Julia Kate - beverly hills [Music Review] October 31, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Julia Kate will probably draw some comparison to Taylor Swift because people are basically lazy and reach for the name everyone knows at the moment. I suppose botha re Pop songwriters delving into the emotions of humanity but for me, Julia Kate stands out on her own for the way she takes her time and doesn’t rush or try to shoehorn in that glistening hook. She relies on vulnerability and genuine emotion on ‘Beverly Hills’ to reveal the story of her love and hook the listener.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Aiida - Got No Strings [Music Review] October 31, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Pop Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Oslo, Norway’s Aiida wastes no time getting right to the pint on ‘Got No Strings.’ The attitude is palpable, and the writing as sharp and pointed as the delivery. This is pure Pop Gold in the vein of Britney at her best. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Drew Schueler - Happy That I Met You [Music Review] October 14, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “The vocal talent of Drew Schueler makes this track. Schueler’s vocal shifts and performative build forces the listener to go along for the ride. Lyrically this one didn’t hit me with that Aha type moment, but I still felt every word thanks to Schueler’s talent and passion. This is pure Pop Commercialism at its musical best, and Schueler has the tone and talent to go far in the musical landscape.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Caroline Romano - Pretty Boys [Music Review] October 11, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Alternative, Pop, Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Caroline Romano always delivers with a strong emotive performance and this latest single, ‘Pretty Boys,’ delivers on those expectations.’Pretty Boys is my honest recount of heartbreak,’ Caroline shares. ‘It’s like reading straight from my diary—a dramatic story with a terribly disappointing ending. The song is a cautionary tale about the blurry line between friendship and something more. Just because you’ve kissed him doesn’t mean you should do it again, and just because he looks at you that way doesn’t mean you’re the only one.’Romano knows how to tap into her own experiences and emotions to give listeners a full spectrum of artistry. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Ananya - Happy [Music Review] October 11, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Electro Pop, Commercial, Adult Contemporary Rating: 4 out of 5 “Written with Mental Health Day in mind, Ananya unleashes this Electro pop ode to taking care of yourself and cutting out the things that drag you down. The Zimbabwean pop star delivers the sharp writing with a steady, almost defiant brand of confidence despite the honest vulnerability of the writing and that combination brings this track to life.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Shriya - Her October 04, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Adult Contemporary, Alternative, Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “A big soaring Alt Pop track with singer/songwriter vibes, ‘Her’ offers a smooth and emotional build that speaks to the insecurities and fears many of us possess. WIth that said, this track avoids a wallowing kind of despair, delving instead onto an honest vulnerability that makes the lyrics feel real and of course the talented performance hooks the listener in from the very beginning.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Òlah Bliss - Bang Bang [Music Review] September 20, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Alternative, Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Originally hailing from Poland, Olah Bliss now dwells within the musical landscape of London. ‘BAng Bang’ is a timeless Alt Pop offering that would have been at home any of the last several decades, which is a testament to the versatility and range of talent on display in the track. Bliss’s performance is engaging and nuanced and the energetic build is gripping. Musically, the hard edges and industrial feel adds to the emotion of the track in a meaningful way. All of which highlights the artistry and carefully crafted nature of this song. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
SABAI - Are You Happy Now (feat. Linney) [Music Review] September 18, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Future Bass, Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “SABAI teams up with Linney to bring this track to life. ‘Are You Happy Now’ is a Future Bass track with clear Pop influence. The lingering ghosts of past relationships can haunt us all and it is normal to sometimes wonder where they are now and if they are happy. I suppose what we want for that other person all depends how things ended but this track does a great job of allowing us to feel both sides of a complex array of emotions. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Drew Schueler - Hurtable [Review] September 16, 2024 by Kreadiv Kesh in Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Drew Schueler “Hurtable” is a song that balances the complexity of human emotions—capturing both the pain and the process of healing. The steady, chilled tempo seems to reflect a sense of calm and clarity amid the turmoil” — Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]
