Picture This - "Troublemaker" [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“There are some tracks that just grab you and refuse to let you go. Picture This has given us one of those infectious singles with ‘Troublemaker.’

There is a campy quality to the video that grips you in the same way as a classic comedy that you don’t want to laugh and get drawn into, but then you find yourself quoting lines from that very flick years later. Here, the allure goes beyond the video, and this is a set of lyrics you will find yourself singing along to later as well. Don’t fight it, just give in and enjoy this unadulterated fun.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

S.G Goodman - Red Bird Morning [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Writing up a personal narrative, and tying it to something more so that it feels personally relevant for others is not easy chore, but S.G. Goodman has done so with ‘Red Bird Morning.’ Written about her time at the Standing Rock Protest the track feels both personally evocative, and intimately inviting. Like an old friend opening the screen door with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, and asking you in for a cup. The vocals are soft and yet ragged at the edges, and in them, is empathy, emotion and a knowledge you can’t help but crave more of. ”

— 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)

FLYNN - One of Us [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The story behind FLYNN’s new single, ‘One of Us’ is not a new tale in that a dreamer leaves behind his family in friends in pursuit of something more only to miss the things that shaped them. However, Flynn’s incredible talents do make this a unique listening experience. From emotionally laden lyrics to the complexities of his voice, FLYNN uses all he has to give us a rich experience of coming back home. OF feeling that connection to not only who we once were but what made us who we now are as well.

The video was shot in various Dublin locations and showcases an ease that also comes through int he song itself. An ease of having gone out and grown as a person and artists and an ease that there is no true need to run from the past because you can go chase dreams, and still be in tough with the pierces of your past that make you ‘One of Us.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

The Cool Quest - PUNISHER [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is a modern soulful track that drips with trepidation and pending emotion. You can run from trouble, but you never truly escape and this song is about knowing that fact and waiting for the moment when it comes time to pay for the things we have already done.

The vocal tone is intriguing through a variety of delivery styles and the beat and melody add to the rising tension of the track. ”

— 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)

Cimòn - MAE [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This track from Cimòn brings passion and fire, and feels exactly like the rebirth it is. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Cimòn unabashedly flexes his plumage with choice lyrics and direct statement at those who have doubted or counted him out. The writing is sharp, and the flow engaging, on this single that is as much a proclamation of creativity and art, over commercialism and the pursuit of the dollar as it is a personal statement. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sophia Gripari - Hate You But I Don't [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“What happens when the one that did you wrong moves on, and you are left not hating them nearly as much as you think you should? This odd mix of emotions is what fuels Sophia Gripari’s new single, ‘Hate You But I Don’t.’

Gripari’s vocals hint at a lurking pain behind the sweet tone, and the production is low key which allows the emotions to seep through making the track sneakily powerful.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lil Guillotine x MC Sole - No Thanks [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“With the Virus dominating the news cycle, the election has been pushed to the back burner, but this track shifts the focus back for at least a few minutes.

Well-written political refrain is rare in any genre, but Hip-Hop seems to be leading the way and this track joins several others with truth and conviction in a low- key, jazz infused flow. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Stellar Ash - Watch Me Go [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Straight up Rock and Roll that comes at you with attitude and something to say. This track is well-written and the performance engaging. The single stood out for me not only for the talent behind it, but the sheer fact it did not go out of its way to replicate a sound that came before it. Far too often modern Rock music is heavily reliant on the ghosts of the past, but here I got the sense that Stellar Ash simply were expressing themselves as they saw fit. ”

— 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)

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)

Fionn - Mattress on the Floor [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A track about finding that silver lining, even when you have hit what feels like rock bottom.

Fionn’s vocals offer hope and energy and emotion, which is the perfect combination of emotions for this well-written track about picking yourself up and finding your way when everything doesn’t go as planned.

’Mattress on the Floor’ is an anthem for every Plan B option , for determination, for the very spirit of unwavering perseverance. ”

— 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)

Cloudy June - High Waist To Hell [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Something about Cloudy June simply hit different from other submissions. Sure, there is a definite Pop vibe to this single, but there is an underlying edge, a sharpness that is perhaps a residue of June’s three year stint as the lead singer of a Death Metal band. A dash of danger, a dose of sex and an infectious set of vocals keeps you tethered to this single with its clever ‘High Waist to Hell,’ an obvious ode to AC/DC. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

PAPERCITY - Feel [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This buzzworthy Electro Pop track was written pre Covid-19, about emerging on the other side of a hard time, but if ever the idea that ... nothing is ever going to ‘Feel’ the same ... holds relevancy, then this is that time.

The track starts slow and moody before bursting into a more energetic vibe and performance. The overall effect is a single that feels both timeless and strikingly sharp in arriving here at this moment in time.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mykel Hawk - If This Is Armageddon [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Fresh off his hard hitting EP, Mykel Hawk is back with a fresh track inspired by the current events we are all facing.

Sharp, intelligent lyrics are the heart of this track, but Hawk’s hard-edged, gravel-filled tone is the soul and the pairing gives this track a punch that is both sobering and enlightening. This is Hip-Hop with something to say in a time when it needs to be said. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Emanuel - Need You [Music Video Review]

“Normally I use this space to review the songs and videos that speak to me but these are unprecedented times so I am calling an audible and simply sharing this one without my commentary. The information below is simply that, information. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

After releasing his debut single, “Need You”, last week, emerging Canadian R&B artist Emanuel suddenly found himself in global headlines. Only hours after its release, Golden Globe-winning actor, musician and producer Idris Elba OBE, started the collaborative social media campaign #NeedYou2020. In his Instagram post, Elba encouraged people to submit photos or videos for an “inspirational collage” he was creating to Emanuel’s brand-new single that would document how the world was coping with self-isolation.

Idris is very passionate about Emanuel’s talent - his involvement comes from a very sincere place (as a fan of Emanuel's music). The video is made up of footage sent in by members of the public. The single itself is absolutely beautiful, a really emotional song that pairs perfectly with Idris's message of hope. It is a testament to the power of the Canadian-Ethiopian artist's sumptuous vocal. During these testing times whilst people are confronted with challenging circumstances, the video for 'Need You' seeks to provide comfort and connectedness. 

See Idris’ call out on Twitter and Instagram.

Within 24 hours, over 3,000 submissions for the collaborative video had been sent in from people around the globe with a final total of over 4,500 entries from over 20 countries. By creating this collaborative call to action, Elba and Emanuel let the world direct the video we all need right now; a moving, honest expression of humanity’s deep need for connection. Emanuel’s stirring vocals unify the compelling images and create a sense of connection in a self-isolated world. 

SISTER COOKIE - ON GOLGOTHA [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The 12 Bar Blues with a Jazz infused bit of funky Gospel is how I’d describe this darkly twisted track from SISTER COOKIE.

Energetic and danceable, this one has a retro Rockabilly vibe that makes it perfect for a swing around the dance floor, but don’t underestimate the twisty lyrics of this soulful single. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rozette - Bite [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Seductive and full of cravings is how I would describe Artist Rozette new single ‘Bite’. If you ever desired someone this is the song for you. Rozette new single will have you wanting to grab someone, smell them, kiss them, taste them and even take a’Bite’. She doesn’t hold anything back and her vocals are powerfu.l ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

Unreleased