Taylor Bini - Started Chewing My Nails Again [Review] February 08, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Electronic, Indie Pop, Indie Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Finally a break up song that feels as random and abstract as our minds tend to get after such a painful experience. The emotions are real and tangible here on this track and the writing is spot on brilliant. The track is short, but packs in everything it needed to in just under two minutes. A brilliantly crafted song that comes with a different angle than most artists are capable of delivering. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
LVRBOY - sick of me [Review] January 28, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Pop, Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Electro Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “LVRBOY releases this lyrically intricate track about friendship and bad relationships. ‘sick of me’ is about friends sick of seeing you give a n ex chance after chance when they are undeserving and the conflicting emotions of being caught up in the middle. The sound is bold and as much Rock as Pop, but blends the lines quite well. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Ryan Cassata - CLOSER [Music Video Review] January 26, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Indie Pop, Indie Electronic Rating: 4 out of 5 “Longtime fans of LA on Lock are no stranger to Ryan Cassata’s talent as we have featured several songs from this songsmith. ’CLOSER’ is the latest track from the artist and once again Cassata has tapped into an emotional energy that sells the lyrics with precision and verve. This track is a bit more energetic than the others we’ve featured, but the groove and rhythm really help bring this one to life.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
STAY GLDN - Dead Ends, Fake Friends [Music Video Review] January 21, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Electro Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “LA on Lock is proud to premier this new single from STAY GLDN. ‘Dead Ends, Fake Friends’ is the antithesis of nostalgia. There are many track about going home again but this British band puts a different spin by lamenting the fact they did not leave all that much behind when the left the nest. This Indie/Dream Pop track conveys the memories and emotions and the simple video works well to help convey the relived brand of melancholy the song puts off. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
RIVER - Someday [Review] January 14, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Alternative “Nostalgia and melancholy ride tandem in this track from Hamburg’s RIVER. ‘Someday’ is the kind of track that can mean different things to you from day to day depending on your own mood and headspace, but no matter what you take away the easy groove and clever writing will engage you and pull you deep inside the rhythm of this Indie Rock effort. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Hunter Moreau - Sleepyhead [Review] January 07, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Bedroom, Electro Pop, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “We all get stuck in our head and repeat the same old tired refrains we believe to be true, but that often hold us back. Hunter Moreau takes that habit and turns it into an engaging Bedroom Pop track. ‘Sleepyhead’ has enough energy and verve to make the track come alive, yet enough emotional vulnerability to hook and hold and get us all to thinking about our own mental habits. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
MIXIE - Run Away [Review] December 01, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Electro Pop, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Already having made her mark as a model, digital artist, and fashion designer, MIXIE is celebrating her artistic journey into music with her debut single, ‘Run Away.’LGBTQI+ to the bone and current Manhattanite, MIXIE is a renaissance girl for the 21st century. Riding pure Pop tones and Commercial vibe musically, this track is right at home with current hits. The energy and lyrical flow hooks in and doesn’t let go. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Ian Oshér - Never Alone [Review] November 19, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Electronic, Indie Electronic, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “Light and upbeat, ‘Never Alone’ from Ian Oshér is one of those songs that grabs you in immediately and refuses to let you go. The LA artists rides a nice calm wave to deliver the track. There is a subtle energy and spark without the track resorting to gimmicks or over production. The simple, straightforward lyrics and arrangement work quite well. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
CVBZ x American Authors - This Time is Right [Review] November 18, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “This is one of those big bold Indie Rock songs that feels as much like an anthem as anything else. The kind of build and arrangement that sweeps listeners up and in. The kind of track that incorporates various elements and genres to create a sound that resonates for music lovers of all. The energetic build and progression is joined by talented vocal performances to create a vibe that hooks and holds with ease. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
The Manic Boys And Girls Club - Blacked Out [Music Video Review] November 08, 2021 by Kreadiv Kesh in Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock Rating: 5 out of 5 “Everyone enjoys a night out but then there are the nights were we try to escape. The Manic Boys And Girls Club latest single “Blacked Out” is about one night out of being free and escaping the world and its issues. The bond between the artists are amazing and the visual aspect allows you to really experience the mindset someone has when they escape and black out, just or wake up alone. ” — Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]
