You, Me and An Album

Send us a text

3 Pairs of Boots vocalist Laura Arias joins this episode of YMAAA to discuss Cocteau Twins’ 1988 album Blue Bell Knoll. Laura talks about how she was introduced to Cocteau Twins during their early “goth” period and why she is particularly fond of Blue Bell Knoll. She specifies the elements of the band’s music that make it magical for her. Laura also discusses the latest 3 Pairs of Boots album, Boot Scootin’, and how she and her husband/bandmate Andrew Stern manage to blend multiple genres in their music. (Andrew was a guest on YMAAA for Ep 81, when he discussed Rosanne Cash’s album The River & The Thread.)

Al had asked Laura for any live clips of Cocteau Twins that she would recommend, and she came back with these. Enjoy!

“Blue Bell Knoll” live

https://youtu.be/m1QJjfjxnsM

Heaven or Las Vegas live:

https://youtu.be/w0yjLjm_7f8

Be sure to keep up with 3 Pairs of Boots! You can follow them at @3pairsofboots on Instagram and subscribe to them on YouTube, also at @3pairsofboots. Also, you can check out their website at 3pairsofboots.com.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

IMPORTANT NOTE: At the beginning of the episode, Al mentioned a GoFundMe page for Kira Neal (a two-time guest on YMAAA). Please donate if you are able and/or share the page with others who may be able to help Kira, who is undergoing two brain surgeries: https://www.gofundme.com/f/brain-surgery-at-39-musicians-the-waymores-need-your-help

1:48 Laura joins the show

2:43 Al talks about his reaction to Blue Bell Knoll

3:22 Laura revisits how she was introduced to Cocteau Twins

8:01 Laura talks about her reaction to the changes in Cocteau Twins’ sound

10:47 Laura discusses Elizabeth Fraser’s vocal and lyrical styles

15:39 Laura thinks Cocteau Twins will continue to have a following for years to come

19:07 Laura identifies some of things that Cocteau Twins do that create magic

22:58 Laura is impressed that Cocteau Twins could create such great music while under duress

25:09 Al and Laura ponder the meanings of the song titles

27:10 Laura notes that Cocteau Twins were unconventional from the start

28:52 Do Cocteau Twins have things in common with Van Halen?

34:18 Laura likes how the title track sets the tone

37:42 Laura experiences each song from Blue Bell Knoll as a reset

40:36 Laura and Al make note of Simon Raymonde’s bass parts

42:57 Laura break downs some of the other elements of Cocteau Twins’ sound

44:49 What can The Police teach us about Cocteau Twins’ lyrics?

47:50 Laura’s advice to people who aren’t familiar with Blue Bell Knoll

50:14 Laura talks about making four 3 Pairs of Boots album in five years

56:41 Laura addresses the way that 3 Pairs of Boots mixes genres

Outro music is from “Tempt My Fate” by 3 Pairs of Boots.

Support the show

Send us a text

Veteran English singer-songwriter Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong, solo) stopped by YMAAA during his recent U.S. East Coast tour to talk about Crowded House’s 1991 album, Woodface. Iain delves into his admiration for Neil Finn as a songwriter and performer, and breaks down several of the tracks on the album. He also discusses the album’s sequencing and why it stands out in Crowded House’s discography. Iain talks about why he decided to make his latest solo album, How Much Is Enough, and whether he is likely to make another one.

As Iain mentions on the show, you can keep up with his releases and tour dates on his website. Check it out! http://iainmatthews.nl/

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

1:41 Iain joins the show

2:20 Iain explains why he was so motivated to discuss Woodface

4:22 Iain talks about why he loves Neil Finn’s songwriting

8:32 Iain picks out some of the aspects of Neil Finn’s songwriting that have improved over time

11:18 Iain’s favorite song from Woodface is constantly changing

12:52 Iain and Al discuss their reactions to “Four Seasons in One Day”

17:17 Iain and Al talk about how Woodface is sequenced and how Iain sequences his albums

21:45 Iain shares his experience of seeing Crowded House live for the first time

24:51 How much did Tim Finn influence the sound of Woodface?

29:05 Iain talks about Mitchell Froom’s contributions as a producer

32:10 Iain and Al discuss some of the songs on the latter half of the album

38:28 Iain focuses on “How Will You Go” as a standout track

40:57 Crowded House has mastered the sing-along chorus

43:05 Iain discusses a couple of Crowded House albums that came out after Woodface

45:20 Iain pinpoints when he became a true Neil Finn fan

46:37 Iain identifies the other album he repeatedly goes back to

48:58 Is Iain done with making solo albums?

54:16 Iain talks about how he approached his new album

58:35 Iain shares his tour schedule

Outro music is from “Where Is The Love” by Iain Matthews.

Support the show

Send us a text

Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Joe Adragna of The Junior League makes a return visit to YMAAA to talk about Sloan’s 2001 album Pretty Together. (Joe was also the guest on Ep 49, on which he discussed The Monkees’ Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.) Joe explains how he first got into Sloan and why the Canadian band is one of his favorites. He also talks about Sloan’s approach to songwriting and collaboration, and he breaks down what he enjoys about several of the album’s tracks. Joe explains why he released his recent Junior League EP Nattering Nabobs and new album Our Broadcast Day separately and discusses the vibe he was aiming for in these latest recordings.

Want to listen to or buy Joe’s music? Head on over to the Junior League Bandcamp page, https://thejuniorleague.bandcamp.com/, the Kool Kat Music website, koolkatmusik.com, or any of the usual streaming places.

Also, be sure to follow Joe on social media!

Instagram and Threads: @thejuniorleague

Facebook: @thejrleague

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

1:15 Joe joins the show

2:04 Joe talks about the Sloan song that was his entry point into the band's music

4:28 Joe has helped a lot of people become fans of Sloan

5:48 Joe talks about the division of songwriting among Sloan’s four members

10:53 It’s not easy to pick a favorite song or album from your favorite band

12:36 The members of Sloan will sometimes contribute to songs in unexpected ways

15:54 Joe talks about the experience of seeing Sloan live

Discussion of individual tracks:

19:24 The Other Man

24:16 I Love a Long Goodbye

25:11 Life of a Working Girl

28:42 Are You Giving Me Back My Love?

32:12 Your Dreams Have Come True

35:36 It’s In Your Eyes

36:54 If It Feels Good Do It

39:07 Who You Talkin’ To?

