Week Ahead – Today’s Top Tune

This week Today’s Top Tune focuses on an eclectic mix. We’ll hear from inventor/producer Lee Scratch Perry and turn up the fans for newcomer Sunni Colón. The Scandinavian duo My Bubba entices us to come closer to our speakers. We’ll connect with Father John Misty as he gets ready for the FYF Festival and listen to new work from Irish troubadour James Vincent McMorrow.

Monday, August 22

Lee Scratch Perry: No Sorrow

Grammy Award-winning Lee Scratch Perry is talented in very many ways, mostly for pioneering and inventing effects and ways of remixing that infuse early dub music. Perry has inspired generations of artists from Keith Richards to Animal Collective. At 80, his creative force remains strong as he comments on everything all at once on “No Sorrow.”

Tuesday, August 23

Sunni Colón: Sweet Pearl

KCRW’s Anthony Valadez likes to comb through Soundcloud on Monday nights before his midnight show. That’s where he found Sunni Colón. The 25-year-old self-taught musician just issued his first EP with deeply personal songs that as he says, “represents my life in the past three years on this lonely island called Los Angeles. All of my emotions were emptied onto each track from the writing to production.” We’re honored to share “Sweet Pearl.”

Wednesday, August 24

My Bubba: Big Bad Good

My Bubba has toured with Damien Rice, co-written music with Matthew E. White and gone karaoke singing with Gillian Welch. But it’s the Scandinavian folkies’ effortless raw style that is captivating. The duo chooses to compose in the studio and record songs as they emerge, That immediate, intimate style comes through in Big Bad Good, which features just 2 vocals and a drum.

Thursday, August 25

James Vincent McMorrow: Rising Water

James Vincent McMorrow takes a sonic shift from his previous songs with his forthcoming album. “We Move” was written as the Irish singer moved through Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Dublin. The driving opener to the album is “Rising Water.”

​Friday, August 26

Father John Misty:​ Real Love Baby

Last year, Father John Misty put out I Love You, Honeybear, an album that found its way onto many Top 10 lists. The new song “Real Love Baby” was meant as a thank you/ parting gift to fans while he took a break from touring and prepared to write a new album. A cool tidbit is that the song was recorded while FJM was in the studio with Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga working on her upcoming record, although they don’t appear on the track.