Gio - One More Night [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“What I love about this track is its bold confidence. Gio takes chances with a performance that straddles the line between an Emo Alt Rock vibe and a Rap flow. The lyrical build is well rendered and the emotion comes through in genuine fashion.

That said this is a track that requires a bit of patience as the speedy delivery makes it tricky in parts to discern the lyrics and stay with the build in that regard. This is definitely one of those track that grows on you and means more with each subsequent listen. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Lisa Heller - U LIKE THAT [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Lisa Heller utilizes her vocal talent and energy to unleash ‘U LIKE THAT.’ The track is about an ongoing relationship that both parties know isn’t going anywhere but hey fun is fun while it lasts and sometimes those urges take over our common sense.

The high energy track has a Commercial edge and is right at home in the Alt Pop landscape. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

JESSIA - I'm Not Gonna Cry [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“JESSIA unleashes a POp masterpiece with ‘I’m NOt Gonna Cry.’ The emotion and lyrical range of the track gave me Freddie Mercury vibes.

I’m not saying JESSIA or this track sounds exactly like QUEEN, because the styles differ. This is definitely a Pop song, but there is a bigger more complex edge to her talent, and the way the track did the unexpected while showcasing massive talent definitely had the flair not many artists can pull off.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Old Man Jones - Never Wake Up [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Rock-n-Roll ain’t dead but damn is it hard to find these days. Old Man Jones is looking to remedy that with their latest album. ‘Never Wake Up’ is the second single from Shine Your Light.

Founded by John Amoriello, a founding member of the Heavy Metal band, From Nothing which disbanded after Covid. Old Man Jones is more straight up Rock & Roll and this single is a hard charging ride that stands out in the best of ways among the current musical landscape.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Joshua Golden - The Moon Is A Spaceship [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Loving someone and watching them struggle with mental health issues is a gut-wrenching thing to do. Joshua Golden highlights the track with a touch of wry humor and a whole universe worth of compassion. ‘The Moon Is A Spaceship’ takes a tangible look at a journey fraught with pitfalls and dangers, but man is it absolutely full of humanity.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Alba Rose - Sunshine [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Alba Rose unleashes some ‘Sunshine’ with her Neo-Soul single. The hard drum beat did get in the way for me at times but her smooth vocals still carried the day and I could feel the golden warmth of the sun on my face as I listened to her performance. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Caroline Romano - Born To Want More [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Dreaming helps keep us all alive and hopeful but when those dream never quite come to fruition or always feel out of reach we lose hope. Caroline Romano dives into the resulting emotions with her track, ‘Born To Want More.’

This Alt Pop track highlights her tender vocal vulnerability as well as her songwriting prowess. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

PTK LOTHBROOK - SELL THE LAND [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“PTK Lothbrook comes directly at the listener on this track and the in your face beat and delivery catches fire as a result. ‘Sell The Land,’ was written out of the anguish and emotions of a divorce and the lyrical power hits. The flow has some Pop style, though that does not diminish the intricacy and timing of the Rap delivery so the artist did a great job of managing this tricky performance.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Real Mack The Knife - Rio Magic [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“This time of year we all begin to dream of a warm escape to sit on sandy beaches under a warm sun. ‘Rio Magic’ from The Real Mack The Knife just might be the next best thing.

The light, airy tone and exotic glow of the track makes it easy to close your eyes and imagine you are heading out for a night in Rio, or at least sitting on the beach imagining one. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jake Dillon - Camp out at Wal (Mart) [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jake Dillon has the ability to hook listeners with one or two words. This emotive delivery is a strength of his work though you can’t dismiss the writing which has that simple, yet poignant quality that hooks the audience with its relatability.

’Camp out at Wal-Mart’ is a song about the personal journey that is life and it drips with humanity in all the best ways. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Gabe Lopez - Long Road [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Gabe Lopez is a successful musician but you might not yet be aware of this solo work. As a music producer for RuPaul’s Drag Race, Belinda Carlisle, platinum KPOP artists and more, Lopez has already made a mark in the musical landscape, and now this new track , ‘Long Road,’ might elevate this talented artist to even greater heights.