40:35 Joe talks about the process of writing melodic, accessible songs

48:59 “In the Movies” is an example of how Sloan successfully integrates different musical elements

54:40 Joe’s concluding thoughts about Pretty Together

56:16 Why is Joe releasing Nattering Nabobs and Our Broadcast Day separately?

58:57 Which came first: the Our Broadcast Day cover art or the title track?

1:00:45 Our Broadcast Day reminds Al of a specific year

1:03:36 Joe talks about the collaborators who worked with him on Our Broadcast Day

1:06:01 Joe mentions some upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “This Concludes Our Broadcast Day” by the Junior League.

Support the show

Send us a text

British pop/rock vocalist and songwriter Tasmin Archer joins Al to discuss Daniel Lanois’ 2003 album Shine. Tasmin talks about how she became a fan of Lanois’ music, and she breaks down the elements of Shine that make it one of her favorite albums, highlighting some of her favorite tracks along the way. She also revisits the making of her 1992 signature hit “Sleeping Satellite” and reveals which band indirectly influenced its sound. The conversation concludes with Tasmin talking about her upcoming album A Cauldron of Random Notes, which will be released in late 2024 or early 2025.

To keep up with news on Tasmin’s album release, sign up for her newsletter and much more, check out tasminarcher.com. You can also follow Tasmin on X at @tasminarcher and on Facebook at tasmin.archer.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/. You can also support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.

1:15 Tasmin joins the show

1:45 Tasmin talks about the Lanois track that hooked her on his music

2:52 Tasmin recalls the moment she knew “Sleeping Satellite” was going to be special

5:13 Tasmin explains how she initially got exposed to Lanois’ music

7:52 Tasmin and Al talk about how they responded to the album’s sequencing

11:55 Tasmin explains how Shine gets better with repeated listens

14:03 Tasmin talks about the timeless quality of Lanois’ music

18:58 Tasmin identifies what she likes about Lanois’ vocals

24:59 “Shine” is one of Tasmin’s favorite tracks on the album

26:54 Tasmin and Al discuss “I Love You” and “Falling at Your Feet” (with a brief Genesis detour)

31:53 Tasmin and Al talk about Lanois’ take on reggae

34:56 Tasmin shares her reaction to some of Lanois’ lyrics

38:49 Tasmin expects that Lanois will continue to make great music

41:57 Tasmin explains how Lanois may have influenced some tracks on her new album

44:17 Tasmin talks about some of the other influences on “Madame Joy”

48:41 One of Tasmin’s new songs reminds her of U2

50:36 Tasmin discusses the process of making A Cauldron of Random Notes

58:57 Tasmin explains where the title for A Cauldron of Random Notes came from

1:00:57 Tasmin talks about her initial reaction to “Sleeping Satellite” as it was being written

1:03:55 Tasmin discusses the possibility of upcoming live performances 

Outro music is from “Sleeping Satellite” by Tasmin Archer.

Support the show

Send us a text

For this episode, Will Rigby—drummer for the seminal indie rock band the dB’s—introduces Al to Cheri Knight’s 1998 album, The Northeast Kingdom. Will talks about his experience of playing on the album, breaks down aspects of the recording process and discusses why he loves the album and is proud to have played on it. He also talks about the 2024 reissued versions of the dB’s first two albums, Stands for Decibels and Repercussion, and the band’s upcoming tour.

Keep track of all things dB’s at https://thedbs.com/!

You can also follow the band on Instagram at @wearethedbs.

As Will mentions on the show, you can find his solo music on Bandcamp at willrigby.bandcamp.com.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:17 Will joins the show

2:36 Will talks about the trajectory of Cheri Knight’s musical career and his place in it

5:12 Will explains why he wanted to talk about The Northeast Kingdom

8:49 Will talks about the band Knight toured with

12:14 Knight’s experience with farming is a key theme of the album

15:32 Will and Al discuss one of Knight’s sequencing choices

19:48 Will talks about Steve Earle’s contributions to the album

26:16 Will and Al talk about the heavier sound of “Sweetheart”

27:14 Will delves into the guitar sounds on the album

Going into detail on specific tracks:

29:28 The Northeast Kingdom

38:12 The Hatfield Side

41:47 Dead Man’s Curve

43:19 Will thinks the band rehearsed just the right amount before recording the album

44:18 Will is also a fan of the cover art

45:47 Will talks about the reissues of the dB’s first two albums

49:33 Will discusses the upcoming dB’s tour

53:22 Will the dB’s ever record new music again?

Outro music is from “Ask for Jill” by the dB’s.

Support the show

Send us a text

Matt Johnson, the singer, songwriter and musician behind the post-punk band The The, visits YMAAA to talk about the first The The album in 24 years, Ensoulment. Matt talks about why he decided to write and record a The The album after spending the better part of two decades away from the project. He talks about what distinguished the process of making Ensoulment, which will be available on Sept. 6, and delves into the songwriting process for the album’s first two singles, “Cognitive Dissident” and “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot.” Matt also talks about the album that he has probably listened to more often than any other, and what makes it a special album for him.

Looking for The The tour information? Want to sign up for their official newsletter? You can find this and much more at thethe.com

You can also keep up with The The on social media…

IG: @officialthe_the

X: @thethe

Facebook: officialthethe

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:17 Matt joins the show

1:29 Matt talks about what it was like to record a The The album for the first time in more than 20 years

4:35 Matt explains why he decided to make a full album

7:22 Matt discusses how a surgery he underwent inspired one of his new songs

13:24 Matt talks about what he did to give Ensoulment a cohesive feel

17:25 The themes of Ensoulment pertain to both the timely and the timeless

21:48 Matt explains the process for writing “Cognitive Dissident”

24:42 Matt talks about the album he has probably listened to more than any other

Outro music is from “Cognitive Dissident” by The The.

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer-songwriter Amy Rigby (solo, The Shams, The Last Roundup) has had a longstanding admiration for the power-pop band Fountains of Wayne, and she joins Al to chat about the band’s self-titled debut album from 1996. Amy talks about how she got into Fountains of Wayne and what it is about their first album that makes it especially notable. She highlights some of her favorite songs from the album and discusses how well Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger integrated humor into their songwriting. Amy also delves into the making of her new album Hang In There With Me.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the Diary of Amy Rigby blog and podcast!

