Lauren Sanderson - INTERNET [Review] June 16, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Conscious, Hip-Hop Rating: 4 out of 5 “The ‘INTERNET’ is that proverbial double edge sword offering good and bad. Connecting the world and making it a smaller place but distracting us from the face to face social interactions that make humanity ... well human.This track bangs with Lauren Sanderson delivering snappy and edgy vocals over a winding beat and production that feels energetic and alive. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Maddie Zahm - Everything to Me [Review] June 15, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “The soft tenderness of Maddie Zahm’s vocals reveals a vulnerability that is also prevalent in the lyrics of this heartbreak ballad. Letting your walls down for another to invade is hard, and when they take advantage of that opportunity to only leave more scars, it is tough to move forward once again. This track captures all of that with a beautifully pained spirit.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Goldkimono - To Tomorrow [Music Video Review] June 15, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial, House Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Inspired by his time in Venice Beach California, the Netherland’s Goldkimono delivers a sound that hints at Red Hot Chili Peppers with an island pop style, and a crunch of a Dutch stroopwafel. Known for writing the iconic Kygo - Firestone, Goldkimono describes his sound a lot like his clothing style, ‘Take a handful of sunshine and throw it into a boardwalk thrift shop, walk out with some comfy colorful pants and a Levi’s Sherpa jacket and don’t turn back.’ ‘To Tomorrow’ brings the carefree spirit of youth with little regard to what happened yesterday, because you believe in the present and tomorrow so damn much.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Fionn - Modern Medication [Music Video Review] June 12, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Lyrically sharp, Fionn has delivered a track of social commentary on Gen-Z. The production of the track has a bit of a throwback vibe, and yet the songs delivers a very modern vibe and mood. The vocals are alluring and evocative, as are the lyrics. The imagery of the video is fun and yet punctuates the commentary of the song quite well.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Christian Dupree - POS Car [Review] June 10, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Riding a strong hook that will have you singing along by the second chorus, ‘POS Car’ is a track that is simply easy to connect with and stay dialed in on. The vocal groove is infectious, and the vibe smooth and tranquil like the best of memories that plays over and over in your mind. Christian Dupree delivered a winner here, that I suspect will be added to many a Summer playlist. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
RUNN - Better [Review] June 09, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Recent times have us all wanting to feel — ‘Better,’ and RUNN’s vocal performance on this well-written song certainly helps us feel like we are not alone in these thoughts. The soaring vocals deliver the emotions behind being fearful and anxious, and yet the track also brings a notable tinge of hope in the performance. The single has a borderline Pop/Singer Songwriter sound that is both entertaining and stimulating. Solid!” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Sarah Barrios - Mourn The Living [Music Video Review] May 29, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Mourning is accepted when it comes to those who have passed on, but it often seems like we as society tell people to get over it and move on when they are mourning anything else but the dead. With ‘Mourn The Living,’ Sarah Barrios gives is a heart-wrenching Pop ballad to the loss of relationships, friends, and even times gone by. The vocals deliver the sense of loss with a tender almost ragged emotion that hits hard.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Harmonee - Don't Bring Me Down [Review] May 29, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Meshing a Hip-Hop vibe with an Electronic sound, Harmoneee drops ‘Don’t Bring Me Down.’ The production and arrangement keep the track moving forward at a tranquil pace that meanders, but never lags. Lyrically, the track is a positive reaffirmation that tough times, hard times, anxious times — do not have to define you. That you can keep on moving forward and overcome the roadblocks until you get to the other side. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
blvkkhvrt. x Flannel Albert - Vuddy! [Review] May 29, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Cool and crisp like a bright Summer morning. ‘Vuddy’ delivers a beach vibe just in time to get some sand between your toes. This track is about that one girl that refuses to go quietly. The one that demands to be noticed and will stop at nothing until you do so. The groove here is infectious and the vocals stay in that same lane to keep the good ties going.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Lune - Where Do Love Go [Review] May 29, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Electro Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “It is a simple question with complex ideas behind it. ‘Where Do Love Go?’ Here one minute and gone the next. Not unlike a magical tune that lands in your ears and fills you with ideas and emotion only to disappear as another track comes on. Still some songs stick with us and this is that kind of song. Light and airy in the best possible way Pop music can be, Lune has given us a track that we can easily dance along with as we ponder all the wonderful and weird facets of this thing we call life.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Makena - Time of My Life [Review] May 26, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “On a track that will leaving you trying to decide if you should laugh, cry, or dance, Makena gives us a gamut of emotions. ’Time of My Life’ is an ode to growing up and finding your place in the world through tough times and good times and all the times in between. There is a pop element to the vocals that adds a lightness to what lyrically at times is a very dark song. Showcasing a variety of vocal styles, the track also offers that hopeful feeling you get with the knowledge you are not alone in your hopes, fears, and struggles.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Cobi - Don't Stop [Review] May 26, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Singer/Songwriter Rating: 4 out of 5 “The soft piano melody invites you in, Cobi’s delicate yet emotive vocals makes you want to stay. Lyrically, this track will no doubt hold different meanings for different people, because this is that kind of artful songwriting that can deliver both intimacy and broad relevance. ’Don’t Stop” transcends genre, by falling into the power ballad spectrum of simply good music that speaks to a wide array of listener.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Kiesza - Crave [Music Video Review] May 26, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “There is a real 80’s vibe to this track, both in the sound and imagery of the video. Kiesza delivers the vocals with energy and a theatrical brand of emotion that works very well in the build toward the chorus. ’Crave’ is a song that just keeps rising and pulling you along until it explodes into a chorus that arrives with a smart satisfaction. The video is simple in concept, but works well to keep you entertained and dialed in on the track.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Kevin Brown - Shine! [Review] May 25, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rap, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Kevin Brown keeps it positive in the face of haters and fake friends. ‘Shine!’ is about keeping your light on bright, despite a world filled with those trying to push you back into the dark. The production here is lively and energetic, and Brown’s attitude truly does shine through in his vocal flow. This track would make a nice addition to your motivational playlists.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Maudlin - The Best Thing [Review] May 22, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Commercial, Singer/Songwriter Rating: 4 out of 5 “Dark and dirty best describes the mood here. A song of emotional reflection on the suffering that our hearts can put us through. Two lonely dirty souls ... is part of a line from these well-written lyrics, and if you think of human lust and love in those terms, you will be smack dab in the mindset of this single. Maudlin is raw and real in the telling of “The Best Thing.’” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Amanda Raye - No One Knows [Review] May 22, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Some tracks simply cannot be pigeonholed into a genre or even time. Amanda Raye has given us such a single with ‘No One Knows.’ The irony of the title aside, this is a track that truly is beyond genre or era. There are times I hear a 70’s Stevie Nicks vibe, others where a Country/Americana sound that hints at Miranda Lambert shines through. There is a bit of Lady Gaga and Ronstadt and a decided 2020 mood, but also a sprinkle of 1985. Give it listen to discover this talented artist for yourself, and maybe then you will know what I mean.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Olivia Lunny - Bedsheets [Review] May 22, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Olivia Lunny hooked me with the longing hope of her vocal performance here on this track. The lyrics bring a strong emotional connection right from the beginning, and the soft steady flow held my focus in rapt attention. ’Bedsheets’ is about time running out on what could be. The longing and earnest hope is tangible and heartbreaking and much of that comes from the stellar vocal performance Though the songwriting has its own undeniable allure. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Confetti - Elephant In The Room [Review] May 22, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Confetti is fun. The band I mean, because unlike their namesake, this kind of Confetti requires no cleanup up after the party. Fun and light, ‘Elephant In The Room’ brings that carefree party vibe with an infectious hook and energy. Witty and sarcastic in the best possible ways, this is a track that will put a smile on your face no matter how many times you blast it. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Ella Isaacson x Gallant - Expectations [Review] May 21, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “This smoothly delivered track is a winner for a pair of talented emotive vocal flows, and a strongly written set of lyrics that sweeps the listener along. The idea of ‘Expectations’ can be a double edged sword and this track brings out that two sides very well. Ella Isaacson’s tender vulnerability ushers the track in, before Gallant comes in with his own stirring performance that adds a dynamic that takes the track to the next level.” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)
Cate Tomlinson - Let You In [Review] May 21, 2020 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Commercial Rating: 3.5 out of 5 “This is a softly delivered track with a commercial vibe in the sound, and a singer/songwriter sensibilities behind the writing. The well-written lyrics bring out the emotion of discovering that one person who has captivated you feels the same way. It is about a burgeoning relationship, and the vocal tone expresses that hope and guarded excitement. The production and musical side is low-key here which allows the emotion to take center stage. ” — Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)