My Forte Artist Spotlight: Bourgeois Mystics

What do you get if you combine OutKast’s The Love Below, some “Blitzkrieg Bop”, a sprinkle of funk and groove, a smattering of Bollywood and some 80s classic rock? A recipe for success? According to Austin’s Bourgeois Mystics, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.  I first discovered the band’s outrageous excellence early in my Austin years… it was probably 2015 […]

Eclectic Soundtrax Podcast, Ep. 66: Emily Shirley

Emily Shirley is quickly increasing her already impressive catalogue of songs! With a myriad of singles under her belt in recent years, Shirley reflects a variety of issues and current events in the current world — some through Austin’s prestigious 11:59 Songwriting Group. Though her topics are variable, from thanking first responders for their bravery […]

Imagine Dragons shakes up St. Louis

Top 40 dominators Imagine Dragons delivered an emotional mixture of post-apocalyptic doom and cheerful alt rock energy on a snowy Wednesday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Imagine Dragons were preceded by the hip hop-punk rock-EDM artist known as .grandson, who force-fed the audience such unadulterated energy that, by the end of his […]

Los Angeles readies for Smokin Grooves Fest 2022

An incredible new hip hop festival is about to hit Los Angeles! For those a fan of underground hip hop, you’ve got to get on Smoking Grooves Festival! It’s carefully curated for the true hip hop lover. Going down at LA State Historic Park on March 19th, the inaugural Smoking Grooves will welcome some of […]

Shinedown shakes Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV

Wow! What a show in Reno, Nevada! Shinedown and Ayron Jones put on a performance we will not forget in 2022. Let’s recap this show. At the beautiful Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, fans were lining up at the sold-out show. As you walked in, to the left there was a long line of fans […]

Machine Gun Kelly drops epic “emo girl” video with Willow

Emo lovers rejoice! Machine Gun Kelly has released the video for the latest single off of Mainstream Sellout, “emo girl”, featuring Willow Smith. This, of course, follows MGK’s decision to change the title of the album to Mainstream Sellout from its original name, Born With Horns, last month . The song features Willow Smith — […]

Introducing ‘My Forte’: a full music documentary series

After a slate of film festival successes following the November 4th premiere of Love: Music, filmmaker Kaili Rose has announced the continuation of the project: a series of 12 short documentary films, addressing pivotal topics in the music industry, is slated to begin production this month in Toronto. Working with a diverse roster of artists […]

A look into new ‘Trip Around Saturn’ LP with Little Stranger

Alternative rock/hip hop duo Little Stranger is a name that’s growing more and more familiar within several music circles. Hitting the road hard again since April of 2021, they have been winning over audiences at notable events, such as Summer Camp Music Festival, Dirty Heads Orlando Vacation and Holidaze. To top off a successful year […]

An acoustic night with Satsang at The Wayfarer, Costa Mesa

Drew McManus, lead singer of Satsang, set out on a short three-city tour in southern California, following a successful full-band winter tour promoting the new album All. Right. Now. McManus played an intimate show at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa on Saturday, January 29th, 2022 and the evening was filled with a mix of fan-favorites, […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: John Noble Barrack “Finding Friends”

Rising folk singer-songwriter John Noble Barrack debuts his “Finding Friends” single today only on Top Shelf Music! Whether or not you’re familiar with his tunes, you might recognize Barrack from his other ventures — namely, appearances on hit TV shows, like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Bull. He also is an avid charity donor to […]

Inner Wave & Huron John ignite Nashville’s Exit/In

It was painfully cold Friday night as I made my way into the heart of the downtown Nashville music scene. No, I am not talking about the dumpster fire known as Broadway; I am referring to the historic music staple known as Exit/In. Since 1971, Nashville’s Exit/In has earned a reputation for hosting some of […]

Qarreo dotes in delicate “Loved You First” single

Nashville’s known to be a mecca of highly talented musicians, all coming together in one central place. Some are rock ‘n rollers, most are country… yet some are of a classification all their own. Enter, Qarreo. What can only be described as ‘ethereal eclectic’, with hints of dreampop, ambient, hip hop and jazz, Qarreo continues […]

Jamestown Revival riles up Sacramento’s Ace of Spades

Music flowed through a packed crowd on January 22nd at the Ace of Spades music venue in Sacramento, California. Opening the show was a quartet, based out of North Carolina named Mipso. The band was composed of Jacob Sharp (mandolin/vocals), Libby Rodenbough (fiddle/vocals), Wood Robinson (bass/vocals) and Joseph Terrell (guitar/vocals). Their incredible twist of traditional […]