Dylan Dunlap - Another Holiday [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The holidays are coming soon and given the stress of this past year the season will no doubt bring out increased emotional pain for some folks. This is not a new phenomenon, but could be more acute this year.

Dylan Dunlap gives us a melancholic track about this very thing and despite being a sad song, sometimes listening to such is exactly what we need so that we can understand we are not alone. ‘Another Holiday’ is a track that won’t necessarily uplift but can make you feel understood. Addressing the feelings of sadness is important as well so embrace your sadness if you need to and speak out f need be as the season descends upon us. Dylan Dunlap delivers a genuine emotional track that is relatable for so many of us. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Clay Dub Tell Me Why (feat. Neezy) [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Death is coming but now a days we are becoming so numb to it. Artist Clay Dub’s new single ‘Tell Me Why ft. Neezy’ delivers authentic pain and real life questions. Why is it when we see people die we can no longer cry?

Shot in black and white to show more emotions this lyric video takes to the neighborhood, every day locations that turn into crime scene. The question is why? Why so many bodies laying on the ground? ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Wallace Tallman - The Madness [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This administration, and all the conflict and turmoil that has come with it, has led to a proliferation of political songs. These tracks run the gamut of styles and emotions and Wallace Tallman’s single, ‘The Madness,’ makes its statement in clear precise terms that come in a soft singer/songwriter fashion. That is not to say the track lacks an edge or punch, because it brings both with the emotionally laden vocals and stellar songwriting.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Shem Thomas - Do It [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Singer/Songwriter Shem Thomas loves to tell real stories musically. In his new single ‘Do It’ he provides real stories of motivation and inspiration. His visual highlights the lives of everyday people who ‘Do It’ just because they can do it. As he plays the guitar through the song you can feel his energy in your heart.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Broken Witt Rebels - Birmingham - The Digbeth Mix [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Broken Witt Rebels pay tribute to their hometown with ‘Birmingham,’ a track that comes with a mystical brand of reverence that seeps into every word delivered.

The track falls in that Americana, Indie Rock spectrum of sounds, but stands out for its genuine emotion and pacing that simply takes the listener along for a journey of retrospection and nostalgia.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Laura Tsaggaris - LEAD ME [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is a beautifully written and performed track about a feeling that prevails for many of us in these troubled times. ‘Lead Me’ is about not feeling like you are doing enough to improve the world and fight the hatred that comes out in certain aspects of society. it is a song of strength about trying to find a way to take a productive stand in the face of turmoil. Even when staying silent might be the easier path to take because fighting injustice is the right thing to do even if that injustices isn’t your own.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Eiza Murphy - Black Hole [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The more I listened to this track, the deeper I fell into the emotions behind it. Eiza Murphy delivers a hauntingly emotional vocal performance, though for me it was the power of the songwriting that most captivated me and held my attention over and over again. The piano and build of the music perfectly matched the mood and emotion of the words. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Riley Michaels - Now I Know [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“ Imagine watching MTV Jams and the video comes to life. This is how I felt with Canadian Artist’s Riley Michaels new song and video ‘Now I Know’. Standing at the mic surrounded by a band the talented artist plays the guitar as he rocks out to his emotion of being driven insane. He speaks on lessons learned but allows you to really engage with the music.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Liam Rorke - Questions [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“One narrative. One Journey.

This is used to describe Liam’s talent as he sits at the piano and allows his fingers and vocals to tell a musical story.

Liam Rorke’s new single ‘Questions’ is about an ongoing cycle to want to know more even when there are no answers to your questions. His sound is organic with emotional vocals accompanied by a calm mannerism. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh

Music and Lyrics by Liam Rorke Produced, mixed and mastered by Michael Tan Piano: Max Lambert Verse 1 I try not to count the ways I’m lonely I try not to dwell on what I miss Being apart I’m finding it hard To keep you off my mind Feels like my heart Always gets tangled in the past Pre Chorus Scares me to say it What I’m praying for is you And to come home And that our love can resume And if wanting was enough There would be no questions But facing the truth What can I do? Verse 2 There are days that I am hopeful Are those feelings a mistake? I feel my heart It flickers and starts When i remember Just how special Just how real these feelings are And I cant let it go Pre Chorus But I Know that there can be no answers Not while Not while we, we are apart So this cycle, It continues It goes on and on But facing the truth What do you do? Chorus When it’s all too much But never enough The answers they keep escaping And the Questions are hard These riddles of love They keep you second guessing And every time I think I’ve found it The Questions start again