The song has an haunting, heavy quality that makes the emotions inescapable. A track that means more with each listen, this is a song that has a timeless sound and appeal.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Temptress -What Would You Do [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3 out of 5

“London artists have a distinct sound that I really like. This R&B duo’s video fuses an upbeat yet contemporary vibe, though they linger on the hook a bit too long. Still, it’s a cool retro visual paired with a good sound.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Tessa Dalton - Hit the Lights [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Hey, you up?

The same thought process that leads to those kind of texts is what Tessa Dalton is singing about in ‘Hit The Lights.’

This Indie/Alt Pop track is about that poor decision making we all make as we romanticize and gloss over all the red flags visible in the light of day. It’s a fun track that gets ina nd makes its point with talent and precision and doesn’t carry on too long.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Criticals - Danish Eyes [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Two dudes from rural Tennessee wrote a Rock song called ‘Danish Eyes’ in LA, then went across the pond to record it in England. Yeah, you read that right and that’s the absolute beauty of Rock and Roll.

The Criticals are rock throwbacks ina way as they do things most pop stars and fame chasers are unwilling to do, and they do it to stay fresh and on the cutting edge. This isn’t a band that chases trends, but rather embraces who they are and works to create the best version of themselves on a constant basis.

If you’re not listening to The Criticals already, you should be!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Ava Valianti - Wishing Well [Music Feview]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“The vocal tone and emotive delivery is what held me initially to Ava Valianti’s latest single, ‘Wishing Well.’

That said the writing is poignant and meaningful and offers a melancholy type of nostalgia we all feel from time to time.

The world marches on, and with it change is inevitable, but as we say goodbye to the many little things that were part of our childhoods we also lose little pieces of ourselves. Those losses do as much to shape who we are as the new additions that replace them. We are all constantly shedding our skin, in both a literal and figurative sense and this song captures it so well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Leo Sawikin - Am I Ever Going To Fly Again [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We are all chasing something, happiness, contentment, a thrill maybe? Leo Sawiken is no different and his track, ‘Am I Ever Going To Fly Again’ is all about trying to recapture one of the life’s magic moments.

The song starts slow, with a melancholy vibe that replicates the disappointment we feel when we realize that despite our best efforts, this time we failed to find that sparkle and shine. This is a cerebral song that leaves you thinking about your own life and experiences in a meaningful way. Style wise it falls into the Indie Rock plate with a side of human angst. The emotions are real and tangible and highly applicable to most of us have shared the same sentiments. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Illiterate Light - Montauk [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Illiterate Light gives us a languid, thinking man kind of track with ‘Montauk.’

Inspired by the theme of the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the song takes on the emotional and mental game of attempting what you suspect will ultimately go down as a failure.

The track has what I’d called an organized chaos feel and vibe. Which is apt given that is pretty much how our brains function.

The song is long for modern music, and that, along with the deeper subject matter, will probably keep it from reaching hit status. Though it is the kind of Alternative/Indie Rock release that is likely to develop a cult following of very dedicated fans.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Halo Kitsch - BETWEEN YOUR TEETH [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Halo Kitsch has some fun calling out the fake hypocrisy of those who work so damn hard to be perfect. Perfect and predictable is a manufactured illusion fed these days by social media likes and follows. ‘BETWEEN YOUR TEETH’ is an ode to the real ones, the true friends that will tell you not what you want to hear, but what you NEED to hear.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Tamar Berk - That's Not a Lie [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Some songs simply grab hold and refuse to let go. Tamar Berk certainly has talent and a pleasing tone though I can’t fully explain why this one stuck to me so fiercely. The delivery and melody are nice, but the hook and lyrical refrain of the song is what grabbed me and refused to let go.

Like an ear worm in the best of ways!”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Joshua Golden - I Can't Wait To Meet You [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Most of us long to find that elusive soulmate, and while waiting, we come up with our ideas and ideals of what that person will be like. Joshua Golden taps into those expectations with his tack, ‘I Can’t Wait To Meet You.’

The song straddles that line between Pop and Rap to create a Commercial track that should appeal to a wide audience. The emotion and performance and added snippets of conversation on each end really come together to feel true and genuine.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger