Joe-Y - Cudi [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Joe-Y offers up a diverse set of vocal sounds and styles on his latest single, ‘Cudi.’ I will admit to being surprised by the level of talent more than once. This Ohio rapper is one to keep an eye on for sure.

Lyrically this track is about chasing dreams and perfection while also dealing with the struggles of mental illness and letting the doubts from that come in. The flow ranges from a straight up Hip-Hop vibe, to an almost Reggae like rhythm and tone.”

— 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)

Mike Yorkz - Roaming [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“The emotion behind the writing is honest and real on this track, and the overall vibe shines through. I did find myself wishing for a bit less production on the vocal side and a more rawness to the vocal flow, but the tone shows clear talent and I was kept on the hook by the genuine feelings behind this track. The chorus avoided the pitfall of reaching for a gimmick and simply let the emotion behind the song play out.”

— 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)

Chuck the Show - Truly Happy [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This is the happiest depressing song you will ever hear!

Chuck the Show drops some self deprecating humor in this smooth ode to the disappointment we all call life. This is the kind of track that will make you smile while you begrudgingly admit the truth behind the dark cloud of the lyrics.

Wryly funny in a Bloodhound Gang kind of way with more of a soulful R&B style groove to most of the vocal flow. ”

— 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)

The Criticals - Under Your Nose [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The Criticals are a bad ass duo out of Nashville, but don;t let any preconceived ideas on the city’s musical heritage fool you. Few bands can bring that Rock attitude like these guys. ‘Under Your Nose’ is an energetic, attitude-fueled ode to that snow that comes in the little plastic baggies, and the women that it captivates.

A little Punk and a lot of Indie Rock vibe give this song its juice.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Lucy Cloud - Jealous [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Part of the hook is the almost disenfranchised vibe to the vocal performance, which works here because it further conveys the emotion of being stuck in a rut — watching and envying others live their life.

The age of social media makes this a real phenomenon that affect most of us to some degree or another, and here, Lucy Cloud delivers a tantalizing example of being ‘Jealous.’ ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Fake Shark - Superstitious Thing [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“This is the song you will be singing the rest of the day. With a hook you can’t escape from and an energy that bites into the soul, ‘Superstitious Thing’ is a single with true allure. Add in a fantastic and farcical video and the track is all the more memorable.

There is a Robert Palmer, ‘Addicted To Love’ kind of draw here that can’t be denied. The imagery will bring a smile to your face and the rhythm will have you moving along. ”

— 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)

Digging for Kanky- The Ugly [Music Video Review]

Rating:  4 out of 5

“ Allow me to introduce you to the body snatcher. Digging for Kanky new single ‘The Ugly’ is the black and white reflection of your problems and battles that you try to bury. The song is smooth but the visual is wild, however the two intertwine to tell a story of death. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

AFIKA - Guide Me Home Featuring TOTEM [Music Video Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Music is a form of art and AFIKA is a true artist. He guides us into his new song ‘Guide Me Home’ with the vocals on Totem in a revelation of peace. For the lost souls who walk in the middle of nowhere not sure what direction to follow this will not only move your soul but save it with its lyricism”

— Kreadiv Kesh (LA On Lock Blogger)

ZIKAI - Champagne For Breakfast [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“An Electro Pop track with one foot standing squarely in a classic R&B vibe, ‘Champagne For Breakfast’ offers a smooth sultry groove that hooks you from the the start.

ZIKAI is a rising Swedish star ready to explode internationally as well. Lyrically this track is about the easy rapport of a burgeoning love ... at least while the booze is flowing, but what happens the next morning?”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Brightside - aftr mdnght [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Landing somewhere between Contemporary R&B and a more commercial Pop groove, ‘after mdnight’ is about wanting to be more than an after midnight booty call.

The track brings a smooth easy groove that is easy to fall into and sing along with, though there is also a sensual vibe like driving alone at tight on a rain darkened stretch of road while your mind runs away to someplace else. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Neon Dreams - Sick of Feeling Useless [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Uplifting and energetic, ‘Sick of Feeling Useless’ is the new single from Halifax alt-pop duo Neon Dreams.

This is the kind of track that sweeps you up and carries you on the wave of bright sounds and clean vocals, but in order to achieve that, a track must also bring a lyrically relevance that connects for most of us. And this song certainly does that with a nice Pop vibe that gathers you in from the very first line. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Tireek, Lonely Leonard - Hold On [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes all any of us can do is ‘Hold On’ as we go through tough times. And sometimes you gotta hold on for years to get where you want to be.

Tireek and Lonely Leonard team up to give is a glimpse of their coming up through tough times, but finding the love and strength around them to help them hold on. Both flows are honest and engaging, and the beat production feels right for the emotions fueling the track”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Streetlight Shakers - The Story [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This upbeat, piano driven ballad is invigorating to the soul. ‘The Story’ highlights the fact that our stories each individually are never truly finished because each of our tales are interwoven with others and even once we are gone these interactions mean that threads of who and what we are carry on. The soaring chorus and vocals pull you along and the energy is truly palpable on the track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Girl Wilde - Alphabet Soup [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The aptly named, Girl Wilde truly delivers a wildness in the ragged vocal style of this new single, ‘Alphabet Soup.’

The raspy, almost pained sound to the early vocals will not land for everyone, but for me personally, the raw vulnerability and honesty of both the lyrics and performance were perfect and I was immediately dialed in.

This is the second track from Girl Wilde we have featured, and while the two brought different sounds, it is very clear this is a talented artist capable of delivering the needed emotion in diverse ways to engage and entertain. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

defbymisadventure - ender [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“It is not easy to create Instrumental Hip-Hop beats that can elevate and stand alone to speak by themselves. Irish ER doctor defbymisadventure has done so with ‘Ender.’ The hard beats and linear build grabbed me, pulled me in, and kept there start to finish. I could feel the intensity within the progression and for the writer in me the story of the track inspired definite imagery. ”

— 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)