Blog: https://amyrigby.substack.com/ 

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diary-of-amy-rigby/id15610945052

Amy also mentioned the Looking for the Magic podcast she did with Elizabeth Nelson. You can find that here: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/looking-for-the-magic-elizabeth-nelson-amy-7RaT_Iy-DiS/

Amy and Al are both planning to check out the Fountains of ‘Splain podcast…if you want to join them, here it is! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fountains-of-splain/id1547151768

You can keep up with Amy on Instagram at @amymrigby.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:28 Amy joins the show

1:58 Did Amy and Fountains of Wayne run in the same circles in New York in the ‘90s?

7:16 Amy talks about the sports themes in Fountains of Wayne’s songs

9:07 Amy and Al discuss “Sick Day” and its thematic similarity to a song that Amy wrote

15:51 Amy hears “Radiation Vibe” as a great example of a “happy sad song”

17:52 Amy likes Fountains of Wayne’s selfless approach

20:54 Amy wants there to be a Fountains of Wayne documentary

22:35 Amy talks about her two podcasts and her blog

27:34 Amy explains why Fountains of Wayne was an affirming album for her

32:27 There aren’t many rock songwriters who successfully integrate humor into their songs

41:00 Amy highlights a few of her favorite songs from Fountains of Wayne

44:06 Amy thinks Fountains of Wayne set themselves apart from other ‘90s bands

47:24 Amy notes how Fountains of Wayne’s songwriting progressed after the debut album

49:58 Al explains exactly how little he knew about Fountains of Wayne

52:31 Amy talks about the process of making Hang In There With Me

1:05:11 Amy thinks good sequencing is still worth the trouble

1:07:43 Al noticed a similarity between Amy’s songs and those of a previous guest

1:09:04 Amy talks about her upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Dylan in Dubuque” by Amy Rigby.

Support the show

Send us a text

CONTENT WARNING: There is discussion of suicide as it relates to the lyrics of the song “Dress Rehearsal Rag.” (Discussion begins at 46:44 and ends at 51:58.)

Sean Nelson, formerly the frontman for the Seattle-based band Harvey Danger, joins Al to talk about Leonard Cohen’s 1971 album Songs of Love and Hate. Sean talks about how he first heard the album and why he was instantly enamored of it, and why Cohen is one of his favorite vocalists. He also talks about the personal nature of the lyrics for many of the songs on the album. In addition to discussing this album, Sean and Al discuss their experiences with listening to Jennifer Warnes’ covers of Cohen’s songs.

Be sure to check out Sean’s new podcast, The Wonder of It All (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31843073/), wherever you get your podcasts. You can keep up with Sean on Instagram at @actualseannelson.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:25 Sean joins the show

2:11 Sean explains why he wanted to discuss this particular Cohen album

5:03 Sean talks about Cohen as a seeker of truth

6:43 Sean identifies the moment when Cohen really grabbed his attention

12:52 The album made Al confront something about his musical preferences

15:25 Sean explains why he is drawn to dark albums like Songs of Love and Hate

16:53 Sean contrast’s Cohen’s approach to Trent Reznor’s

21:21Sean describes the setting in which he prefers to listen to Songs of Love and Hate

24:07 Sean and Al make note of Cohen’s dialogues with himself on the album

27:22 Sean talks about the successes Cohen had early in his music career, and how it inspired “Avalanche”

34:52 Were “Famous Blue Raincoat” and “Joan of Arc” about actual people in Cohen’s life?

39:43 Sean and Al discuss their reactions to Jennifer Warnes’ covers of Cohen’s songs

46:44 (TW) Sean delves into “Dress Rehearsal Rag”

51:58 Sean talks about his new podcast and the vinyl release of Harvey Danger’s King James Version 

Outro music is from “(This Is) The Thrilling Conversation You’ve Been Waiting For” by Harvey Danger.

Support the show

Send us a text

In celebration of the album’s 45th anniversary, musician and songwriter Bruce Sudano (Brooklyn Dreams, Alive N Kickin’, solo) visits YMAAA to talk about Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. He talks about the role he played in the making of the album, his relationship with Summer, to whom he was married for 32 years, and how Bad Girls represents the “peak era” of Summer’s musical career. Bruce also discusses Summer’s versatility as a vocalist and songwriter and how those gifts helped to make Bad Girls one of the most important albums of its era. Bruce concludes by talking about his latest solo album, Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies, and working with esteemed producer Ken Lewis.

Keep up with Bruce’s music, tour dates and more at brucesudano.com! Also be sure to give him a follow on Facebook and at @brucesudano on Instagram.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:29 Bruce joins the show

1:49 How did Bruce wind up on the cover of Bad Girls?

3:51 Bruce had not known Summer long when they started working on Bad Girls

4:45 Bruce talks about the general creative approach Summer took on the album

12:04 Bruce addresses the diversity of songs on Bad Girls

18:32 Bruce talks about the writing and recording of “Bad Girls”

22:50 Bruce explains how “Lucky” came together

24:32 Bruce discusses the futuristic quality of Side 4

26:17 The Bad Girls period was an extremely busy one for Bruce and Donna

30:57 “Hot Stuff” is a “very L.A.” recording

35:28 Bruce explains why Summer started writing songs on the piano

38:03 Bruce reveals which rock star Summer wrote “Dim All the Lights” for

40:09 Bruce talks about how Summer took on different personas for different songs

43:51 Bruce discusses how music—and their lives—changed after Bad Girls

48:01 Summer was the complete entertainer

49:48 Bruce talks about making Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies

57:36 Bruce alerts us to his upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Talkin’ Ugly Truth, Tellin’ Pretty Lies” by Bruce Sudano.

Support the show

Send us a text

Dallas-based singer/songwriter Stephanie Sammons joins Al to introduce him to Triumph’s 1986 album, The Sport of Kings. Stephanie talks about what she loves about this album and what made it an ideal album to blast on her car stereo. She and Al also talk about the interesting circumstances under which Triumph made The Sport of Kings. Stephanie discusses her evolution as a musician and songwriter and how mentors like Mary Gauthier and Emily Saliers have helped her. Al asks Stephanie about her process for writing some of the highly personal songs on her new album Time and Evolution.

You can keep up with Stephanie on her website stephaniesammons.com. Also, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram. She’s at @stephaniesammons.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:14 Stephanie joins the show

2:01 Much of Stephanie’s early enjoyment of The Sport of Kings took place in her car

6;26 Does Stephanie lump Triumph together with Rush?

8:42 Stephanie doesn’t remember Triumph getting much radio airplay

10:13 Stephanie pinpoints the specific things she likes about The Sport of Kings

12:39 Al recognized a couple of the album’s tracks right away

14:34 There is one thing Stephanie doesn’t like about The Sport of Kings

15:40 Did Triumph rip off Boston on “Don’t Love Anybody Else But Me”?

18:01 Seeing Triumph live was a memorable experience for Stephanie

19:22 Al hears connections between Triumph and some other bands

21:09 Triumph themselves were not fans of The Sport of Kings

24:13 Do the musicians Stephanie knows think that bands like Triumph and Boston are cool?

28:41 Which artists did Stephanie listen to when she was in college?

31:02 Stephanie got to see Rik Emmett live long after The Sport of Kings came out

32:49 Stephanie talks about her progression from playing music as a hobby to “going pro”

38:31 Stephanie discusses having Emily Saliers as a mentor

41:50 Stephanie talks about writing songs about her relationship with her parents

48:54 Stephanie shares her upcoming plans

Outro music is from “Holding on to Jesus” by Stephanie Sammons.

Support the show

Send us a text

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Tim Easton joins Al to discuss an album that has nearly been the subject of several previous episodes (but never quite made the cut), Joni Mitchell’s album Blue from 1971. Tim talks about the unusual circumstance under which he first heard Blue as a teenager, why it is an important album for him and for many songwriters and how it has influenced his own work. He also talks about the time he met Mitchell in Los Angeles, as well as the time he briefly shared a living space and busked with Beck in Paris. Tim talks about making his new album Find Your Way and about his current and upcoming plans.

Al mentioned an interview that Tim did with Otis Gibbs. You can access that video on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtmuIfC-nZM

Tim talked about the video he made for “Everything You’re Afraid Of.” Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxeMR2MNCnk

Be sure to follow Tim on Instagram and YouTube at @TimEastonSongwriter, and visit his Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/TimEaston. You can find Tim’s music on his website, https://www.timeaston.com/, and his Bandcamp page, https://timeaston1.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Tim joins the show

1:52 Tim can’t believe Blue hadn’t already been covered on YMAAA

3:03 Tim explains the unusual circumstance under which he first listened to Blue

3:53 Tim talks about the personal quality of Blue

7:48 Does one need to be into poetry to “get” Joni Mitchell?

10:52 Tim was impressed by how Mitchell’s voice blends with the instruments

15:23 Tim talks about the subtle sensuality of her lyrics

16:51 Tim shares his story about how Mitchell influenced the making of his album Break Your Mother’s Heart

20:38 Tim talks about the emotional quality that Blue has for him

26:03 Tim hopes to pass on his appreciation of Mitchell to his daughter

26:56 Tim notes the roster of esteemed musicians who accompanied Mitchell on Blue

29:02 Tim explains how Mitchell has influenced his music

33:21 Tim cites what he thinks are the most notable tracks from Blue

39:43 Tim made Find Your Way as a cohesive whole

46:30 Tim walks through the process of recording Find You Way in Canada

49:49 Tim talks about busking with Beck in Paris

56:13 Tim reveals what he might have picked if he didn’t pick Blue

58:59 Tim explains the meaning behind his song “Everything You’re Afraid Of”

1:01:32 Tim talks about his current and upcoming projects

Outro music is from “Everything You’re Afraid Of” by Tim Easton.

Support the show

Send us a text

Legendary drummer John JR Robinson visits YMAAA to talk about a favorite album of his—and it happens to be one he also played on. JR talks about why he is so fond of Steve Winwood’s 1986 smash Back in the High Life, and why he thinks the album represented the end of an era. He breaks down several of his performances, including those on the No. 1 hit “Higher Love” and the adult contemporary chart-toppers “The Finer Things” and “Back in the High Life Again.”

There wasn’t time to discuss JR’s experience with performing on USA for Africa’s “We Are The World,” but he recently shared some thoughts about the recent documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, on his Instagram account. Check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3BUqAjR85b/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

As JR mentioned on the show, he has a lot of projects in the works, and you can keep up with all of them at his website, https://www.johnjrrobinson.com/.

Also, be sure to follow JR on Instagram at @johnjrrobinson1.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:20 JR joins the show

2:05 Al summarizes a small part of JR’s discography

2:55 JR explains how he got involved with the recording of Back in the High Life

6:26 JR talks about putting the drum part together for “Higher Love”

7:13 JR showed up to the studio not knowing he was going to be asked to play on the album

9:00 JR explains how he got the sound of the opening pattern for “Higher Love”

15:39 Back in the High Life was unusual for a pop album

16:54 JR and Al compare Back in the High Life with Roll With It

19:59 JR talks about what’s different about today’s pop music

21:58 JR comment on the cinematic quality of “The Finer Things”

24:37 JR explains why he didn’t play on every track on the album

26:07 JR talks about Tom Lord-Alge’s work on Back in the High Life

27:17 JR discusses his playing on “Split Decision”

30:36 Should “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day” have been a radio hit?

32:24 JR talks about his approach to playing on “Back in the High Life Again”

35:45 Al asks JR about an earlier version of “Back in the High Life Again”

38:08 JR calls Back in the High Life an end of an era

46:00 JR recalls his impressions of “Wake Me Up on Judgment Day”

49:28 A great combination of musicians made “Higher Love”

50:43 JR comments on the tracks he didn’t play on

52:49 On what media did Al listen to the album?

55:02 JR explains why he thinks “Back in the High Life Again” was made the title track

58:55 JR’s final thoughts about the album

1:02:01 JR talks about his current plans, including his upcoming autobiography, King of the Groove: The John ‘JR’ Robinson Story

Outro is from “Back in the High Life Again” by Steve Winwood.

Support the show

Send us a text

Bassist Will Turpin of Collective Soul joins Al to talk about one of his favorite albums, Diorama (2002) by the Australian band Silverchair. Will explains what makes the orchestral arrangements on this album special, and he and Al contrast the orchestral tracks with the ones that are more typical of Silverchair’s earlier grunge sound. Will also talks about Collective Soul’s new album, Here to Eternity, and how he and the band will go about determining setlists for their upcoming tour with Hootie and the Blowfish and Edwin McCain.

Be sure to give Will a follow on Instagram at @willturpin!

You can also keep up Will and Collective Soul at @collectivesoul on Instagram, @collectivesoultv on YouTube, and on the band’s website collectivesoul.com.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

A video about the making of Diorama is, as Will predicted, available on YouTube. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZsl387ka48&t=89s.

1:27 Will joins the show

1:55 Will explains how he became familiar with Silverchair

4:17 The songs’ orchestrations are a large part of the album’s appeal for Will

6:47 Will and Al talk about the early 2000s transition to digital music

8:08 Will explains what makes the orchestral arrangements on Diorama superb

11:54 Al describes his initial impression of Diorama

15:14 It didn’t take Will long to warm up to the album

16:01 Will cites the reasons for why “Tuna in the Brine” is one of his favorite tracks

18:04 Does Will focus more on music or lyrics?

19:31 Will wants to teach a master class on a trio of Sting albums

22:33 Will and Al talk about Diorama’s mix of orchestral and grungy songs

28:16 Will and Al discuss the highlights from the latter half of the album

32:20 Will talks about the experience of making the 1995 self-titled Collective Soul album

38:30 Will shares the experience of recording Here to Eternity at the Elvis Presley estate in Palm Springs

41:24 Al asked about a potential influence on Ed Roland’s vocal performance

43:30 Will explains how Collective Soul will form their setlists for their upcoming tour

48:17 Will discusses upcoming projects for himself and Collective Soul

Outro music is from “Let It Flow” by Collective Soul.

Support the show

Send us a text

Julia Massey—the vocalist and keyboardist for the Seattle-based band Warren Dunes—comes to YMAAA to discuss The Black Tones’ 2019 album Cobain & Cornbread. Julia talks about how Cobain & Cornbread is one of a small number of albums that are a part of her “musical DNA,” and why the album resonates with her so strongly. She also discusses her friendship with The Black Tones’ Eva Walker and how Eva has influenced her own music. Julia and Al try to categorize Warren Dunes’ sound and delve into their new album Aquamarine.

To keep up with Julia and Warren Dunes, be sure to follow them on Instagram at @warrendunesband. They are also on Facebook (@welcometowarrendunes) and X (@warrendunesband).

To keep up with Julia’s parrot, follow Bacon the Bird on TikTok.

Warren Dunes has a website, too! warrendunesband.com

For more information on Warren Dunes’ Pool Party Patreon, as discussed on this episode, go to patreon.com/warrendunes.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:05 Julia joins the show

1:27 There are just a few albums that Julia goes back to again and again

4:18 Julia talks about her reaction after hearing Cobain & Cornbread for the first time

5:48 The album is a reflection of Eva’s personality

7:56 The songs on Cobain & Cornbread are deceptively long

10:31“Rivers of Jordan” and “The Key of Black (They Want Us Dead)” really grabbed Julia’s attention

14:46 Al and Julia were also impressed by “Striped Walls”

16:18 Julia explains how Cedric Walker became the Black Tones’ drummer

18:43 Julia points out the part of “The Key of Black (They Want Us Dead)” that hits her the hardest

21:05 Julia says Eva and Cedric capture the live sound of “Welcome Mr. Pink”

23:26 “Mama! There’s a Spider in my Room” has a quality that is also present in Julia’s music

26:24 Julia’s favorite part of “Plaid Pants” doesn’t have to do with the lyrics

28:17 Julia talks about how Eva has influenced her music

32:10 Julia is impressed by how The Black Tones combine whimsy with power

33:21 Al talks about his reaction to hearing Aquamarine for the first time

35:34 Does Warren Dunes play beach music or “PBS metal”?

41:27 Julia explains why she won’t listen to Aquamarine again for a while

42:18 Julia discusses the Aquamarine launch party and the Warren Dunes “Pool Party”

45:50 Julia talks about upcoming projects for her and for Warren Dunes

Outro music is from “Take the Train” by Warren Dunes.

Support the show

Send us a text

(TW: brief mention of lyrics referencing suicide) 

Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist Adrian Sutherland joins Al to introduce him to The Killers’ 2021 album Pressure Machine. Adrian talks about how The Killers have influenced his own music and what he loves about this specific album by the Las Vegas-based band. He focuses on how his upbringing in Attawapiskat First Nation in Northern Ontario helps him to personally relate to several of the album’s themes. Adrian also talks about his recently-released solo album Precious Diamonds and about his work away from the band Midnight Shine in general. He discusses his upcoming book as well as other recent and ongoing projects.

There’s a lot to keep up with in terms of Adrian’s work, but visiting his website is a good place to get started! https://adriansutherlandmusic.com/

Also, It’s easy to find Adrain on social media…just look for him at @attaboyadrian on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube and TikTok.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:26 Adrian joins the show

3:14 Pressure Machine is not a typical Killers album

7:40 Adrian explains why he wanted to discuss Pressure Machine—and Nevermind

13:19 The interviews included between songs help paint the picture of Nephi

16:31 Adrian related to the aspects of religious life depicted in Pressure Machine

18:34 Adrian talks about the musical elements of the album he likes

24:41 Al was impressed by Brandon Flowers’ vocal versatility

26:20 Adrian notes a couple of his favorite tracks from the album

29:09 Adrian and Al discuss their responses to songs that cover difficult topics

35:12 Adrian relates to the process The Killers went through making an album during the early part of the pandemic

40:00 Adrian compares the processes in making each of his first two solo albums

46:21 Adrian talks about working with Colin Linden as a producer

50:15 Adrian discusses the making of his video for “Precious”

52:29 Adrian explains why he is writing a book about growing up in Attawapiskat

55:53 Adrian talks about some other current and upcoming projects

Outro music is from “Precious” by Adrian Sutherland.

Support the show

Send us a text

Jazz bassist Mark Egan (Pat Metheny Group, Gil Evans Orchestra, Elements) introduces Al to John Coltrane’s 1965 classic A Love Supreme. Mark talks about how he first got acquainted with the album and why it’s a significant album for him personally. He discusses playing with devotional musician Krishna Das and how that connects with his affinity for A Love Supreme. Mark also talks about his experience of playing on Arcadia’s So Red the Rose, as well as the process of writing and recording his new album Cross Currents.

Keep up with Mark’s music releases and tours at markegan.com...

…Or check out Mark’s music on Bandcamp: https://markegan.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:35 Mark joins the show

2:02 Mark talks about the music he listened to in his teen years

5:31 Mark discusses the period where he first immersed himself in jazz

7:25 Mark explains how A Love Supreme changed his life

11:14 Mark highlights some unique aspects of the album

17:47 Mark explains how A Love Supreme influenced his musical development

24:01 Mark recommends Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue as a prerequisite to listening to A Love Supreme

27:06 Mark explains why he revisits jazz records over and over

30:55 How does Mark hear A Love Supreme when he listens to ti now?

33:14 Mark talks about the process of writing songs for Cross Currents with Shawn Pelton and Shane Theriot

40:51 Once the songs were written, Cross Currents came together quickly

43:29 Cross Currents also benefits from multiple listens

45:51 Mark talks about working on Arcadia’s So Red the Rose

58:04 Mark talks about his work with Krishna Das, and how it connects with A Love Supreme

1:05:17 An eclectic Boston radio station laid the foundation for Mark’s love of A Love Supreme

Outro music is from “Cross Currents” by Mark Egan.

Support the show

Send us a text

Superchunk guitarist Jim Wilbur joins Al and introduces him to The Triffids’ 1986 album Born Sandy Devotional. Jim talks about how he first heard the album when he was a college DJ, which tracks he gravitated towards and why he still listens to the album now. He and Al compare their impressions regarding both the album’s music and lyrics. Jim also discusses what’s in store for Superchunk in the coming months, including the Merge 35 Festival.

Keep up with Superchunk on Merge Records' website! https://www.mergerecords.com/artist/superchunk

Also be sure to check out their music on Bandcamp: https://superchunk.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:16 Jim joins the show

2:01 Jim talks about discovering Born Sandy Devotional as a college DJ

4:31 The album almost defies description

7:40 Jim hears all of the album’s songs as relating to a single character

10:00 Jim talks about the connection between the Triffids and Nick Cave

11:49 Jim and Al make note of the lighter and darker sides of Born Sandy Devotional

14:57 Jim explains how the album reminds of him where he grew up

16:58 Jim talks about what it was like to DJ at a small college radio station

19:54 Jim recalls some other bands he played as a DJ

21:26 Jim extols the merits of listening to the album straight through

Discussion of specific tracks

23:19 The Seabirds

27:14 Tarrilup Bridge

30:00 Lonely Stretch

33:44 Life of Crime

35:10 Stolen Property

37:27 Jim shares his perspective on the role of David McComb’s lyrics

39:32 Jim talks about what gives Born Sandy Devotional a timeless quality

41:57 Jim’s relationship with rock music has changed over time

43:47 Jim explains why he likes to listen to classical music

45:36 Jim talks about David McComb’s difficult life

48:19 Jim recommends some other Triffids albums to check out

50:14 Al was surprised to see that Born Sandy Devotional was produced by Gil Norton

51:43 Jim provides an update on Superchunk’s upcoming recording and tour plans

Outro music is from “Everybody Dies” by Superchunk.

Support the show

Send us a text

This is the second of a two-part conversation with Washington, DC-based singer, guitarist and songwriter Mary Timony (Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag, Ex Hex, solo). Mary talks about the difficult circumstances under which she made her new album, Untame the Tiger, and how her parents’ illnesses and deaths gave her a new perspective. She also discusses the experience of recording parts of the album on the legendary Sound City mixing board and working with drummer Dave Mattacks. Mary explains how writing songs as a member of Wild Flag has played a critical role in Ex Hex’s sound. (Her discussion of Ex Hex first appeared on Ep. 131.)

Give Mary a follow on Instagram (if you don’t already)! @marytimony

Also be sure to visit Mary’s website: marytimonymusic.com

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

0:52 Al’s introduction to Part 2 of the conversation with Mary

2:08 Mary explains how difficult circumstances led her to make Untame the Tiger

7:11 Mary talks about the people she worked with on the new album

12:35 Mary discusses making the album while dealing with her parents’ illnesses and deaths

16:54 Mary explains how that period helped her to put life into a different perspective

18:05 Mary talks about writing and playing with Ex Hex

20:40 The experience of writing songs for Wild Flag changed her songwriting process

24:58 Mary compares the two Ex Hex albums

Outro music is from “Dominoes” by Mary Timony.

Support the show

Send us a text

This is the first of a two-part conversation with indie rock singer, guitarist and songwriter Mary Timony (Autoclave, Helium, Wild Flag, Ex Hex, solo). In this episode, Mary introduces Al to Andy Pratt’s self-titled 1973 album. (In Part 2, Mary will discuss her soon-to-be-released solo album Untame the Tiger.) Mary discusses how she came to learn about Andy Pratt, which songs on the album are her favorites and why she thinks more people need to know about his music.

Give Mary a follow on Instagram (if you don’t already)! @marytimony

Also be sure to visit Mary’s website: marytimonymusic.com

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:13 Mary joins the show

1:44 Mary became fascinated with Andy Pratt’s story

5:39 The first seconds of Andy Pratt grabbed Mary and Al’s attention

7:45 Even before starting the conversation, Mary and Al knew they had some shared musical tastes

9:54 Mary has clear favorite tracks from the album

11:55 Mary doesn’t understand why Pratt’s music didn’t become more popular

13:44 Mary explains why she loves “Sittin’ Down in the Twilight”

15:12 Mary was impressed by the musicianship on the album

20:29 Mary and Al were both mesmerized by “Inside Me Wants Out”

23:16 Mary provides some background on Pratt’s career

Discussion of the album’s tracks

26:23 Avenging Annie

30:54 It’s All Behind You

37:26 Call Up That Old Friend

40:13 Give It All to Music

47:08 Who Am I Talking To

48:08 Is there such a thing as a perfect album?

51:46 All the King’s Weight

57:34 So Fine

59:09 Deer Song

1:00:31 It’s hard to pick the last song that goes on an album

Outro music is from “The Guest” by Mary Timony.

Support the show

Send us a text

Al continues his conversation with Seattle-based singer/rapper/musician/songwriter Wanz, which began on Ep. 144. Wanz talks about recording his world-famous hook for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop,” and his experience with performing in the song’s video. He also talks about the elements of great songwriting, with specific references to Taylor Swift and the Beatles. Wanz winds up by discussing #TheBookOfWanz, his Wanzology podcast and some of the lessons he wants to impart through these and other outlets.

Be sure to follow Wanz! @teewanz on Instagram and Threads

As Wanz mentioned in this episode, you can find his music and lots else on his website, thewanz.com.

The easiest way to find #TheBookOfWanz is to type #TheBookOfWanz into the search field on Amazon. Just be sure to remember the pound sign.

Also, check out the Wanzology podcast! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wanzology/id1719005835

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:48 Wanz talks about recording “Thrift Shop”

3:57 Wanz faced an obstacle when filming the “Thrift Shop” video

4:46 Touring with Macklemore was the realization of a dream

7:44 Macklemore created a new blueprint for independent artists

11:32 Wanz explains how Taylor Swift became a phenomenon

15:49 Wanz outlines the keys to good songwriting

17:46 Wanz talks about how each wave of great artists influences the next

19:44 Wanz explains how his TEDx talk led him to #TheBookOfWanz and Wanzology

27:01 Wanz talks about his ongoing musical work

28:57 Wanz explains why he wants to do more public speaking

32:12 Lessons from Yoda, Spock, The Matrix and Ferris Bueller

Outro music is from “Wander” by Wanz.

Support the show

Send us a text

Seattle-based musician, singer, rapper and songwriter Michael Wansley (aka Wanz) drops in on YMAAA for the first of two episodes to talk about Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1979 album, I Am. Wanz talks about his lifelong EWF fandom, what he loves about I Am, and how it compares to other EWF albums. He also explains how the album is a reflection of the changes in the music industry that were occurring in the late ‘70s. Wanz and Al also discuss other bands that were popular around the same time, including Toto, The Police and Rush.

Wanz’ TEDx Talk, "You, Too, Can Be a Unicorn," is outstanding. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPy-bbpRfM

Al mentioned that he had interviewed Steve Lukather, David Paich and Joseph Williams of Toto. The interviews were for a couple a pieces for American Songwriter, which are linked below.

https://americansongwriter.com/toto-talks-toto-to-celebrate-their-debut-albums-45th-anniversary/

https://americansongwriter.com/6-toto-songs-that-are-miles-away-from-yacht-rock/

Wanz is on Instagram and Threads at @teewanz!

Also be sure to check out Want’s music and more at thewanz.com

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:36 Wanz joins the show

2:26 Wanz has worked many different jobs to support his music

3:52 Wanz has a collection of EWF t-shirts

6:17 An EWF promo poster connected Wanz with an early bandmate

7:58 Wanz paid close attention to EWF over a span of 10 albums

8:51 Wanz talks about EWF’s progression through the albums leading up to I Am

15:20 EWF was the first concert Wanz ever went to

19:10 Wanz and Al talk about the Police and Sting’s Bring on the Night documentary

21:35 Wanz blames one album for changing radio

23:16 Wanz singles out the decision EWF made that led to their commercial demise

26:24 Maurice White’s death gave Wanz a reason to deep-dive into the EWF catalog again

27:21 Wanz talks more about how radio changed in the late ‘70s

31:10 Wanz remembers how he was introduced to Rush

32:51 Wanz explains what makes “Boogie Wonderland” a perfect song

36:09 Wanz loves the whole second side of I Am

39:15 Wanz explains why I Am is a different-sounding EWF album

43:01 Did the right tracks get released as singles?

46:34 Transcribing “Rock That!” in the pre-digital era was not an easy task

48:12 Al and Wanz talk about the Toto connections to I Am

49:57 Wanz explains how Phil Collins got connected with EWF

53:57 Steve Lukather’s memoir changed the way Wanz understands how the recording industry used to work

57:34 The interludes are one of Wanz’s favorite parts of I Am

1:01:10 Wanz finds some interesting names in the album credits

Outro music is from Wanz, “Go Where the Love Is.”

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer-songwriter Danny O’Keefe, whose songs (including his Top 10 hit, “Goodtime Charlie’s Got the Blues”) have been covered by Jackson Browne, Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Judy Collins, Willie Nelson, Allison Krauss and many others, joins Al to get him better acquainted with Miles Davis’ 1959 classic, Kind of Blue. Danny talks about how he was introduced to the album, why it has been the album he has listened to the most in his life and which parts he particularly enjoys. Danny and Al also get into a Steely Dan discussion, as a result of Al comparing some sax solos. Danny recounts his relationship with Ahmet Ertegun and discusses his recently-released album, Circular Turns.

Be sure to follow Danny on Facebook and visit his website, dannyokeefe.com!

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:20 Danny joins the show

1:50 Danny talks about his introduction to Kind of Blue

5:26 How important is it to know music theory as a musician and as a listener?

10:01 How does Kind of Blue transport Danny?

11:39 Danny identifies a couple of features of the album that he looks forward to

14:08 Al is accustomed to the structure of rock music

15:40 Danny talks about some of the solos from the album

17:27 How has Kind of Blue influenced Danny’s work?

19:13 Danny walks through his songwriting process

22:23 Danny explains the significance of Kind of Blue

25:05 Danny talks about the allure of the folk revolution

26:35 Do you have to connect with an album right away to enjoy it?

30:00 Al did an experiment to try to figure out why he didn’t connect more with Kind of Blue

35:27 Danny talks about his relationship with Ahmet Ertegun and Atlantic Records

43:15 Danny explains how his new album, Circular Turns, came about

45:02 Danny identifies some covers of his songs that he particularly enjoys

48:27 Danny talks about his upcoming plans

Outro music is from “The Road” by Danny O’Keefe.

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Henning Ohlenbusch (Gentle Hen, the Fawns, solo) makes a return appearance to You, Me and an Album to discuss XTC’s 1986 album, Skylarking. Henning talks about why he loves Skylarking and why XTC is one of his favorite bands. He gets into the aspects of XTC’s songwriting that are especially appealing and how the album reminds him of the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Kinks. Henning also talks about the new Gentle Hen album, The Whole Point of the Trip, and why it took four years to make.

Henning was previously on YMAAA on Ep. 72, discussing Ha! Ha! Ha! by Ulltravox.

Be sure to follow Henning on Instagram and Threads at @henningo!

To learn more about Gentle Hen, visit their website at gentlehen.com or find their music at https://gentlehen.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:10 Henning joins the show

1:37 Henning explains why he chose Skylarking—and not English Settlement—for this episode

4:28 Henning and Al talk about the impact Todd Rundgren had on the album

7:08 Henning and Al discuss “Dear God”’s eventual placement on Skylarking

11:23 Al summarizes his reaction to the album

12:10 Henning identifies what makes Skylarking a special album for him

15:10 Why did Al have a different reaction to Skylarking than he did to The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society?

17:23 XTC changed the way that Henning listens to albums

22:22 Henning talks about what he likes about XTC’s songwriting

26:00 Al reveals a pet peeve he has about a certain style of songwriting

29:10 All appreciates that Andy Partridge’s songwriting has a subtle side

31:33 Henning thinks of the album as being divided into chunks

33:20 Henning highlights some of his favorite parts of the album

40:01 Henning points out a couple of interesting rhythms from Skylarking

44:12 Henning and Al talk about the “Dear God” controversy

46:08 Henning discusses the vocal similarities of Partridge and Colin Moulding

50:02 Al compares the new Gentle Hen album with XTC and Peter Gabriel

53:02 Henning talks about how The Whole Point of the Trip developed

54:43 When does Henning know it’s time for a Gentle Hen album?

