somegirlnamedanna - kitchen table [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“somegirlnamedanna is a mouthful, but this track establishes that same girl as a big force to be reckoned with so perhaps they two are perfectly matched. Emotion laid bare, such as this song gives us, speaks loudly far beyond the actual decimal level or style. The vocal tone of yearning vulnerability on the track only adds to the punch of this track.

’Kitchen Table’ is as true a song as you are likely to hear this year, or any other, and the homespun vibe of the video is the perfect accompaniment.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

danny G - best friend [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A fun upbeat ode to the friendship side of love. danny G offers up a nice blend of vocal styles on this track, which is earmarked to help fellow musicians impacted by Covid-19 with all proceeds going to MusiCares.

So, consider downloading this one to add a fun energetic Pop style Hip-Hop track to your personal playlists, and to help musicians struggling through these tough times.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Pink Elefants - Blame On Me [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Pink Elefants are a trio of talented vocalists each with their own sound and flow. This diverse talent gives the band a varied and rich sound that is engaging and hard to pin down genre wise. There is a vibe reminiscent to The Weeknd, as well a smooth Pop feel to ‘Blame On Me,’ which lyrically is about the burden of bearing the brunt of blame in a breakup.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius - Easy Graces [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bringing a classic singer/songwriter vibe, Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius gives us this guitar driven track about loneliness amid a crowd. With lyrical nods to Dylan and Petty, the track has a hint of what can best be described as weed tranquility, but that is not to say there isn’t a deep meaning and takeaway.

The easy going vibe of ‘Easy Graces’ comes with a haunting quality that speaks to being misunderstood or worse unseen in a world that prizes itself on likes, shares and social engagement of all kinds.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ben Labat - Born to Cross Lines [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The ability to make a listener truly feel the emotions of what you are singing is a gift, and Ben Labat shares that gift with his latest single, ‘Born to Cross Lines.’ A little Folk, a little soul, and a whole lot of talent are at the heart of the track. that pulls you in and holds you with a smooth melody and vocals that simply feel right and natural. This is the kind of emotion that comes from a life spent living forward and the hard earned wisdom is a gift for all that truly stop and focus on the lyrics and performance. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Zoe Brush - Ego [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“I like that this track came in with a piano beat reminiscent of Dolly Parton’s classic ‘9 to 5.’ Like that famous track, Zoe Brush’s single, ‘Ego’ delivers attitude and a pissed off, not going to take it quietly vibe that makes the song come alive.

Brush begins with a bit of anger before the chorus transitions into a soft and cheerful, SCREW YOU! The juxtaposition of styles and temperaments really caught me by surprise and made me smile. This is a fresh new spin on the women scorned cliched though rarely is the women this clever and talented.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Claire London - Easy Does It [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Claire London has a vocal tone that feels both darkly theatrical and commercially alluring. This allows for a lot of diversity in sound and ‘Easy Does It’ utilizes this variation to keep you on the hook. Lyrically the track is about taking it easy on ourselves, though the writing is such that London stays on the right side of sentimentality. ”

— 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)

Rollin Rosatti - Mountain Climb [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Imagine yourself hiking up a mountain and breathing fresh air as the lake flows. Doesn’t this feel and sound peaceful? This is the feeling Rollin Rosatti’s new single ‘Mountain Climb’ gives you when you listen to it. With a sound of water running accompanied by a guitar melody this is mother-nature in a song.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Smokey Brights - I Love You But Damn [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Sometimes lyrics hit you with such honesty and earnest emotion that you are hooked immediately. Such was the case with “I Love You But Damn.’

Reminding me a bit of Springsteen and Americana band, American Aquarium, this tranquil songwriter’s track spoke to me every step of the way.

The road to a lasting relationship is tough for everyone, and when you add distance and messing that person to the mix the pitfalls are all the more harrowing. Smokey Brights delivers the feels on this track and I can’t wait to hear more.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kellie Rose - I'm fine [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kellie Rose engages with her vocals, which build and accelerate to pull you in and along as she sings about being fine when you actually are anything but.

’I’m Fine’ is what we say when we don’t really want to talk about our true thoughts and emotions, so it is ironic that it is through that phrase that Rose truly does express herself here. The energy of this track makes it stand out and worthy of notice. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

dezabel - Tattooed [Review]

“A beautifully performed song about the longing of grief, and the swelling pride of love. The track is drenched with emotion, but not in an overly sentimental way for the sake of sadness, but in a realness that never delves into the morose thanks to a lively musical arrangement and the talented spirit of the vocal performance.

True loves leaves a mark long after it is gone and that truism is at the heart 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)

Cyrena Wages - River Bends [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Cyrena Wages delivers a genre bending vibe on this track about being at the crossroads. It is no surprise that The Memphis, TN, native chooses to tie this to the river instead of the road, but the premise is the same.

There is a bit of honky-tonk angel to this one, as well as a some gospel infused soul in the sound. The important thing is that you recognize Wages incredible talent as both a performer and a songwriter. ”

— 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)

Modslee x Ariza - Don't Really Wanna Know [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Powerful lyrics and emotional performance gives this track an unrelenting allure that draws you deep into the treachery of heartbreak.

Escaping the memories of a lost love is tougher in this digital age where the current lives and statuses are but a click away, so even when we ‘Don’t Really Want To Know’ what is going on with that ex, the compulsion to check in is a hard one to fight. ”

— Travis Erwin (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)

Justin Jesso - If You're Meant To Come Back [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Justin Jesso captures you with the emotion and vulnerability of his voice. In this piano ballad he lays out a tender refrain that drips with hope and confidence that what is meant to be will be. ‘If You’re Meant To Come Back’ is about the faith of a lover willing to allow their person to spread their wings and fly, but even they realize that life is unpredictable and you never quite know where another will land. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lucy May Walker - Bad Day [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“I do love a good go to hell song, and Lucy May Walker gives us exactly that with ‘Bad Day.’

Heartbreak is a hard thing and sometimes taking the high road simply is not effective in easing the pain. This fun and light track is for certain low road therapy, but it is smile inducing entertainment and that is a road I will happily travel every single time. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Luke Austin - Arrow [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Once upon a time, much of the mainstream music that came out of Nashville had genuine emotion behind it, but little by little that sound bled out to an over-saturated market of bro fueled party songs that said nothing and conjured even less emotionally. Luke Austin now calls Nashville home, but he hails from Toronto and here on this songwriter styled vibe, he brings exactly the emotion that once thrived in Music City.

I won’t call it country because the modern sound is as unpure as any genre these days, but this song is heavy on the emotion of love, and delivers steady unwavering vocals that some might feel fits what that genre once was. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)