UKNY for September 20

Last year, the Charlatans released their 14th album, and first in eight years, We Are Love. The recording brought them back to Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales, a locale that holds painful memories for the band: in July 1996, keyboardist Rob Collins was killed in a road accident while the Charlatans were recording Tellin' Stories.

In a "UKNY" interview ahead of The Charlatans' gig at Brooklyn Steel on September 26, Tim Burgess chats with me about the emotional weight of returning to Rockfield as the Charlatans. In a lighter turn, Burgess talks about having fun with lyrics (with some sly shout-outs) — and the inspiring experience of working with co-producer Dev Hynes (along with Fred McPherson and Stephen Street). Tim also reminisces about the pandemic-era album listening parties he conducted over socials and via a podcast which became a phenomenon — and kept a lot of musicians and music fans sane during lockdown.

Also in tonight's mix, digging more deeply into Ezra Collective's brand new album, Here Because of Hope, which zipped to No. 1 on the UK album charts its debut week, the first album by a male British jazz group to do so. Also, the return of Friendly Fires (playing here in New York with Two Door Cinema Club at Madison Square Garden on 9/27 and with their own sold-out gig at Elsewhere on 9/28). Plus, new releases from SILVERWINGKILLER and Sulaf, and a beautiful B-side cover via Wolf Alice too.

That's "UKNY," Sundays 7-8 p.m. on 90.7FM, streaming online, and in the Archives after broadcast.