John Smith - The World Turns [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“John Smith delivers this low key love song in heartful fashion. Vocally this felt like Ed Sheeran meets Eddie Vedder. The steady beat and delivery sell the unrelenting love he feels. ‘The World Turns’ no matter what and yet we all keep doing the best we can for ourselves and those we love and that is what this track is all about. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

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Josh Rabenold - Easy Money [Music Review]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“Everyone is searching for that easy life ... easy job, easy love, and of course ‘Easy Money.’ But usually, none of it is all that easy to come by, and when it appears to be so, there is always a hidden fee that might cost you even more in the end.

Josh Rabenold unleashes that very dynamic on this well-written, and haunting song that falls between Americana and Alt Country, with just a hint of pop vocals added to the mix.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Lily Kershaw - Depreshmode [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Lily Kershaw comes in with heartfelt and vulnerable vocals that reminded me of vintage Emmylou Harris.

’Depreshmode’ is as tenderly written as it is performed. The emotion and gritty realness of depression is perfectly rendered and delivered. A song that will speak to all of us that have experienced dark times and deep holes and kept on battling through to the other side.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

A-Zal -Lonely Town [Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“We always wonder how someone started their career. A-Zal takes us on his personal journey from being a New York subway musician to writing sound tracks for Marvel Studios. “Lonely Town” is the story of an underdog and his breakthrough. The soft delivery makes the song sound sad but it creates a relax comfort of accomplishment.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Hana Lili - Small Talk [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Hana Lili hooked me from the onset on ‘Small Talk,’ an anthem for anxious over-thinkers everywhere.

Hana says, “I wrote ‘Small Talk’ because I realised it was something I find difficult sometimes, ‘Small Talk’ is a song about hiding behind small talk in conversation to avoid being vulnerable.”

Lili’s emotive vulnerability is what first drew me tot he track and with each listen I still feel it giving the track a lasting power and a permanent place of several of my playlists. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Courtney Farren - I Must Like It [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Courtney Farren has the rare combination of songwriting talent, and emotive vocal power to convey the words she’s written. ‘I Must Like It’ is a thought or idea we’ve all had as we find ourselves repeating mistakes or at least find ourselves back in familiar situations that we had not exactly been planning for ... leading us to wonder if maybe this is what we want despite ourselves. The writing is nuanced and is the kind of song you can glean something new from with each listen.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Ashley Elle - Death of Me [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Ashley Elle proudly uses the term Sad Girl Pop and she just might be the Queen of the genre. Her emotive delivery and vulnerable lyrics pull the listener right into the heart of this track but she expresses the song’s intent well herself ...

’I moved to Los Angeles four years ago to attend college and pursue music,” explains Ashley Elle. “While I love it out here, there are many moments where I wish I could run home to my small town in Wisconsin. ‘Death of Me’ is a song to LA - a place full of dreams and possibilities wrapped in competition and insecurities.’

Truer words have never been said about Los Angeles and all that emotions she gives those who come here in search of something new and different.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Landon Keller - Bloom [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Landon Keller brings the roadhouse gospel to yo your ears with ‘Bloom.’ Singer/Songwriter, Blues, Americana ... no matter what you call it the sound here is timeless and emotive and simply sings to the human condition.

You can draw comparisons to Nathaniel Rateliff or Charley Crocket perhaps if you need a musical reference but Keller infuses a bit of the deep South that makes me crave a Mint Julep and a plate of fried shrimp to ingest while I contemplate the emotions of life.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Paul Cook & The Chronicles - Passing Fad [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“It has been said ... that all good things must end, but for songwriters sometimes it is these ending that pave the way for the best material.

Distilling emotions into an intoxicating outlet is a talent, and Paul Cook & The Chronicles are certainly able to do that, but the band also has the musical and vocal chops to tell their stories in an engaging way. There is a touch of Lennon here for me and I was invested from the very beginning. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Jake Minch - Strip Mall [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“This song is both comical and thought provoking. The songwriter takes you through his experiences of losing his loser and both dealing with seeing her after the breakup. This song is a story that most all can relate to. A tale of young love gained and lost. Simple acoustic guitar riffs and smooth vocals. Well written. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

MER - Maybe I'm The Same [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Mer’s unorthodox delivery and stacked vocals is a wonderful sound all on its own. Crowded, messed production filled with live instruments and multiple layers of tracks gives the track a full sound not often found in today’s music. This song is a free flow of composition, cadence and arrangement. Then all of a sudden it’s just Mer, her guitar and her vocals. At that moment you are drawn into a one on one performance that feels as intimate as if it were being performed right in front of your eyes. Then boom, the mesh of layers and hard instrumentation come back in to give the raw ending to a masterfully put together song. Mer is genius.”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Blogger]

Ollie Wade -Breathe [Review]

Rating: 5 out of 5

“Life can be stressful. We take on anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Some experience this more than others and Ollie sings about loving someone who is suffers from panic attacks. He walks her through breathing and encourages her but he also explains her experience. Hoping love will allow her to be free. This song is truly beautiful. ”

— Kreadiv Kesh [LA On Lock Blogger]

Ariana Fig - Cherry Coke [Music Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“I love the use of good imagery to set a scene and convey the world in a tangible way. Ariana Fig uses ‘Cherry Coke’ as a substitute for alcohol and addiction the way those in recovery find a new fixation but these new infatuations rarely fulfill the user in the same way leading to a constant struggle and this song highlights that so well both in the writing and emotive delivery. Fog’s tone is talented but also vulnerable and genuine and you can feel every word. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Alex McArtor - Oxygen Thief [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

“Alex McArtor has a vocal richness and emotes an emotional depth that lends this track a wisdom beyond her twenty-one years. Which goes to show when artists tap into their inner-self and infuse those emotions that nothing is impossible or off the table regardless of age or circumstances. Written in Laurel Canyon, this is a perfect addition to the rich history of music born from the Southern California hotspot. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Diane Gentile and the Gentle Men - Walk With Me featuring Alejandro Escovedo [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Americana can be a tough genre to pin down but this track from Diane Gentile and Austin songwriting stalwart, Alejandro Escoveda might very well set the bar for the genre. Poetic and emotional lyrics over a steady heartfelt delivery that hook the listener in every way. ‘Walk with Me’ offers timeless sound and talent with perfectly matched imagery for the video.

The track offers hints of Emmylou and Springsteen with an ode to Dylan on the side.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Madisyn Gifford - For Shaughnessy [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Written for her best friend, ‘For Shaughnessy’ is a tribute to friendship, empathy, and the power of emotional connection. Madisyn Gifford never meant this track to be released but when she shared it with her friend they decided together that this was a song that needed to be shared and heard by others.

The power of friendship is clear and so is the humanity of the writing as well as Gifford’s incredible vocal talent.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

The Sweeplings - Just Like That [Music Video Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Light airy vocals deliver The Sweeplings ode to love, ‘Just Like That.’ The duo delivers tangible emotion both vocally and with a carefully created arrangement that pairs perfectly. The track has a slight theatrical edge that adds an almost brooding haunting quality and instills the intensity and fragility of love to the mix. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Vilhelm Buchaus - Nothing At All [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Breakups are complex and hard, no matter the circumstances and often the wounded parties pretend as if they never knew each other to cope and move on.

Vilhelm Buchaus tackles this dynamic with the powerful lyrics of ‘Nothing At All.’ A soaring ode to heartbreak and resiliency and trying to pick up the pieces. This Commercial leaning singer/songwriter vibe has an Ed Shereen meets Taylor Swift kind of vibe and is universal enough to reach anyone who has suffered through the grief of a breakup.. ”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Estella Dawn - Didn't Occur To You [Music Review]

Rating: 4 out of 5

“Estella Dawn is a favorite of ours here at LA on Lock. Hailing from San Diego this Southern California Pop star never fails to impress with her thoughtful lyrics and emotional delivery. ‘Didn’t Occur To You’ lands in-between a songwriter/country vibe and a Pop diva standard with soaring vocals to showcase Dawn’s talent and range.”

— Travis Erwin ~ LA on Lock Blogger

Prismala - "Breathe" [Review]

Rating 4 out of 5

“Life gets weird sometimes. It can feel like free-falling and Prismala is right there to catch you tonight. He might not have the answers but ‘Breathe’ makes it feel better. Soaring vocals intertwining like ballet, this song is the hug you get when you don’t even know you need it. Just close your eyes, lay back on your bed and breathe.”

— Andrew Amoah (LA On Lock Blogger)