Abigail Fierce - Some Sorta Goodbye [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Abigail Fierce has that same sort of sultry vocal tone that catapulted Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac into stardom though Fierce delivers more of a Folksy singer/songwriter vibe here on this track. ‘Some Sorta Goodbye’ is about looking for the end of a relationship straight from the very beginning. The expectation things will end badly, so the act of self-sabotage keeps the loss from being on someone else’s terms. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Matt Hansen - warn me right before i fall in love [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“A light airy song of heartache and sadness ... because ... Hey, if you’re going to feel the pain you might as well do so with a jaunty little melody.

Matt Hansen has a bit of Jack Johnson to his sound and soul and this track is one that simply feels like an honest ode to heartbreak. The EDm vibes deeper in did not hold me as wella s the early emotion and energy, but this is still a worthwhile track from a talented young artist. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sweetlove - "The House" [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“A beautifully written and performed song about grief, and the realization that while love is the very thing that makes such loss hard to bear, it is also the thing that makes our lives worth living. So in the end we can’t have one without the other, and that realizing this can make our grief easier to comprehend and bounce back from. The concept is intricate and emotionally charged and still Sweetlove handles those intricacies with grace on this mellow track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Liz Longley - Send You My Love [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Liz Longley has the power to command attention with a single note. Like a friendly face you simply want to say hello to, Longley has a friendly voice that simply makes you want to stop and listen.

’Send You My Love’ is a about missing someone and we can all relate to that beyond the world of music but here you will fall in and sing along because the track is simply that engaging. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Tree Thomas feat. IAMSU!- Tick Tok [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“With efforts to ban Tik Tok, songs like this are reminders why the app still lives. Tree Thomas is giving energy in the single Tick Tok. From dancing to cruising on set Tree ‘s new single is a beat that keeps playing in your head even when the song is over. There’s no pause in dancing whether at home, in the club or on Tik Tok.”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Enok Amrani - Brother [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The slow and melancholic build here is mesmerizing. Enok Amrani write this song over a two year period as his way to make a statement about drug addiction and the emotional toll. Released for World Overdose Awareness Day, the track is meant to be a reminder to those struggling that they do not have to make the walk alone.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kris Angelis - My Quiet [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is the kind of honest songwriting that defies genre by simply resonating with the soul. Coupled with the soft, genuine vocal performance, the track offers both heartache and hope.

As does life, this single offers a befuddling array of emotions — with ups and downs riding shotgun throughout the journey. Kris Angelis is in the driver’s seat either way, as she sings this well-written ode to to dichotomy of the human experience.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lucy Eaton - Rotten Love [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“I will confess that very early on, the ukulele left me dubious about this track, but then Lucy Eaton’s stellar songwriting took over and I was pulled in and emotionally invested by both the writing and the performance.

This track is very Folksy in sound, but even if that is not your jam, the power of the lyrics cannot and will not be denied. Exploring the generosity of love, ‘Rotten Love’ is a fresh take on the emotion of love and that is of course no easy feat given the plethora of songs dealing with affairs of the heart. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Swan Levitt - Someday Soon [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Swan Levitt delivers a soft emotional track about finding peace and a way forward after a hard time. Written specifically about recovery, ‘Someday Soon’ has even a broader relevance in the word as we all try to find a new path after a tough traumatic year.

In the words of Levitt ... ‘This is about getting back to where you were before it went so wrong...perhaps lying to yourself a little in the mean time. But things will get better, eventually.’ In the meanwhile, a touching song like this can help us feel like we are not alone.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rett Madison - Kerosene [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Rett Madison. Remember that name. Her latest single ‘Kerosene’ is a true burner in every sense. The lyrical power is undeniable, but it is the emotive vocal style that truly makes Madison feel special in that Jason Isbell kind of way.

There is a country twang to her voice at times, but this is no commercial Nashville pablum. This is heartfelt Folk or more aptly Americana that demands you sit and listen and feel the emotion of the words and performance. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Steve Acho - Legacy [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Live a life worth remembering. That is the gist of Steve Acho’s soaring piano ballad, “Legacy.’ Acho comes with songwriting gusto and talent that will remind some of Elton John combined with John Legend. The reputation we leave behind is perhaps our greatest legacy and this song captures that sentiment quite well. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)