Boyz II Men

Rotation

Bill-bored

At least Tom Jones left the mesh shirt at home

Artist of the Week: Coline

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. How else to say this tha ... More >>

Press Picks

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. How else to say this tha ... More >>

Five Spot: Smoove Up In Ya

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Rotation

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Sound Check

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Press Picks

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Rotation

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Rotation

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Child of Fate

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

Dave's World

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

On Beyond Christian Rock

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Michael Keith, formerly one-fourth of R&B man-band 112, has released a solo album. (He's not the guy tha ... More >>

That's the Breaks

Houston rap labels and their artists look for that big deal

Superflies

R&B royalty roll out for Budweiser Superfest

Raphael Saadiq: The Way I See It

R&B royalty roll out for Budweiser Superfest

Hello, Houston!

Noise breaks down the months of live music ahead

Tech? No!

An imaginary history of electronic music

Where's the Beef? Right here in H-town

T.I. and Lil' Flip rumble in Cloverland, bringing one of the great rap feuds of recent years to a head

Black Gold

A gusher lay beneath the surface, but you had to drill deep

Captive Emotions

Reagan Hamilton goes into Texas jails and tells inmates they better stay in touch with their kids. Her sadly powerful message has sparked some successes. Too bad they don't include her own father.

1998 Houston Press Music Awards Winners

Reagan Hamilton goes into Texas jails and tells inmates they better stay in touch with their kids. Her sadly powerful message has sparked some successes. Too bad they don't include her own father.

Eric Benét, Boyz II Men

Reagan Hamilton goes into Texas jails and tells inmates they better stay in touch with their kids. Her sadly powerful message has sparked some successes. Too bad they don't include her own father.

Bayou Beat: B L A C K I E on Tour, Michael Jackson Tribute at Discovery Green, Ticket Deals and More

Above is some video from B L A C K I E's performance Monday night at New Orleans' Dragon's Den, the first show of his mini-tour. The feedback-loving local rapper visits Baltimore Friday and Brooklyn's Afro!!Punk!!Fest!! Sunday. Rocks Off has heard through the proverbial grapevine that there's a Mic ... More >>

A Third Ward Pawnshop iPod and the Mysterious Fate of Previous Owner "Scooby"

Whoever he is (was?), Scooby's iPod wasn't short on R. Kelly.​So a couple of weeks ago, after three or four years of increasingly faltering service, Rocks Off's 30 GB iPod finally died. Completely. Out of sheer broke-assedness, we had held on to it for longer than most. By the end, its quirks and ... More >>

Old Faithful

Neighborhood bars like Bill Hicks's old haunt Cecil's Tavern never go out of style.

Can't Forget The Motor City: Our Favorite Motown Jams, Part 2

​ Rocks Off - sorry, He Said; we're still getting used to this whole identity-shift thing - is sure some of our readers think we do nothing except sit around and listen to the Drive-By Truckers all day. To which we say: Have you heard Bettye LaVette's The Scene of the Crime or Booker T's Potato Ho ... More >>

Sentury Is Going To "Lose Control" All Over Your Ass

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, albeit sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​ First, a qualifier: When we talk about Mo'Nique, same as when we t ... More >>

Five '90s Musical Fads We Remember Well, But Don't Really Miss

​A little over a decade ago, swing music made a strange comeback. You may remember seeing people all over dressing like '40s hipsters, jumping and jiving in Gap commercials and most every club or bar was offering swing lessons. It started with the release of the film Swingers, which still mi ... More >>

BP: 11 Songs We Found On The Executive iPod

annamatic3000 via Flickr​British Petroleum (BP) officials announced Thursday that they had successfully capped the largest and most devastating oil spill in U.S. history. You know, a mere 85 days, 11 casualties, 184 million gallons and thousands of dead or oil-covered animals later. A tense 4 ... More >>

The Stories Behind Five H-Town Rap Anthems

​You know the song as soon as the beat drops. You rap them better than the artists themselves do at concerts. You'll slap your little brother for butchering the lyrics. But do you know the real life stories behind these five H-town rap anthems? Pull up a chair, grab a bag of popcorn, and a co ... More >>

Idol Beat: Movies Is Magic

​It's time for American Idol, the show that dares ask the question, "What the f*ck is will.i.am still doing here?" Seriously, when do they make him a judge? In case you hadn't heard, Jennifer Lopez was selected World's Most Beautiful Woman by...Cat Fancy or something. This provided a brief re ... More >>

Upcoming: Chromeo, Dawes, Kaiser Chiefs, M83, Etc.

​"The 94.5 The Buzz/Bud Light Weenie Roast" With Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Puddle Of Mudd, Crossfade, P.O.D: Sun., Aug. 28. Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The Aggrolites: Sat., Sept. 24. Warehouse Live. Better Than Ezra: Thu., Dec. 29. House of Blues. Big D & The Kids Table: Sun., Oct. 16. ... More >>

The X Factor: A Host, A Pussycat Doll & A "Creep"

​As I settled in to watch The X Factor last night, my husband asked me, "Who is that British guy?" and I said, "Um, that's Simon Cowell, honey. From American Idol? A show we watched for like, five years?" And my husband said, "Um, no, the other British guy - the host." And then I was all, "The ... More >>

Justin Bieber's Voice Changes Just In Time For Christmas Album

"Say shawty, Merry Christmas, or whatever year-end holiday greeting that makes you happy." ​Children and adults alike are getting their holiday wish granted early this year, and they don't have to wait until Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or even Christmas morning to receive it. Justin Bieber's v ... More >>

Distant Early Warning: Cults, VNV Nation, Childish Gambino, King's X, Village People, Etc.

​30 Foot Fall: Sun., Dec. 25. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Amplified Heat, Dixie Witch: Sat., Jan. 7. Continental Club, 3700 Main, Houston. Bang Bangz, Hello Chief, New York City Queens: Sat., Feb. 4. Fitzgerald's, 2706 White Oak, Houston. Band Of Heathens: Wed., Feb. 1. Main Stre ... More >>

Ain't Nobody Better: The LL Cool J Valentine's Day Playlist

​ Once upon a time, LL Cool J was merely a Kangol wearing rapper who aimed for the ladies long before urban radio knew of such things from rappers. Now, he's on CBS Tuesdays on an NCIS spinoff and is hosting The Grammys this year. Not bad for someone I thought would shrink into musical obscurity a ... More >>