j.aaron - CA$H [Music Review] September 08, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Funk, Electronic, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “A funky Electro Funk ode to cold hard ‘CA$H.’ j.aaron unleashes a sweet groove and build looking at the thing that dominates our world ... MONEY!Doesn’t matter if your are flush, or broke this is a track that will give you something to dance about. So get up and move and don’t forget to get your hustle on to make that cash.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Rhea Ray - Wild One [Music Review] September 03, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Pop, Commercial, Dance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “A high energy Pop track with one foot planted in the retro sound of the 80s and the other here in the present to give the song a nice contemporary Commercial vibe. Rhea Ray delivers a pleasing performance with ‘Wild One.’ The temp and build keep it all interesting though I did crave more lyrical depth overall. Still, this is a fun party time track about the roller coaster ride of infatuation and love and how we all crave another hit soon as the high fades. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Estella Dawn - Hey Gina [Music Video Review] August 23, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Indie Pop, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Estella Dawn is one of my favorite artist that submits to us here at LA on Lock. Dawn always delivers Pop gold with a sultry sexy side and evocative well-written lyrics. I will remain in her corner advocating for the world to sit up and pay attention because she is certainly an artist that deserves a meteoric rise.’Hey Gina’ fits the accolades above and offers a nice energetic groove that has a touch of Bruno in the beat.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Ama x Vic x Amalie Wikmark x Victoria Herness-grønne øyne[Review] August 20, 2024 by Kreadiv Kesh in Commercial, Neo-Soul Rating: 2.5 out of 5 “The vocal delivery is so soft spoken I struggled to hear, I found myself turning the volume up louder to form a connection. However, I couldn’t grasp the songwriting aspect. The features do sound good together and very well blended. I couldn’t tell who was who. My recommendation would be to adjust the vocal level so a listener can embrace the song.” — Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]
Maddie Regent - Sleeptalking [Music Review] August 16, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Electro Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Maddie Regent has a sweet undertone to her vocals, but this track definitely deals with some tough emotions and heavy problems. ‘Sleeptalking’ deals with self-sabotaging and doubt. We’ve all experienced time where we should be happy or content but for whatever reason remain unsatisfied and unsettled. And the questions we then have to ask ourselves is why, and are those feelings warranted? ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Julia Raye - Give You Up [Music Review] August 09, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Contemporary R&B, Commercial, Dance, Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “Julia Raye does a good job of straddling he genre line with her latest release, ‘Give You Up.’ There is certainly a Contemporary R&B vibe though this track also has a more Commercial Dance Pop sound. The track is about nothing someone isn’t good for you but being unable to deny your feelings despite that fact. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
ARIA - OBSESSED [Music Review] August 09, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “ARIA is energetic and upbeat on the track ‘Obsessed.’ The beat and melody carryt he day here though the vocals certainly have talent and an engaging sprit to keep the listener entangled in all phases of the track. The hook isn’t quite as punchy as similar tracks often are but the sound is vibrant and the end result fun.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Francie Eliott - Delusional [Music Review] August 04, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Future House, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “German Pop songstress, Francie Eliot drops this debut single and she is anything but ‘Delusional,’ because her talent is obvious. There is a bit of Miley in the tone though the arrangement gives me Fleetwood Mac vibes as well. The writing is strong and her emotive delivery sells the words well. The up-tempo arrangement is energetic and entertaining start to finish.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Yelawolf - Barn Fire [Music Review] August 04, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Autotune, Commercial, Music, Trap, Hip-Hop, Conscious Rating: 4 out of 5 “I have a love hate relationship with this track. That steady cadence of the beat gripped me from the first listen though the lyrical flow took me a couple listen to full appreciate. Yelawolf sounds like a Countryfied Snoop Dogg and his wordplay is ne point though the references are not what you hear in Hip-Hop. That is a good thing but it is a bit jarring upon the first listen. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
GAUSTAD - My Own Worst Enemy [Music Video Review] August 04, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Alternative, Pop Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “GAUSTAD is one of the most emotive young voices I’ve heard. ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ is pretty self-explanatory in terms of subject but the nuance and flair that GAUSTAD infuses into the performance is next level talent. Pop Music has a new rising star. Latch on now and celebrate the rise of the phenom. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Kenny Sharp - Coming Back To You [Music Review] August 04, 2024 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Adult Contemporary, Americana, blues Rating: 4 out of 5 “Kenny Sharp’s latest track ‘Coming Back To You’ was recently featured in the latest season of Love Island and I suspect you’ll be hearing the song in a lot of other places as well. Sharp has that vocal sound that is hard to defne to a single genre. A little blues, some roots rock, Americana, Pop. It’s all in there on this track, and the writing has clever word play as well as deeper meaning to ponder on subsequent listens.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger