Shea Abshier & The Nighthowlers - Take Me 2 Your Hell [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Some songs just land different, and you know immediately to shut up, lean forward, and listen closer. ‘Take Me 2 Your Hell’ is such a song.

Shea Abshier & The Nighthowlers deliver an emotional set of lyrics that hits you right square in the emotional gut, like a lover in the wake of a toxic breakup, which is exactly what this track is about.

Call this rock. Call it alternative. Hell, call it Americana if you want, but the label doesn’t really matter because when the execution is this intense, the genre is nothing more than a label to slap on to what is in fact, simply damn good music. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

James Curran - Just Breathe [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track brings the energy right from the first of the vocal flow. The imagery of the video takes a bit to develop, but lyrically this single delivers line after line that keeps you on the hook.

Give this one a listen and I guarantee you it will get your head moving to the beat. The various vocals all bring something unique to the mix. The song features Moosh from Moosh & Twist, Aha Gazelle. and of course the talent of James Curran who you can bet you have not heard the last of after this one hits. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

golda - Dear Los Angeles [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is not the first single from golda that I have shared here in LA on Lock, so the name should not be a stranger to our followers, but ‘Dear Los Angeles’ is her best yet. And that is saying something, given the powerful tracks we’ve already shared.

This single is a slow ballad of raw emotion. There is a retro quality in the simplicity of the melody and the vocal style, but the single is also very much a modern tale of not dashed dreams, but rather delayed dreams. And of the vulnerability it takes to admit it is time to reassess and gear up for another try.

We have all been there and the emotions are tangible, though the talent behind the track singles out golda as a one of a kind artist headed to a plane most of us will never get to. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Taylor Bradshaw - Our First Date [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Taylor Bradshaw has one of those voices that can go soft and emotional, or can ratchet up and hook you with an energetic Rock vibe. Bradshaw utilizes both on ‘Our First Date,’ to bring forth that flash bulb feeling of self revelation when you realize you are about to be madly in love with a person you barely even know. The emotions of being on that precipice and deciding to step off into an unknown come through in both the performance and the lyrics”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

DA BREAK - Miss Rosa [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The imagery of the video is stunningly powerful and sobering, and the scene will no doubt disturb some viewers. So strong emotion is created in the video that it is tough to connect the musical groove to what your eyes are seeing, but the Disco Funk sound of the single is compelling in its own right so i suggest after you have watched the engrossing story unfold to listen to the track once again.

Through several listens, I eventually understood how the two elements fit together to create sort of an Avant Garde art piece that leaves you thinking about it long afterward.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Furlong - Hate girls [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Furlong comes right at you with this ricking beat and melody. The vocals come in with Pop attitude and edge that matches the emotions of the lyrics. The adrenaline of being face to face with your enemies can get your blood pumping and that is what this song about the same does quite well. Don;t sleep on this Australian band as they have already proven to our readers her at LA on Lock that they can deliver the Rock and Roll goods. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lilla Vargen - Cold [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Silence is one thing. Opening your heart and your soul to love someone is something else. As you spend time with someone you get to know them and end up loving them. Lilla Vargen tells how she fell in love but was scared to be broken by love. She questioned herself to where she was full of tears as she became torn between her mind and her heart. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Petty Party - Paralyzed (ft. Vp3) [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The emotion of wanting someone more than they want you is something most of us have felt. This song brings that kind of vibe, but it goes beyond that because the viewpoint comes from someone who realizes this person they want is bad ,and maybe even dangerous for them. It is about an addiction that could be even more deadly than chemical dependency.

The vibe is jazzy and uptempo, but the track delivers a decided commercial appeal that fits well int he modern landscape of music. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

JC Stewart - Lying That You Love Me [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“JC is hypnotizing. Before I was all the way into the song I was hooked. As he plays the piano he reveals his soul through his lyrics. His new single ‘Lying That You Love Me’ is about giving your heart to someone and loving them pass their flaws just to realize it was all a lie”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

BabyJake - Confidant [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“BabyJake drops this in your face breakup song for anyone that has faced betrayal.

The lyrics are gritty and raw and pull absolutely no punches. The vocals deliver an Alternative Rock vibe with a hint of Hip-Hop influence sprinkled in here and there. This is the kind of track that feels like therapy for the songwriter, but also for anyone that is trying to close a door on a relationship they once had high hopes for.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Olivia Addams - Sick Lullaby [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Olivia Addams brings an air of European allure to this Electro Pop track. Hailing from Romania, Addams, voice is mysteries and engaging in this dreamlike track of longing and wanting.

’Sick Lullaby’ comes with a video that furthers adds to that intriguing vibe and dark emotional underbelly. I am eager to hear more from this Pop Diva in the making, but already her talent and poise as a performer shines through. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rajah Mahdi - Fuck That Bitch [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Days like Valentine’s Day is the days you get to see who really cares. Artist Rajah Mahdi sits in a restaurant just to get stood up. Days after Valentine’s Day he wins the lottery which is the greatest way to get over an ex and say ‘F*ck That Bxtch’. The visual catches you in the beginning but turns to show more of his energetic relief. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Dani Le Rose - Flowers [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Dani Le Rose drops a track with exotic tones and an intoxicating beat. Le Rose’s vocals are soft, yet sultry and the lyrics spring from the emotions like a flower from the parched earth, to give us a beauty that stems from arid emotions. The arrangement of the track accentuates the songwriting to grow this single, ‘Flower’ into a delightful bouquet of sound and emotion. This is the Electro Pop we all want and need! ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Von Deckle - Devilish Girl [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track delivers a rich and earthly Blues Roots vibe. Hard driving guitar energy backs the vocals, which feels like a ride down a rough gravel road. That is a good thing here, because the vibe fits perfectly with the lyrics and spirit of this song. The songwriting puts a twist on the trope of selling your soul to the devil to gain the thing you most desire. In this case, the love of a woman. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rich Jacques - Edge of The Sun [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Rich Jacques establishes a mood and tone immediately in this brooding track about gathering the courage to take that next step. The arrangement of ‘Edge of The Sun’ is meticulously cultivated to keep the listener intrigued. Lyrically, the track is layered with each line building nicely on top of the last. The chains are interlinked in such a way that it pulls you through like fine tuned machinery. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Gabriel and Zoe Brush - Resting Place [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The piano is haunting, and the lyrics poignant and powerful. Emotion dominates every facet of this single, and the duo of voices build and mix to deliver a heartfelt punch to your very soul.

This track fits the singer/songwriter vibe, but we are not simply talking about a stripped-down acoustic version of a song, because here we have a powerful ode that feels layered and complex in both the writing and arrangement, despite relying on very few elements to arrive at that rich sound and emotional resonance.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

YutaY - Run [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“I do love me some good word play, and anything that makes me rethink and reexamine common words and phrases. We have all ran from more than one thing, but we don’t often take the time to slow down and even realize how much running we are doing.

This song was written about that inexplicable need to run when chasing your dreams, and how if you slow down you might get consumed, but really the words hold a much broader appeal once you begin to consider them from varied angels..

i will confess that at first listen the almost 80’s video game sound of the beat and melody had me distracted, but on subsequent goes, it found the sound hit me as the perfectly odd choice to accompany this well-written track.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

LPX - New Mood [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“In a lot of ways, this track feels like a punked-out, anxiety-filled version of Sheryl Crow’s classic rock diary ‘All I Wanan Do.’

LPX is the high-octane alternative solo project of Lizzy Plapinger, and ‘New Mood’ is in her own words a ... ‘visceral take fueled by a post panic adrenaline rush, it’s an anthem for change and breaking habits, committing to yourself and wanting more.’

The track is Pop Punk, Rock, and Alternative all in one.

It is raw emotion and energy and truth.

It is music from the heart soul and body.

It is a track you need to listen to . Not once. But may times over. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

LPX on tour:

https://LPX.lnk.to/Live2020PR

4.12 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater w/ Carly Rae Jepsen

4.14 - Seattle, WA @ Moore Theater w/ Carly Rae Jepsen

4.15 - Seattle, WA @ Moore Theater w/ Carly Rae Jepsen

4.16 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater w/ Carly Rae Jepsen

4.18 - Houston, TX @ Revention Center w/ Maggie Rogers

4.20 - San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater w/ Maggie Rogers

4.21 - Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theater w/ Maggie Rogers 

Alice Jemima - Serious [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The world of social media is a false canvas that we all are painting our lives across, and this artful track and video from Alice Jemima takes a look at this ‘Serious’ problem.

The loose connections we form via images and blurbs are not as true or absolute as our real life relationships, and yet more and more, society is putting a heavier emphasis on the former while disregarding the latter.

Out of the context of face-to-face interaction the smallest of things are exploited and taken far too serious at times. This track is about exactly that and so much more.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

GATTÜSO feat. Kat Nestel - Walk On Water [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is a big bold EDM anthem filled with soaring vocals and a huge piano melody.

The track utilizes the vocal talent of Kat Nestel to marry the emotions of the lyrics, with the bold musical choices of GATTUSO. The production is spot on throughout and the energy undeniable in this track destined to be a party classic.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)