Alicia Keys

Sanity Claus: Separating Holiday-Music Gifts from Seasonal Disorders

Welcome Back, Beyonce

The Five Best Bond Themes

Critics may have found the 22nd James Bond caper, Quantum of Solace, "grim and downcast" (The New York Times), but audiences didn't seem to mind, turning out in sufficient numbers for Quantum to set a new 007 opening-weekend record of more than $70.4 million (domestic). But never mind the movie ... More >>

Aftermath: Duran Duran at Verizon Wireless Theater

Photos by Chris Gray Alone among its pretty-boy peers in the early and mid-'80s, Duran Duran was the blackest band to regularly hit the pop charts from either side of the pond. Only the Aussies in INXS had anywhere near the same level of interest in funk and disco, and the chops to pull it off. ... More >>

Not on Your Nelly!

Nelly Furtado refused to forget her roots or dress like a tramp. She won a Grammy anyway.

Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks

Nelly Furtado refused to forget her roots or dress like a tramp. She won a Grammy anyway.

Alicia Keys: As I Am

Nelly Furtado refused to forget her roots or dress like a tramp. She won a Grammy anyway.

2007 Music Year in Review

Nelly Furtado refused to forget her roots or dress like a tramp. She won a Grammy anyway.

Amy Winehouse

Back to Black

Get Busy Living

The moans on Dylan's latest aren't exactly of the morbid death-rattle variety

Our top DVD picks for the week of October 11.

The moans on Dylan's latest aren't exactly of the morbid death-rattle variety

John Legend, with De La Soul and Rahzel

Saturday, August 13, at HUSH, 15625 Katy Freeway, 713-330-HUSH.

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Saturday, August 13, at HUSH, 15625 Katy Freeway, 713-330-HUSH.

Masta Ace

Saturday, July 13

Hot Pants

Nikka Costa hangs the moon with punchy soul and low-riding trousers

Alicia Keys

Tuesday, February 19

Idol Beat: The Top Three Results

Photos by Frank Micelotta/ Fox Homeward Bound: Danny Gokey's exit didn't prompt a whole lot of tears."I think we've had enough suspense, enough commercials - let's just get to it." This is what Danny Gokey told Ryan Seacrest, and, by proxy, America. We were in agreeance - Wednesday night's s ... More >>

Turning The Screw: Z-Ro, Cham, Plies, 50 Cent, The Kanye, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, DJ Mr. Magic, Fabolous, T-Pain, The Undergods and more.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: "Haterz Got Me Wrong," Z-Ro feat. Gucci Mane and C-Ward [This is another leaked single from the phanto ... More >>

Dancing With the Stars: Suck It, Maxim Model!

Kelly Osbourne gives her best "suck it, you model bitch" pose.​This is it. The ninth week of Dancing With the Stars has now come and gone. Only now do I understand the bittersweet joy of watching a baby grow up. This week's pointless encore command performance was Mya's salsa, which had earn ... More >>

Five Musicians Who'd Make Better Vampires than Those Sparkly Twilight Douchebags

​New Moon, the second movie in the Twilight series, hits theaters this week, and even though the trailers alone have us ready to put it on our "Worst of 2009" lists ("Jake! NOOOO!"), there's no denying the movie is going to make more money than an underaged prostitute at a Promise Keepers conventi ... More >>

Very Merry Pops

The Houston Symphony plays updated versions of the holiday standards

Inquiring Minds: Houston Symphony Guest Pianist and Classic Rock Fan William Joseph

www.william-joseph.com​ William Joseph might not be a familiar name yet, but he also might be the next classical/pop breakout star. The 31-year-old pianist, a native of the Phoenix area, has been playing since age four and has toured with Josh Groban and Il Divo, as well as appearing onstage with ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Alicia Keys, Alkaline Trio, Infected Mushroom, Obituary, Slaid Cleaves and More

​10th Grade Cutie, Muhammadali, Freddie Gonorrhea & The Gunz: Mon., Jan. 25. Super Happy Fun Land. Alicia Keys: Sat., April 3. Toyota Center. Alkaline Trio, Cursive: Fri., March 26. Warehouse Live. Fair To Midland, Chrome 44, Raging Apathy: Wed., March 24. Scout Bar Clear Lake. Finntroll, Moo ... More >>

El Arte de la Elegancia: The Best Latin Records of 2009, Part 1

​It's been a year of surprises in Latin music. Reggaetón continues fading, albeit slowly, and the industry's mainstays aren't garnering the attention they used to. Case in point: Don Omar's summer release iDon (no relation to your phone), which remained quiet after its first single, "Virtual Diva ... More >>

Looking for Trouble

Jemina Pearl breaks free of Be Your Own Pet on Break It Up.

