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

Dead Rose - Losing Oxygen (ft. Stella Smyth) [Music Review]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

“This track is a classic example of so many submission we receive here at LA on Lock. There is clear and obvious vocal talent, and even the arrangement has musical potential, the overall track lacks a clean production and build.

From a few pauses and skips that at least felt unintentional, to the mix, which left the vocals feeling too distant at times this track just didn’t quite realize its full potential for me. And yet, I can tell the artistry and talent it is simply a matter of getting it all put together in a tidier package.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Ingrid Avison - Time Travelling Cowboy [Music Video Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Ingrid Avison unleashes her debut single, ‘Time Travelling Cowboy.’ The emotive delivery highlight Avison’s songwriting and vocal talent.

With a slight tremble at times that sells the words well, Avison has that classic Americana vibe that feels like a kinder softer Lucinda Williams mixed with some of the strong emotion of a Brandi Carlile.

I did at times crave a stronger sense of build and escalation from the arrangement.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kylie Rothfield - The Barrel [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kylie Rothfield caught the attention of Alicia Keys and afte rthis track you’ll understand why. ‘The Barrel’ is a smooth Alt Pop track dripping with emotion and vocal talent. The track ahs some late 80s or early 90s vibes yet still has a contemporary vibe thanks to the writing and strong emotive performance of Rothfield. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

aedie - Bozeman Baby [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Sometimes the onlyw ay to feel free is to get outside and rediscover yourself via nature. ‘Bozeman Baby’ is an ode to aedie’s time in Montana and Big Sky Country.

Style wise, the track has an Indie Folk Rock kind of vibe and the result is a timeless sound that would have fit in the 80’s musical landscape as well as it does the current times. A fun easy track that I get something new out of with each listen.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

M'Lynn - Midnight Confessions [Music Review]

Rating: 3 out of 5

“I really liked this one after that intro which for me felt out of place with the rest of the groove and smooth delivery.

M’Lynn has a nice sultry vocal delivery that carried me along and I like the beat behind it for the most part though a few of the transitions felt a bit clunky by comparison to the rest of the groove.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Eden Rain - Taking [Music Review]

Rating: 3 out of 5

“London-based artist Eden Rain takes an Alt Pop angle on her latest single ‘Taking.’

The track comes from her highly anticipated upcoming EP, ‘Anyway, How Are You?’

The narrative style lyricism works well here though I did crave a more emotive edge given the vocal side is produced to give a low-key distant kind of vibe. Rain does offer a nie look at the complexities of human relationships, while unraveling the intricate dynamics of the people around her.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Natalie Clark - Nothing Left To Lose [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Natalie Clark takes fear and anxiety head on with her heartfelt track, ‘Nothing Left To Lose.’ The Scottish born, but LA based artist lets her vulnerability shine in the soft and tender track. Well written and performed with an emotive quality that escapes most singers, Clark showcases her versatility and emotional depth on the track quite well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Vilhelm Buchaus - My Mistake [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Sometimes the painful truth is plain as day and yet we choose to ignore it. Vilhelm Buchaus is all about this dynamic on his new single, ‘My Mistake.’

The track has a 90’s Indie Rock vibe as it showcases a relationship that is doomed from the start even though he is diving in head first with the realization it won’t end well.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Richard Tyler Epperson - All My Life [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Richard Tyler Epperson taps into his personal history with the track, ‘All My LIfe.’

The talented songwriter has taken a song that his father first recorded as a, acoustic demo and put his own spin on it to create a link and legacy with his father. Motivated by the recent passing of his father, Epperson utilizes the emotion and meaning to give us a song that is personally meaningful to him that also has the ability to resonate with others in an impactful way.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

TaReef KnockOut - My Way Out [Music Review]

Rating: 2 out of 5

“This track offered up a mixed bag of reactions for me. I do like the writing and the low-key beat hits to pair with a nice groove giving a solid emotional balance to the lyrics.

On the other hand, the vocal delivery came off very flat and emotionless for the most part. The hook is delivered with more emotive energy though it does feel overly repetitive and the verses just didn’t have enough passion behind them for this one to catch fire for me personally.

How did TaReef KnockOut’s track ‘My Way Out’ land for you?”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

JRoberts - What's The Deal (Featuring Ayoo Bigz) [Music Review]

Rating: 2 out of 5

“This one missed me in a lot of ways. The timing is solid, and I do hear passion in the delivery. That said overall the beat and backing felt melodramatic and the flow had a stilted tone prior to that shift at 1:20. The second flow felt far more authentic for my ears as that delivery hit for me leaving the track with a Jekyll and Hyde contradiction of the two delivery styles.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Drew Schueler - Happy That I Met You [Music Review]

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

Amane Mist - Paradise [Music Review]

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

“This is a track that technically has little to critic, but that said there is also not a lot to get excited about. The talent is obvious both in the performance and production but for me this track had more of a ‘all in a day’s work’ feel than it it did a passionate creation. The end result had a paint by numbers feel for me.

Here at LA on Lock we are trying to feature more songs with our opinions to showcase what our inbox looks like and this is one of those middle of the road track with talent, but lacking the spark to truly inspire us with something we haven’t heard before.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kenny Sharp - Smooth [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kenny Sharp cuts us up with the gleaming blade that is ‘Smooth.’ This Retro Funk/ Soul number has a bit of Bruno, but also some Hip-Hop-esque verve that reminded me of Yung Grvy.

This is a one of those tracks that lodges in your gut and reverborates out to your bones with the groove. I dare you to listen to this and not be persuaded to move to the Funk.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jasper The Scary Ghost - Let Me Just (Vibe) [Music Review]

Rating: 2 out of 5

“The intro felt more like something out of a 1950s spy movie than it did a hype track for a Hip-Hop song.

The flow has talent and a nice energy, though that beat and backing struck me as an odd choice to pair up with. The writing here did not give me a lot new. so the hook ground me out with its repetition and while I like the passion of these performances, this one never had the lyrical punch to truly get me going.

Let us know if the track hit differently for you.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Kidd Dryden - Life We Chose [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kidd Dryden wrote this track while enduring a rough patch of life, and yet he chose to remain optimistic and focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. The flow is delivered in a low-key straightforward way, but you can feel the earnest hope and vulnerability in the words.

This is a track to listen to alone when you too are struggling and need a reminder that few things are permanent and how we get back up is what usually defines us.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Lisa Heller - LOSER! [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Lisa Heller is anything but a ‘Loser!!’ Though she sings that refrain with ease and kill. Delivery a Pop Punk brand of high-energy, Heller straddles the line of Pop Princess and Punk Girl Bad-Ass quite ably.

It’s hard to imagine her losing anything she wants to keep but this tracks has punch and you can’t help but believe in the performance and the artist.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Caroline Romano - Pretty Boys [Music Review]

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

Jet Vesper - Golden Day [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Jet Vesper sets the mood and vibe with ‘Golden Day.’ The smooth easy beat and groove is infectious and the vocal build is light and airy giving this track a uplifting tone that simply makes the world feel like a better place.

Jet Vesper brings the joy from down under as this Aussie artist unleashes a bit of the carefree attitude that we all need in this day and time of anger, hate, and stress.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger