Olivia Lunny - Bedsheets [Review]

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)

Cian Ducrot - anyone but her [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Cian Ducrot. Commit the name to memory, because this is one Independent Artist poised to take off.

Fresh off his single, ‘Fucked Up All The Time’ which was more personal, Ducrot gives us “anyone but her.’ This single is just as emotional, but this time Ducrot has taken a story that a fan shared with him, a story that impacted his own emotions and with the character whispering in his ear, he sat and wrote this track to bring her experiences to others.

As in the case with the track about his life the writing is such that it speaks to a wider audience because it taps into the true depth of the human situation. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Cate Tomlinson - Let You In [Review]

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)

12AM - Lost [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The raw, stripped bare vocal performance is palpable on this track. ‘Lost’ lays open the wound and emotion of missing the one that you love. Played over a piano melody, with vulnerable honest emotion, the track does not rely on embellishments or glossy production, but is simply the work of a talented songwriter openly pouring his heart out.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Mustafa - Stay Alive [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“If Jack Johnson had grown up in an inner city, this is the track he would have written. Instead this tender , emotional track comes from Mustafa, a 23 year old songwriting poet who hails from Toronto’s Regent Park, an area that has seen its share of gun violence.

Mustafa was first moved to make music after losing several close friends to gun violence. He sings to the departed and to his hood. Even with his serene demeanor, the effect is riveting. Every part of the song is understated, from the single guitar to the subtle keys and the mere suggestion of percussion. The finger-picked acoustic notes wander along the scales without hurry, matching Mustafa’s breathy, soulful vocals perfectly as he goes from nostalgic, to hopeful, to profoundly sad.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Dan DeCristofaro - Give Me Your Love [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A love song about finding the courage to take that risk and jump from a long time friendship, to something more. Dan DeCristofaro and Bianca Sings deliver ‘Give Me Your Love’ with Soul and passion and the track comes alive with an undeniable energy.

Love is tricky, and sometimes it is a slow burn that blooms from the fruits of friendship, but as we all know it is never easy to escape the friend zone. Sometimes, that leap is exactly what you need. This is the love song for that course of action! ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Yify Zhang - Good Enough [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This track is a cinematic ode to self love. Yify Zhang is wickedly talented and that shines through in every element of this soft uplifting track.

The lyric video makes it easy to follow along as you let the reassuring words settle in and over you. The musical arrangement soars along to provide an added layer of engagement and is nicely matched to the emotion and message of the track. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Jasmine Thompson - Love For The Lonely [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Jasmine Thompson secured a record deal with Atlantic records at only 13 off the strength of her YouTube performances. Now 19, Thompson has only refined her talents that much more.

”Love For The Lonely’ is a powerful ballad about finding and maintaining love even when it is less scary to walk away or destroy the burgeoning relationship. The video adds to the emotion and isolated mindset giving the project a cohesive intimate vibe to go along with the powerful performance.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Gavin James - Boxes [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“An energetic uplifting track for everyone that has ever been told ... they shouldn’t, they can’t, they won’t.

Gavin James has heard the dream killers talking to him since his childhood in Dublin, but the singer/songwriter did not listen to any of them for long. Preferring to ignore the naysayers and the challenges, he chased his musical dreams despite the odds. This track is testament to both his talent and perseverance.

The animated video is fun and as energetic and engaging as the music. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Elina - Blue [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Swedish Singer/songwriter, Elina offers us a tender ballad that comes in with a soft guitar melody before her touching vocal take over as the primary the focus. There is a Joni Mitchell comparison that is easy to make though Elina certainly brings her own contemporary vibe to the sound. ‘Blue’ is a tranquil slowly unfolding track that was over far too son for me.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Rett Madison - Shame is a River [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Rett Madison has invited you deep into her psyche and personal vault of memories and emotions. Invite really isn’t a strong enough word, as she has more welcomed you with open arms thanks to her immense talent. The lyrics wrap around you tight and her emotive vocal performance offers the same level of warmth and understanding. All of that is possible because through sheer honest sharing, she has giving us a track with a strong relevance for us all. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sam Calver - River [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A beautiful contemporary track about the pure and immediate love of a father for his new born son.

Sam Calver delivers a varied and rich vocal performance to express the emotion of fatherhood. Lyrically, the track flows fluidly to bring forth the pride and wonder and hope of the moment quite well.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Kane Miller - Something New [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Kane Miller is an artist we have featured before, and again he has given us a single that I am compelled to share. A song of hope and rebirth, ‘Something New’ delivers an energy that feels like the first bright rays of warm sunshine after a long chilly night. The hope is tangible in both the lyrics and performance, giving this track a light airy vibe of optimism that we can all feed off of.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sevi Ettinger - Dear Me [Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Sevi Ettinger is a 17 year old singer songwriter from the United States now living in Shanghai. With vocal maturity beyond her years, Ettinger’s vocal talent may only be surpassed by her songwriting intuition. This track has a sophisticated Pop vibe without sacrificing the heart of the singer/songwriter sound.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

somegirlnamedanna - kitchen table [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“somegirlnamedanna is a mouthful, but this track establishes that same girl as a big force to be reckoned with so perhaps they two are perfectly matched. Emotion laid bare, such as this song gives us, speaks loudly far beyond the actual decimal level or style. The vocal tone of yearning vulnerability on the track only adds to the punch of this track.

’Kitchen Table’ is as true a song as you are likely to hear this year, or any other, and the homespun vibe of the video is the perfect accompaniment.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

danny G - best friend [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“A fun upbeat ode to the friendship side of love. danny G offers up a nice blend of vocal styles on this track, which is earmarked to help fellow musicians impacted by Covid-19 with all proceeds going to MusiCares.

So, consider downloading this one to add a fun energetic Pop style Hip-Hop track to your personal playlists, and to help musicians struggling through these tough times.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Pink Elefants - Blame On Me [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Pink Elefants are a trio of talented vocalists each with their own sound and flow. This diverse talent gives the band a varied and rich sound that is engaging and hard to pin down genre wise. There is a vibe reminiscent to The Weeknd, as well a smooth Pop feel to ‘Blame On Me,’ which lyrically is about the burden of bearing the brunt of blame in a breakup.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius - Easy Graces [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Bringing a classic singer/songwriter vibe, Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius gives us this guitar driven track about loneliness amid a crowd. With lyrical nods to Dylan and Petty, the track has a hint of what can best be described as weed tranquility, but that is not to say there isn’t a deep meaning and takeaway.

The easy going vibe of ‘Easy Graces’ comes with a haunting quality that speaks to being misunderstood or worse unseen in a world that prizes itself on likes, shares and social engagement of all kinds.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Ben Labat - Born to Cross Lines [Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“The ability to make a listener truly feel the emotions of what you are singing is a gift, and Ben Labat shares that gift with his latest single, ‘Born to Cross Lines.’ A little Folk, a little soul, and a whole lot of talent are at the heart of the track. that pulls you in and holds you with a smooth melody and vocals that simply feel right and natural. This is the kind of emotion that comes from a life spent living forward and the hard earned wisdom is a gift for all that truly stop and focus on the lyrics and performance. ”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)

Zoe Brush - Ego [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“I like that this track came in with a piano beat reminiscent of Dolly Parton’s classic ‘9 to 5.’ Like that famous track, Zoe Brush’s single, ‘Ego’ delivers attitude and a pissed off, not going to take it quietly vibe that makes the song come alive.

Brush begins with a bit of anger before the chorus transitions into a soft and cheerful, SCREW YOU! The juxtaposition of styles and temperaments really caught me by surprise and made me smile. This is a fresh new spin on the women scorned cliched though rarely is the women this clever and talented.”

— Travis Erwin (LA on Lock Blogger)