A Very Special Episode - Cowboy [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The sound of A Very Special Episode can best be summed up as ... a pissed off Fleetwood Mac. ‘Cowboy’ is a track that comes in hard and throws the punches for the duration.

In the band’s words ... ‘Cowboy’ tries to embody the swagger of every man who’s ever decided it was his job to swoop in to save someone who didn’t ask for or need it. Sometimes it’s toxic, other times it’s pathetic, and we went and made a bop about it.’

The edge is razor sharp, and the build keeps you ready to swing on the next idiot to get in your way. This is the spirit of Rock and Roll personified.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Painted Roses - Temptation [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The Painted Roses feel like a band you’ve heard before. Not in a copycat — everybody is doing it kind of way, but in that timeless Rock and Roll sound that makes them sound as if you’ve been listening to the band all your life.

‘Temptation’ is a brooding kind of track with a deliberate build that takes a few twists and turns along gthe way. Per the band’s description ... ‘song features three separate parts which are meant to guide the listener through an average panic attack in a day in the life of the songwriter.’

I am not sure I got that first listen through, but I was engaged and entertained and plan to dive back in and break this track down once I’ve added it to my playlists.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Connor Kauffman - Hate You For A Lifetime [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Nineteen year old Connor Kauffman is a self-taught and self-produced artists that is far ahead of the curve in comparison to his peers. This track is well-written and has an infectious hook that will have you singling along long after the last note. The lyric video makes it easy to stay tethered in and connected to the flow of the words.

The musical and lyrical build are perfectly balanced and created and Kauffman’s emotive delivery adds to the grip this track has over the listener. This track is radio ready and feels like an anthem we will all be quoting and singing for years to come. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Evan Blair - Sleepwalker [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Watching someone you love suffer and twist in the wind is a tough experience. Evan Blair was in such a relationship, only he was the one stuck in a bad place and despite his efforts to shake off the doldrums he remained a ‘Sleepwalker’ despite their best efforts to pull him out.

This song is his Indie Rock ode to that time and experience. There is a bit of 90’s nostalgia, but the track still feels relevant and contemporary as well. Reminded me a great deal of Weezer, with feeling overtly derivative. ”

— Travis Erwin ~LA on Lock Blogger

Hauskey - One Minute (feat. Hope Tala) [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track is short, though it is longer than the ‘One Minute’ of its title. Hauskey utilizes a catchy hook and a nice groove to quickly make his statement about the fakeness of many people upon first meeting them.

These so-called ‘new friends’ are quick to make promises they will never deliver upon, and this energetic ode calls bullshit in a most delightful way. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

indy. - okay [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The ragged edge of emotion is the trademark of this track from indy. ‘Okay,’ teeters at the precipice for the duration and every so often the rage and angst bursts forth. It is those moments that hold this track together and make it truly stand out.

The verses are delivered in a measured, almost controlled way, devoid of emotion, much the same way many of us go through life until something hits and it all explodes. This track puts that dynamic in musical form with the single walking that Commercial/ Alternative edge in its sound.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

ASTN - It's Not That Serious [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Wavy guitar licks and a smooth sultry vibe ushers in this track from ASTN. ‘It’s Not That Serious’ offers a timeless sort of sound that lures the listener in and wraps around them like a warm blanket on a dark chilly night. Call it soulful R7B with just enough of a pop undertone to keep the track relatable for music lovers. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Trip Carter - Freshout [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Trip Carter’s somes with a distinct raspy vocal style that emotes the light but direct attitude of this lyrical flow. He shares, ‘This song is about the feeling you get when you’re finally out of a bad situation. When you’re fresh out of jail, work, quarantine, or a toxic relationship, the energy is unmatched. You can finally breathe, blow off some steam and look forward to new possibilities.’

The track is a genre ender but comes with a steady easy groove that pulls you in and holds you there. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Tyra Jutai - Frida [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Tyra Jutai knows how to tell a story, and tell it well. Here that story comes in the form of an Electro Pop Murder Ballad and beyond the strong storytelling and sultry emotive delivery is an eerie delivery that conjured strong thoughts of Amy Winehouse for me.

The track is bold and in your face both musically and visually with the delightfully sinister imagery of the video.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock blogger

Gravity Circus - Shaky Little Dice Roll [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track from Gravity Circus gave me White Stripes vibes right from the start. WIth a bendy and brooding arrangement the build and progression offers a bit of funky Rock and Roll spirit, with a hardcore edge lurking there in the background. This is a hard track to to join in and sing along with by the second run through the chorus. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Shedonist - I Don't Want You Anymore [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track hooked me with a few powerful phrases early on, though if I am honest the tempo and arrangement did feel odd to me at first. A jaded breakup song, this track has that sort of building anger and attitude that mirrors the way our minds works as we process and come to such decisions and once that fact hit me, the genius of this track truly came forward. The emotion carries the day along with the strong writing and in the end this track perfectly convey the mix of emotions. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Dax - Dear Mom [Music Video Review]

“Dax is back with a track that comes with a different vibe than his usual intense flows and messages. Right in time for Mother’s Day, Dax drops this ode to the hard working moms out there who have made a lifetime of sacrifices for the sake of their children while also offering that steady hand of guidance we at times resent be need as we find our own way in the world. This is one to sit back and feel this weekend, and every other day, because we wouldn’t be here without our moms.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

j.aaron - Ah Lyke It [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We all know that person who is quirky and different in all the best ways, and that completely owns the fact without apology or explanation. This is the soundtrack to that type of person and the vocals here match the person as quirky and fun and unapologetic as well. The energy carries the day on this fun groove. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Rightfield - Birthday Party [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Far too often our pasts are there to confront us. Be a memory or an actual sighting of the person that takes us back and leashes that floodgate. Here on this timeless track from Rightfield, the jolt arrives in the form of a ‘Birthday Party’ with the forced social awkwardness of encountering an ex for the first time.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

malleus incus stapes - Seven Year Storm [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“If a classic, prohibition era speakeasy had a sound, this track would be it. ‘Seven Year Storm’ is a bluesy, jazzy, Indie rock ride through hard times and an IDGAF attitude. This offering isn’t as commercial sounding as much of the music we feature on LA on Lock, but something about the spirit of the song spoke to me.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kai Straw - Bleeding Out in the 415 [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Hailing from the Bay Area, Kai Straw has the kind of voice that refuses to let you turn away. Raw and vulnerable, while still holding a dark edge, this track unfurls a mesmerizing story. If the movie Sin City was smashed together with The Weeknd along with some kind of dark-side Flume, they’d sound something like this. This is the kind of song that will stick in your mind long after the last note has faded.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

DEVORA - Body Bag [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“For my money, the best Rock and Roll is born from anger and attitude. DEVORA offers up plenty of both in this ode to personal rage and frustration.

’Body Bag’ sounds like Sheryl Crow, if Sheryl Crow were pissed off and ready to start enacting revenge on all her enemies while teamed up with Rob Zombie to score the soundtrack. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Chris Murphy - Mr. Mister [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“From the very first word, Chris Murphy demands you listen to what he has to say on ‘Mr. Mister.’

Bluesy and direct, the vibe here is haunting and dark and oh-so-honest. Self-doubt can be a killer, but we all take those deep dives in sometimes. A track like this can make it easier by allowing us to see into the mind of another and realize we are all traveling the same rocky roads.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jesse Roper - Horizons [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“f you dig a bit of Bluesy weirdness, then Jesse Roper has the track for you. ‘Horizons’ offers a soulful twist on the world of extraterrestrials, but the track really has a vague take on the otherworldliness aspect and relies on the bold vocal performance that just lodges in your bones.

Nathaniel Rateliff comes to mind when you try to draw a comparison, but the track has a unique edge that simply is hard to deny. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Pete + Sara - I Hate You [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“The world is full of them ... people we don’t like for a variety of reasons. ‘I Hate You’ is a tongue in cheek Pop track with a hearty dose of observation about the people who annoy us all.

Sara says on the track, ‘Peter and I were talking about how people will always say, ‘man, I hate that guy.’ So we wanted to figure out who ‘that guy’ was and write a song about how much we hate him. It turned into a very cool song about a very annoying person. I think you’ll hate him too.’”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)