RIFF’s best albums of 2024 include Ariana Grande, Zach Bryan, Suki Waterhouse, Rosali, Doechii, Johnny Blue Skies (Sturgill Simpson), Father John Misty, A.G. Cook, Fontaines D.C., Remi Wolf, Norah Jones, Pearl Jam, Maggie Rogers, Nilüfer Yanya and Ray Lamontagne. Never before has the music landscape been so fragmented. But…

Sturgill Simpson performs during Outside Lands Music Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Aug. 11, 2024. Mariana Garcia/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — The sun was down, the fog rolled in, the wind kicked up and a light smattering of rain fell as Sturgill Simpson took the stage…

Tyler, The Creator performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2021. Rapper Tyler, The Creator, Las Vegas rock stalwarts  The Killers and alt-country singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson top the marquee for the 2024 edition of San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival. The event will return to Golden…

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on June 8, 2019. Joaquin Cabello/STAFF. A year ago I finally did a column about country music on account of going to a rodeo in the far northern reaches of the state. Well, I was at the…

Sturgill Simpson doesn’t seem one for doing things in the traditional way. He had already released three albums in the last two years—one rock and two bluegrass, despite mostly being a country musician. Then he announced that his latest album—The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, almost exactly a month…

Jonathan Coulton likes big butts, and will sing about it. Turns out this whole coming up with a column idea every week thing is, like, really hard. Like… really hard. Have you ever had to come up with a thing every week? It’s crazy, man. To think Snoop does it…

This is the final in a three-part series. Read how I’m scoring my list and find out about my “special consideration” acts in PART 1 and 13 through 8 in PART 2. Favorite Shows 2015 | Favorite Shows 2014 Favorite Shows 2013 | Favorite Shows 2012 7 – STURGILL SIMPSON at the Fox Theater – Nov. 19 Two weeks ago,…

Photo: Roman Gokhman OAKLAND — Nashville singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson could lead a shoegaze band if he so chooses. The crooner’s last two albums, 2014’s Grammy-nominated Metamodern Sounds In Country Music and this year’s chart-topper, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, have stretched the confines and boundaries of country music. The new…

The year may only be halfway through, but it’s already had a number of quality albums worth a spin. RIFF Magazine‘s Nick DeCicco counts down 10 of his favorite of the year to date: Beyoncé Lemonade April 23 | Columbia 10. The Queen’s sixth studio album stands as her most powerful…

Sturgill Simpson. Courtesy. If you’re unfamiliar with Sturgill Simpson, you’re coming in late to the game. The guitarist and singer-songwriter is a favorite collaborator in the Nashville country and country-adjecent scenes, with a bourgeoning solo career and a set of brass ones to take on this Nirvana classic and…