The Collection - Won't Stop Yet [Review] February 25, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Pop, Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “So many times we are told to have faith ... things will work out. Truth is that isn’t always the case and yet we keep ;-lugging along through life putting one foot in front of the other. ‘Won’t Stop Yet’ is an anthem of sorts honoring that stubbornness while admitting the effort might not be rewarded the way we want or expect. The vocal tone is folksy while the arrangement is a energetic and uplifting. The track feels like a celebration of this imperfect thing we call life. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Kelaska - Long Way Home [Review] February 25, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Pop, Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “Going out of your way to avoid running into that person that broke your heart or hurt you in some other way is something we have all done, and Kelaska expresses those emotions with heartfelt clarity on the track, ‘Long Way Home.’A Pop track that is comparable to emotion of a Taylor Swift song, the lyrics tell a story but he vocal performance makes you truly feel it.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Jake Hays - Dumb Shit [Review] February 11, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Lyric Video, Pop, Rock, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Inspired by the dearth of originality in a social media driven world, Jake Hays delivers a heartfelt ode to trying to find your own inner peace and creativity in a copycat world of the same old same old. The vocal groove is more tranquil than the lyrical intent and build and that makes the song feel ambiguously delightful. The ‘Dumb Shit’ grinds us all down and rarely are we able to distill those emotions with the clarity of this song. The lyrics video helps the truly get into the message and words of this track.” — 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
Wild Giants - If God Only Knew [Review] January 14, 2022 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rating: 4 out of 5 “The gravel in the vocals provides instant emotional connection, and while the track does have a slight retro feel of the mid 90s to early 200s sound it does so more as a homage than a reliance. That gives the track a fresh contemporary feel on top of that familiarity. The emotional resonance carries the day and a down tempo shift at the end of the song really brought it all home for me. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Kazmyn -Our Demise [Review] January 12, 2022 by Kreadiv Kesh in Pop, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Kazmyn gives us emotional and visual details in her latest single “Our Demise”. She releases her hurt and pain by giving a check list of everything that went wrong or wasn’t done in her relationship to make it fall apart. She hopes the new relationship is the total opposite and that her ex has learned from everything that caused their relationship to demise. She wishes nothing but the best and is in good spirits over the string of the guitar. ” — Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]
SEA GIRLS - Hometown [ Music Video Review] December 25, 2021 by Kreadiv Kesh in Singer/Songwriter, Live Performance, Indie Rock, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Sea Girls latest track “Hometown” brings back the aesthetics of fans and rock concerts. Now of days we attend shows and use most of the moment with our phones out instead of really rocking with the artists. Sea Girls highlights that experience but also tells the story of loving someone over the years and dealing with the changes of life. ” — Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]
FANGZ - Won't Be Me [Review] November 12, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Punk, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Energy and passion can make make for an engaging track, and when the musical talent shines just as boldly as those elements — the music truly comes alive. FANGZ has created just such a track with ‘Won’t Be Me,’ a hard charged Punk anthem about sticking with a relationship even as the wheels fall off. You know it is doomed, but still you want for the end rather than bring it about.” — 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]
Caroline Romano - Ireland in 2009 [Review] November 05, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Commercial, Pop, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “An ode to gritty teenage romance, ‘Ireland in 2009’ is packed with soaring vocals, anthemic production and Caroline Romano’s signature unfiltered lyricism. “It’s a story of falling in love in car parks and waking up in your school clothes,” she says. “It’s about being far too young to know anything at all and the all-or-nothing emotions that come with juvenescence.” For me the song simply has heart and emption and a genuine ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Belle Roscoe - Soho Shoes [Music Video Review] September 23, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rock, Indie Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Sometimes as a curator and reviewer it is best to get out of the way and let the band tell you what they want you to know about their art. This is one of those times ...From the band:’We were inspired during London lockdown to film a music video. We wanted to capture the dystopian landscape we were all suddenly catapulted into and it felt like the perfect marriage for SOHO SHOES.It was a “gorilla” style mission, 4am starts most mornings for about a month. No traffic, no pollution, not a person in sight...We were arrested one time but it didn’t deter us. We were on a mission. It became an obsession going out every morning to discover London like never before. It also galvanised a creative outlet during a time when we couldn’t play music.We were armed with an iphone, a gimbal and a dancing walrus.’” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Tedious & Brief - Not That Deep [Music Video Review] September 17, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Lyric Video, Pop, Rock, Indie Pop Rating: 4 out of 5 “It is easy to write those breakup songs when the heartache is fresh and real, but what happens once the artist gets over the breakup and is then forced to relive it by performing the slate of songs over and over. The artistic struggle is a complex one and this song has a bit of fun with that by bringing to the forefront the meaning behind such tracks. Tedious & Brief do a masterful job of putting a unique twist on a well-worn subject. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Caroline Romano - Oddities and Prodigies [Review] September 16, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Electro Pop, Commercial, Pop, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Caroline Romano drops ‘Oddities and Prodigies’ on us, and the track is bound to remind some of Pink as it delivers the same brand of energetic talent that hooks and pulls you along. The vocal talent makes the track, but the writing is strong and the hook keeps the listener engaged. If I had any negative critique at all it, is that the track is short at two minutes and I was left wanting more. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Justus Bennetts - Bad Day [Music Video Review] September 09, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music Videos, Hip-Hop, Conscious, Pop, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Justus Bennetts offers up this short, but pointed track that pretty much says everything we’ve all thought when truly pissed off. Eventually we all find that shitty person who does us wrong and this is the track for that moment!The flow is light and fun despite the dark tone of the words being delivered and that is what makes this track a fun one. So go ahead and save this one back until the next time you need to ‘dedicate’ it to that someone special.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Signe - Kerosene Stars [Review] August 27, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Rock, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Finding a connection in a rushed and hurried world is tough no matter if that desired connection is romantic of nature or not. Signe drops this single which takes those emotions and distills them into a glimmering track that connects with its tender vulnerability. ‘Kerosene Stars’ comes with an emotive delivery and meaningful lyrics and an overall epic feel to the build. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Transmission Lost - One Way or Another [Review] August 13, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rock, Alternative Rating: 4 out of 5 “Transmission Lost offers a big bold Indie Rock sound. Leaning toward the Alternative or even Grunge sound f the early 90s, the band offers strong melodies and a lyrical build that sweeps the listener up and in. Hailing from Houston, Texas, Transmission Lost deftly utilizes influences of varying genres and sounds, to fuse together a rock and roll sound that is engaging and immersive. ” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Caroline Romano - The Hypothetical [Review] August 12, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Electro Pop, Commercial, Pop, Rock Rating: 4.5 out of 5 “Is the idea of a perfect romance and relationship real, or more of mythological utopia that lives on in ‘The Hypothetical’ daydreams of our brain? That is the question Caroline Romano unleashes with this high energy almost demanding track. The lyrical hooks and razor edged melody slice through the psyche on this track making it an attitude and vibe as much as a commentary on how we fantasize our relationships going.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Sofia Lainovic - I Will Not Bother Anymore [Review] August 08, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Singer/Songwriter, Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Sofia Lainovic infuses a sultry rasp into her vocals that reminds me some of ZZ Ward. ‘I Will Not Bother Anymore’ is about moving on from that person that hurt you and no longer allowing them to occupy your headspace or emotions. The track has a Rock vibe to the melody and build though it uses elements of Blues, and Pop to blend the overall sound into an engaging ode to moving on.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Elsewhere! - Overrated [Review] August 05, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Pop, Rock Rating: 4 out of 5 “Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.” — Quote Source “Elsewhere! has dropped the new single, “Overrated,’ which is an ironic title, because the song and talent are anything — but over rated. Coming with a pure Indie Pop sound, the track has a bit of Bieber vibe vocally, and comes with a nice groove behind it that conjures comparisons to The 1975. This is an easy build to fall in and join if you feel like belting out the words along with the performance.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger
Woodward - What I'm In Need Of [Review] July 26, 2021 by Travis Erwin in Music, Rock, Indie Rock, Commercial Rating: 4 out of 5 “Rock and Roll ain’t dead! Woodward brings some retro vibes with this contemporary Indie Rock track, but they do so without making the single feel dated in anyway. ’What I’m In Need Of’ is a hard-charged single that conjures forth bands like Foreigner, Van Halen, and Motley Crue, however, Woodward has their own modern spin and brand of sound. No fan of true rock and roll will be disappointed by this one.” — Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger