UKNY for May 11

The British-American duo of Bristolian Louise Macphail and Chicago native Kristin McFadden released their first official single as Prima Queen in 2019 ("Milk Teeth"). By 2023, they were Glastonbury Emerging Artists finalists and had released a first EP, Not the Baby. Over the years, Macphail and McFadden supported an array of artists, including Wet Leg, Olivia Dean, The Big Moon, and Everything Everything — and embarked on their own headlining gigs.

At the end of April, Prima Queen happily released their debut album, The Prize, a lyrically incisive and punchy escapade, threaded with pointed punk-pop, grungy tempests, and dreamy asides. I'll get to another song from that fine release on tonight's "UKNY" at 11 p.m. ahead of Prima Queen's European and UK headlining tour that begins this week.

Cardiff's ferocious Panic Shack is also in the thick of a UK tour and have announced news of their self-title debut album along with a new song. One of New York's most thrilling bands, Model/Actriz, have followed their bruising debut album, Dogsbody, with an equally strong second album, Pirouette — which includes one of the great singles (I think) of 2025, "Diva." Goddess's Fay Milton has released second single from her forthcoming eponymous debut and I'll dig into Emma-Jean Thackray's second album, Weirdo.

Maribou State's set at Terminal 5 on Friday night was one of effusive warmth and expansive joy — which befits their third album, Hallucinating Love. and I'll get to another track from that tonight. In addition, last Monday I spoke to Chris Davids and Liam Ivory for a future FUV Live session (which I'll air on "UKNY" too), in which the friends talk about the extreme challenges they both faced to get back in the studio and on the road.

Also in tonight's mix: The Moonlandingz, Baxter Dury and JGrrey, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Frankie Cosmos, and a late-night Mother's Day set, a holiday that's not always an easy one.

That's "UKNY," Sundays 11 p.m.-midnight, on 90.7FM, streaming online, and in the Archives after broadcast.

Songs played:
1. Goddess feat. Delilah Holliday, “Animal,” Goddess
2. The Moonlandingz feat. Nadine Shah,“Roustabout,” No Rocket Required
3. Emma-Jean Thackray, “Weirdo,” Weirdo
4. (UK-US) Prima Queen, “Meryl Streep,” The Prize
5. (New York, US) Model/Actriz, “Diva,” Pirouette
6. Baxter Dury feat. JGrrey, “Allbarone,” Allbarone
7. Panic Shack, “Girl Band Starter Pack,” Panic Shack
8. Man/Woman/Chainsaw, “Adam & Steve,” single
9. (Los Angeles, US) Mereba, “Starlight (My Baby),” The Breeze Grew a Fire
10. Lauren Mayberry, “Oh Mother,” Vicious Creature
11. (Hyogo, JP-Philadelphia, US) Masayoshi Fujita feat. Moor Mother, “Our Mother’s Lights,” Migratory
12. Maribou State feat. Holly Walker, “Peace Talk,” Hallucinating Love
13. Little Simz, “Free,” Lotus
14. (New York, US) Frankie Cosmos, “Vanity,” Different Talking