Communication Breakdown

Local music writers and online commenters discuss how musicians might draw media attention.

Alicia Keys

Local music writers and online commenters discuss how musicians might draw media attention.

Go On & Do Your Thing Saturday With Scott McCurry & The Mercenaries

www.myspace.com/scottmccurry​After David Gray last month, Rocks Off has a newfound appreciation for blue-eyed singer-songwriter soul. So if Midlake is a little too fey for you, and Alicia Keys a little too pricey, allow us to introduce you to North Texas' Scott McCurry & the Mercenaries, whom ... More >>

Slide Show: Alicia Keys And Robin Thicke At Toyota Center

Marco Torres​ If time is indeed money, occasionally the amount of time reviewers can spend waiting for artists' management to approve our requests for tickets and photo passes can add up to more than if we'd actually paid for them ourselves. That's what happened over the weekend, as Rocks Off ... More >>

A Very White Guy Explains Why "Granite State of Mind" Is Better Than Jay-Z's Original

To: Jay-ZFrom A Very White PersonRe: Why "Granite State of Mind" is better than your originalSir:First, I'm sure you're wondering how I, a very pale Irish-American, might be quailifed to critique so-called "rap" music. My answer is simply that, as a white person who reads the Internet, I feel qualif ... More >>

American Idol: Idol Gives [Nickel]Back

​This is "Idol Gives Back" week, which means a curious mix of legitimate charity and Hollywood puffery: Money gets donated for worthy causes, but we also have to pretend like Fergie is an artist. So it made sense that the top seven contestants came down on both sides of the fence, with some gi ... More >>

American Idol: Idol Gives [Nickel]Back

​This is "Idol Gives Back" week, which means a curious mix of legitimate charity and Hollywood puffery: Money gets donated for worthy causes, but we also have to pretend like Fergie is an artist. So it made sense that the top seven contestants came down on both sides of the fence, with some gi ... More >>

4 Summer-Movie Soundtracks We Already Hate

​Last week, we told you of some upcoming summer-movie soundtracks that look like they're going to be fantastic. If positivity is your thing, go read that article. This one is going to be all about the upcoming soundtracks that make us wince so hard it feels like someone's chopping our balls with a ... More >>

Justin Bieber For BET's "Best New Artist"? Recognize.

Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. ​Single of the Week: "Rain Drops," Yung Redd feat. T.C. This is a leak from the soon-to-be-released Eviction Notice 4. You ... More >>

Remember Drake's Thank Me Later?

Houston's history is dotted with albums that, fairly or un, have been swept aside. We'll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Drake Thank Me Later (Cash Money, 2010) ​No, Drake isn't technically from Houston, but he likes ... More >>

Cover Artiste Brett Domino Is Even Better Than The Real Thing

Every day Rocks Off trolls the tubes of you in search of videos deemed worthy to share. If you have something you think deserves to be video of the day, send a link to jef_rouner@yahoo.com. ​Sometimes you hear a cover that is so much better than the original that you wish that it had come fir ... More >>

Slim Thug Uses Twitter In A Non-Sexual Way

​Hands down, Slim Thug is the most interesting Houston rapper on Twitter. It's really not even all that close. Bun has come on strong these past two or so weeks, Cham is good for tech junk and basketball arguments, Trae always has some controversy worth checking on and Paul Wall's feed is surp ... More >>

The Five Most Bogus Rapper Apologies

​It's the unwritten rule in rap: never apologize. Offering apology in hip-hop is a sign of weakness and rappers simply can't appear weak, no matter what. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Yet, every now and then we'll see a rapper apologize for stepping out of line. Earlier this week, Paul Wa ... More >>

Top Five Rapper Deadbeat Dads

​Admit it, when you hear the term "deadbeat dad," you immediately think of a black rapper rocking Gucci stunna shades in a perfectly dimmed room, pants drooping to his ankles. Truth be told, hip-hop dads would be wise to step up and heed Ed OG's words: "Be a Father to Your Child." Relationsh ... More >>

Lyrics That Make Terrible Facebook Status Updates

DTF for sure.​Ever seen a nonsensical, irrelevant Britney Spears or Drake lyric on your Facebook news feed that made you cringe? We have - about 56, and the workday isn't even over yet. Some lyrics should stay on the radio and off the Facebook circuit. Perhaps instead of simply asking, "What' ... More >>

Saturday Night: SPEAK 4 At Mango's

Photos by Allison WagonerNosaprise & Screw Tapes​SPEAK 4 feat. Nosaprise & Screw Tapes, A.D.D., Twenty Eleven, Parking and Fat Tony Mango's March 26, 2011 Aftermath's Saturday afternoon was spent at the beach doing some voluntary biological exploration, which actually consisted more of poking ... More >>

The 2011 BET Awards, Or The Vindication Of Chris Brown

​6:58: High-five to the Houston Press for flying us out to Los Angeles to cover the BET Awards. Cool move. Thus far, it's been extra fun. We ran into Kobe and, um, saw some people filming a movie, and... uh... there were some angels or something, and... there... there was... eh, shit. We're n ... More >>

Canada Day: Top 10 Artists From Way Up Yonder

​Hello? Is this thing on? Rocks Off has a feeling that a lot of folks are nowhere near their computers today. Must be some sort of holiday. It is, actually. Today, not Monday. It's Canada Day, or as it's known in the U.S., "What Is Princess Kate Wearing?" Day. (Also, Friday.) Honestly, Rocks ... More >>

Top Five Best & Worst Songs About 9/11

​This Sunday will be 10 years since America was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. In that time, a lot of musical ground has been covered. Some artists mention that day only in passing, as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys do in "Empire State of Mind," but some have crafted songs about 9/11 itself. Some of thes ... More >>

Five Musical MILFs Who Rocked Pregnancy

Beyoncé's ever-changing baby bump.​In the world of prominent celebrities, it's headlining news even if that famous person sneezes. So in when Houston's own Beyoncé announced her pregnancy at the 2011 VMA's in August, the media and fans went into a frenzy of reactions. Some were elated, some ... More >>

6 Musicians and Their Charities

​The main knock on celebrity charity is that it's essentially a brand-building tool -- good for image and not much else. The tax savings don't hurt, either. But not all charitable connections are about image-burnishing and tax savings. (God, we sure hope not.) The number-crunchers at Forbes lo ... More >>

World AIDS Day: Artists Who Have Contributed to the Cause

​Today is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is "Getting to Zero," focusing on zero AIDS related deaths. In hopes of achieving this goal, there has been many a celebrity to endorse AIDS awareness and various charities around the world. Quite a few musicians have used their celebrity status ... More >>

12 Music Business Predictions for 2012

Photo by Robert Bejil​Where were we? Oh yeah, crystal ball and prophesies. You ready for this? OK. What follows is a list of events we expect to befall the music industry in 2012. Yes, these are etched in stone and should be regarded as gospel. Full prophetic titillation ahead.

Swizz Beatz is the CEO of Shuttered Megaupload...Wait, What?

​We've all failed as music journalists. Swizz Beatz is the CEO of Megaupload.com and no one seemed to notice? No one, except Wikipedia (yes, that bastion of factual information on the web), which lists Swizzy's government handle, Kaseem Dean, as the head honcho of Megaupload. Megaupload's "Abo ... More >>

Revisiting Alicia Keys' 'Songs In A Minor'

Marco TorresAlicia Keys at Toyota Center​There's a reason why we lauded Alicia Keys when her debut album Songs In A Minor dropped a little more than a decade ago. The young piano prodigy had the look of a new age starlet, Billie Holiday with a fedora and braids and on her 31st birthday, revisi ... More >>