I.N.V.U. [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Riding in on a Pop Jazz infused melody, Link Lewis, drops a vocal track that starts on the melancholy side before evolving into an uptempo deliver. The changes do not stop there as a Hip-Hi flow hits halfway through. The variety of styles transition well and compliment the lyrics of this track. ‘I.N.V.U’ is a track abut envying the often false, or at least limited narratives we see of others on social media. It is easy to fall into that trap and even worry that you are dull or uninteresting by comparison and this track’s varied style sort of mirrors the complex thoughts that can get in our head at such situations. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Flo Chase - Spinning Wheel [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Flo Chase gives us a hopeful and energetic vocal performance on ‘Spinning Wheel,’ a track that feels at times like a cross between Coldplay and Mumford & Sons.

The lyrics plays off of the fact our world, and thereby our lives, are taking a turn on this planet this making it all one big spinning wheel of chance and hope. Sometimes the wheel lands on a happy place that we world like hell to land on again. This song does a great job of capturing those magic feelings.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kate Dinsmore - That Ain't Me [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Kate Dinsmore has the kind of voice that makes you lean in and listen. ‘That Ain’t Me’ is the kind of song that defies genre and pulls people in, because of the emotional resonance. That feeling that love brings things you never bargained for is one that hits us all at time point.

Dinsmore’s delivery is soulful and folksy and big and bold. Sometimes all at once. This is a song to feel, as much as hear.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)