UKNY for February 14
Black Country, New Road (photo by El Hardwick, PR)
Love in all its forms — whether the first spark of attraction or the deadly silence as a romance withers — has always been at the heart of great songwriting. And what's Valentine's Day if not to celebrate a good, happy relationship, but also bemoan all of those really bad mistakes made in the name of love?
On UKNY at 11 tonight, nothing but songs about love or the lack of it. In the mix, the London/Cambridgeshire septet Black Country, New Road who have released the most riveting, musically accomplished, and ambitious debut album of 2021 (yes, it's only February, but it's astonishing in its scope). Fellow Londoners Bleach Lab address the "angry side of the grieving process at the end of a relationship" via their latest release while Berlin's Albertine Sarges is positive, but wary, with a new crush. And another deeply gifted London band on the cusp of releasing their debut, Dry Cleaning, drop another deliciously witty single about unrequited love.
Also, romantic highs and lows with Lianne La Havas, Pillow Queens, Rina Sawayama, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and many others.
And please be UKNY's valentine — FUV has a Valentine's Day Weekend match happening until midnight tonight and your contribution is doubled thanks to generous friends of the radio station. If you love British and international music, do show your love with a donation.
That's "UKNY," Sundays from 11p.m.-midnight, on 90.7, streaming online, and available for two weeks after broadcast in the Weekend Archives.
Songs played:
1. Bleach Lab, “Old Ways,” single
2. (Dublin, IE) Pillow Queens, “Holy Show,” In Waiting
3. Ex:Re, “Romance,” Ex:Re
4. Gruff Rhys with El Perro del Mar, “Space Dust #2,” Hotel Shampoo
5. Lianne La Havas, “Please Don’t Make Me Cry,” Lianne La Havas
6. Black Country, New Road, “Track X,” for the first time
7. (Berlin, DE) Albertine Sarges, “Oh My Love,” The Sticky Fingers
8. Dry Cleaning, “Strong Feelings,” New Long Leg
9. (Auckland, NZ-Portland, US) Unknown Mortal Orchestra, “Multi-Love,” Multi-Love
10. (Niigita, JP-London, UK) Rina Sawayama, “Tokyo Love Hotel,” Sawayama
11. (The Hague, NL) la loye, “i only hear you in my song,” single
12. Michael Kiwanuka, “I’ll Never Love,” Love & Hate
13. (UK-AU-US) Bee Gees, “Fanny (Be Tender With My Love),” Main Course