Kayla DiVenere - PSYCHOPATH [Review] November 06, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “This is masterfully constructed track. LA’s Kayla DiVenere utilizes not only her vocal talent to instill a mood, but the arrangement plays a huge role in conveying the emotion and feeling behind the well-written lyrics. Coming with a Commercial Pop Punk sound ‘PSYCHOPATH’ delivers an up and down tempo that matches the impact of the writing and keeps the listener guessing what will come next as they lean in and lose the world around them.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Sarah Gross - Amy [Review] November 06, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Americana, Folk, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “Sarah Gross joins a growing movement of talented women pouring their heart and soul out with Folk driven Americana. Currently, Brandi Carlilse is the name many associate with this sound, but Gross offers a softer vocal style that stands on its own. This track, like the rest of the EP is written about the New York town she grew up in and the rich slate of characters that Gross walked beside over the years.” — Travis Erwin
ROE x Ciaran Lavery - Destroyer [Review] November 03, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Alternative Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “A dark brooding Indie Rock sound that hit me like Joan Jett fronting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The emotion is present in the delivery as well as the music, and the writing insures that you have little choice but fall in and feel this one start to finish. ROE and Ciaran Lavery team to bring the track to life, and the combination works to perfection on this single.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Sarpa Salpa - Your House [Review] November 03, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Electronic, Indie Pop, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Coming to SXSW in March 2022, Sarpa Salpa is a British band that has one foot in the synth heavy sound of the 80s, and another firmly panted in the contemporary world of Indie Pop. ‘Your House’ has a nice Indietronica vibe to it even though lyrically the track is heavier and darker than the arrangement might first suggest. I liked this emotional juxtaposition and in it found my own groove to stay invested and connected for the entire build and duration.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
ella jane - Calling Card [Music Video Review] October 28, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Music Videos, Indie Pop, Bedroom Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “We’ve all been deceived and fooled by another person, and that treachery is even worse when you fall for that person in a romantic way. ella jane’s track is a tongue in cheek Pop ode to revenge on such people. The lyrics are sharp and witty and this song is sort of like Sheryl Crow as Dexter in musical form. A fun ride with incredible talent to back it up!” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Valley Boy - Disgusting [Review] October 22, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Valley Boy stays true to the title and offers up a set of lyrics that might indeed be ‘Disgusting’ by the norms society puts on us all, but the writing and delivery are certainly honest and engaging and those two qualities go a very long way in making music feel alive and true. The build and progression shifts and grows in intensity toward the end and this makes us feel the power of simple, declarative truths that we all hold secret for fear of being judged. In this, the song offers an understated brilliance.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
TATUM - Homecoming [Music Video Review] October 15, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Indie Pop, Adult Contemporary Rating: 4 out of 5 “This track took thirty or forty seconds to truly hook me in and once it did I was leaning in and invested the rest of the way. I was intrigued enough early on to stay with it so I’m not saying the opening isn’t strong, just that the emotion truly landed for me a bit deeper in. The video feels right for the mood and emotion of the track. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
AJ Smith - Cooler [Music Video Review] October 08, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Indie Pop, Commercial Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Staying calm, cool, and collected, in the midst of a first date is no easy feat, and AJ Smith deliver the emotions of those anxious moments with sheer brilliance on this track. ‘Cooler’ is about trying to shake off the mental trappings and insecurities to better connect with the person that has caught your attention. This single certainly captivates and demands attention with its clever structure and emotive delivery. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
The Satellite Station - Trouble [Review] October 01, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “The emotional vocal delivery grabs hold from the first word and as the lyrical build unfolds the performance only draws you in deeper. The Satellite Station brings a timeless songwriter vibe and combines that with a folksy Indie Rock sound that is almost tangible in its powerful emotional resonance. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock blogger
Rhys - Thanks a lot now I can't smile [Review] September 24, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Adult Contemporary, Pop, Punk, Indie Pop Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Rhys was born in Portland but moved to Sweden when she was only ten years old. The influence of both American and Swedish Pop can be found in her sound and the tender emotion is palpable in every single line. This particular track reminded me of Pink a great deal but that is not to say Rhys doesn’t have her own unique spin and delivery. The writing is also strong and in it you can truly lose yourself into the world of the singer. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger