Alice Merton’s relatively recent entrance into the singer-songwriter game has brought with it a powerful voice and intuitive songwriting chops. Two years since she released her EP No Roots, she makes her long-playing debut on Mint. Thumping bass, funky rhythm, and unexpected synth tones play throughout the lyrical anthems…

Messing around with COIN at BottleRock Napa Valley on May 25, 2018. Photo: Roman Gokhman. I think this column is morphing into more of a “my favorite Roman stories” list, but what still holds true is that memorable interviews still lead better stories. I tell the RIFF staff, which…

Alice Merton performs at August Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 4, 2018. Photos: Steve Carlson. SAN FRANCISCO — As danceable as the songs of Alice Merton are, starting with her first smash hit, “No Roots,” to subsequent tunes like “Holes,” “Lash Out” and “Hit the Ground Running,” the…

On the heels of another massive BottleRock Napa Valley, Coco Sterzenbach and Mike DeWald recap the festival, from their favorite sets of the previous weekend to the most delectable festival food offerings and a complete rundown of  their time in Napa. We’re also including portions of their interviews with…

Photos: Mike DeWald, Roman Gokhman and courtesy. NAPA — As a nearly full moon set Sunday night, the man of the hour—or the weekend—took the stage on the final day of BottleRock Napa Valley. Bruno Mars had been the buzzed-about headliner at BottleRock from the moment the festival lineup was announced…

The Killers. Photos: Alessio Neri (all but The Killers, which are courtesy of Rob Loud) OAKLAND — Do you think that the Killers‘ frontman Brandon Flowers stood in front of the mirror while his band was writing its new album, Wonderful Wonderful, and asked himself how he could be…

Alice Merton, courtesy. Alice Merton has had nine homes since she was born. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany, but her parents soon moved to Connecticut, and then again to Ontario, Canada. When she was 13, they moved back to Germany after bouts of homesickness; this time to Munich,…