James Kelley

The Best Shows In Houston This Week: Rihanna, Suzanna Choffel, Wavves, etc.

Rihanna Toyota Center, April 15 Rihanna has combined her athletic stature, formidable vocals, down-for-whatever attitude and some alarming life choices to become a flashpoint pop star, a lightning rod for controversy that even Lady Gaga would have trouble rivaling these days. Musically, the Barbado ... More >>

The Rocks Off 100: DJ Candlestick, One Niceguy and a Very Busy DJ

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there, too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? "My name is DJ Candlestick, but my f ... More >>

Inglorious Basterds

12 things we learned about Houston rap in 2012.

Houston's Best Underground Rap Tapes of 2012, Most Assuredly (Pt. 2)

7. Killa Kyleon, Welcome To The Fish Fry Somehow, Killa Kyleon teamed with Danger Mouse for a mixtape and the Internet did not roll up into itself from amazingness. From the opening "I Got The Power, which trades in early-2000's YMCMB flair, to the closing tink-tink-tink of the hyperaggressive "Holl ... More >>

Craig's List

Our Hlavaty's Top 10 local albums of 2012.

Rocks Off's 10(ish) Favorite Local Albums of 2012

Continuing with our year-end panorama, Rocks Off asked our contributors a simple question with a not-so-simple answer: What was your favorite local album of 2012? ALEXA CRENSHAW: Whatever I say here, I'm going to want to take back shortly because there's so much good stuff out there, y'all. Althoug ... More >>

Craig Hlavaty's 10 Best Houston Albums of 2012

It's that time of year -- or at least it has been since, like, November -- for rock writers to show everyone else how cool they think they are with their year-end best-of lists. How obscure can you get? How controversial can you be with your choices? "If only Honey Boo Boo released album that I co ... More >>

Bun B, Fat Tony, Niceguys Talk Up Houston to Vice's Noisey Blog

Got eight minutes to kill? Of course you do; it's a Monday and you are anticipating 5 p.m. like it's nothing. You see, Noisey -- VICE magazine's pretty great hipster-music blog, which tends to pick up on a lot of different things just to be different (see having a label with Action Bronson) -- decid ... More >>

10 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: November 30-December 2

Old Crow Medicine Show House of Blues, November 30 The Old Crow boys seem to be the cooler Americana gateway drug of choice for younger listeners. A sort of anti-Mumfords you can rep without looking like a radio-rock tool, the pickers don't bash you over the head with dear melodies, just gritty sto ... More >>

Nick Greer

The Niceguys Have A Video For "Magick" And It's Just As Great As The Song Itself

Last month, The Niceguys released a song called "Magick" and we all fell all ourselves to throw compliments at it. Earlier this week, the video for it came out. And holy fuck. It's wonderful. I could spend another 200 words fellating the guys that are nice and the director that is great (his name, ... More >>

Inside The Niceguys' Dark, Earth-Shattering James Kelley Listening Party

Rewind: The 2012 Houston Press Music Award Winners Meet the Niceguys Monday night in front of a small gathering of hand-picked compatriots and friends, The Niceguys allowed their recording home of Wire Road Studios to turn into an open house. The multi-million dollar recording palace rolled out it ... More >>

Dustin-Prestige, The Niceguys Help Us All Grow Cooler

Here's a way to say some new rap music is good without talking directly about it: There are a few different categories that emails from rappers/friends of rappers pretending to be publicists/publicists are separated into. As it is: Category 1: Yeah Fucking Right Reserved for aggressive spammers ... More >>

Heights' Wire Road Studios Celebrates Grand Opening

Photos courtesy of HDJames Kelley (far right) entertains at Wire Road's grand opening Sunday.​James Kelley is a musician and an engineer. He's also a madman. And ambitious to the point of delirium. And a fanatic. How else to explain his new music studio, Wire Road Studios, a 5,000-square-foot, ... More >>