Thee Sacred Souls, courtesy. Unforgettable desert blues from Songhoy Blues, Plantfood goes on a psychedelic jazz trip, Yvette Young of Bay Area band Covet makes a spirited solo debut, RY X and Thee Sacred Souls deliver soulful jams, and Miami Horror and Illiterate Light have us bopping and vibing.…

The last 20 years have been an arid epoch for those rock fans who still worship at the temple of the electric guitar. Long gone are the halcyon days when radio and pop culture bowed before indulgent shredders and rude riffing. The fresh, six-string sounds of Mdou Moctar provide…

The best albums of 2020 include (clockwise from top left): The Jayhawks, Lady Gaga, Royce da 5’9”, Poppy, MisterWives, The Weeknd, Donna Missal, Caleb Landry Jones, Songhoy Blues and Homeboy Sandman. Welcome back to RIFF’s top album countdown! If you’re here just to complain about the order or lack…

Songhoy Blues, Courtesy. At one point a decade ago, the members of Malian rock band Songhoy Blues weren’t allowed to play shows. The ban had nothing to do with pandemic shelter-in-place orders and everything with an Islamist group that had taken over northern parts of the country and imposed sharia law,…

Clockwise from top left: Resistance Revival Chorus, Public Enemy, Ruth B, theMIND, Amber Mark, Songhoy Blues, Greyboy Allstars and The Asteroid No. 4.Every week, there’s more new music waiting to be discovered. But this week approaches amid more protests and marches nationwide. Perhaps you are getting marching, or donating,…