56:30 Henning talks about his near-term plans

Outro is from “Birds of Massachusetts” by Gentle Hen.

Support the show

Send us a text

Music journalist and sports author Dan Epstein joins Al to talk about the Isley Brothers’ 1973 album, 3 + 3. Dan shares his memories of buying the album and listening to it for the first time, and he breaks down each of the album’s nine tracks. He also discusses the Isleys’ longevity, their lack of acclaim compared to contemporaries, such as Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, and their penchant for recording covers.

Dan talked about his excellent Substack newsletter, Jagged Time Lapse.  Be sure to check it out and subscribe! It’s at danepstein.substack.com.

Follow Dan on Instagram at @dockfidrych!

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Dan joins the show

1:59 “That Lady” was Dan’s introduction to the Isley Brothers

4:58 Dan eventually learned the Isleys had been around since the ‘50s

5:50 Dan recounts the day he bought 3 + 3 in 1989

14:44 Dan and Al talk about the progression in the Isleys’ discography leading up to 3 + 3

17:07 Al was astounded when he first heard “Contagious”

18:28 Dan got Ernie Isley to tell him how he got his guitar sound on “That Lady”

20:16 Ernie Isley and Brian May are special guitarists for Dan for a particular reason

21:30 Dan walks through what he likes about each track on the album

Observations about each track

23:56 That Lady

24:09 Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

25:21 If You Were There

26:01 You Walk Your Way

28:17 Listen to the Music

29:26 What It Comes Down To

31:40 Sunshine (Go Away Today)

32:53 Summer Breeze

38:02 The Highways of My Life

40:17 Dan asserts that 3 + 3  is one of the great albums of the early ‘70s

42:56 Dan has an explanation for why 3 + 3 hasn’t received more acclaim

47:34 Why did the Isleys include so many covers on their albums?

52:41 Dan and Al talk about associations they have formed around certain songs

56:08 Dan discusses his Substack, Jagged Time Lapse

57:35 Al sums up how his response to 3 + 3 developed

1:00:31 Dan’s got some holiday content on his Substack

1:06:01 Dan updates us on his upcoming book on Redd Kross

Support the show

Send us a text

Joe Steinhardt, the co-founder and owner of the Philadelphia-based record label Don Giovanni Records and guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the band Modern Hut, drops by YMAAA to introduce Al to Iris DeMent’s The Way I Should. Joe talks about why this is an important album for him and how it changed the way he thinks about music. He delves into several of his favorite tracks from the album and updates us on what’s new at his record label.

Joe mentioned a live performance of “Wasteland of the Free” that he watches frequently (and recommends that we do too). You can find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhgb9hYjX3g.

He also discussed DeMent’s performance of “Surely, I Will, Lord”. It’s not the performance he saw, but you can see DeMent play the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USUvLDhcrgY.

Follow Don Giovanni Records on Instagram: @dongiovannirecords

…and check out the label's website at https://www.dongiovannirecords.com/.

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:14 Joe joins the show

1:44 Joe talks about his progression for exploring Iris DeMent’s music

9:22 Joe explains why he choose The Way I Should for this episode

11:22 Al understands why Joe went with The Way I Should after initially picking a different album

16:18 Joe mentions the tracks he might skip on The Way I Should

19:24 “Wasteland of the Free” has been a perspective-shifting song for Joe

28:44 Joe relates to DeMent’s songs in a different way as he gets older

32:13 Joe and Al discuss “Letter to Mom”

35:55 Joe talks about some of DeMent’s more recent work

37:48 Joe appreciates how DeMent takes risks with her songs

41:11 Joe has some personal connections to DeMent’s music

51:13 Joe explains what makes the title track a highlight of the album

55:26 “Quality Time” is also a song that resonated with Joe and Al

56:54 The Way I Should helped to clarify for Joe the importance of truth-telling in music

1:00:29 Joe talks about some of the new things happening at Don Giovanni Records

Outro is from “I Don’t Want to Get Adjusted to This World” by Modern Hut.

Support the show

Send us a text

Jeff Palfini, the co-founder of the Connecticut-based Boondocks Film Society, joins Al to talk about the soundtrack to the 1998 film, The Last Days of Disco. Jeff talks about the intersection of film and music, why movie soundtracks have been important to him and why this particular soundtrack is a favorite of his. He also highlights some of his favorite songs on the album and discusses the upcoming plans for Boondocks Film Society.

Jeff made a reference to a podcast called Hit Parade, and you can check it out here: https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade

As Jeff suggests in this episode, you should follow Boondocks Film Society to keep up with their events! @boondocksfilmsociety on Instagram and https://boondocksfilmsociety.org/

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:10 Jeff joins the show

2:18 Jeff talks about his work with Boondocks Film Society

6:02 Jeff discusses the premise of The Last Days of Disco

9:10 Jeff explains why he chose the soundtrack for this episode

14:59 Al wonders how people who aren’t into movies keep up with new music

16:33 Jeff talks about passive influences on musical tastes

19:33 Jeff discusses the mix of songs on the soundtrack

20:50 Jeff recently learned about how members of Chic produced much of his favorite music

28:35 Jeff and Al talk about disco’s long-overdue reevaluation

34:34 More love for Chic!

35:55 Jeff focuses on the diversity of artists represented on the soundtrack

41:39 Al heard “Knock on Wood” differently than when it first came out

46;11 Jeff and Al discuss “I Love the Nightlife”

50:00 Jeff highlights a couple of his favorite vocal performances on the album

52:16 Jeff discusses the song that might be his favorite on the soundtrack

54:47 Great songs are often saved for the closing credits

1:02:24 Jeff talks about the upcoming plans for Boondocks Film Society

Support the show

Send us a text

Musician and songwriter Casper Iskov joins Al to talk about Ride’s second album, Going Blank Again. He explains how he got acquainted with Ride’s music and why they have become a favorite band of his despite a negative first impression. Casper also talks about how he recently remade My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything in the style of a Green Day album and how an episode of You, Me and An Album with producer Tim Friese-Greene helped to inspire him to do so.

The episode with Tim Friese-Greene just referred to above to was Ep. 79. You can listen to that one here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/79-tim-friese-greene-discusses-my-bloody-valentine/id1545282273?i=1000571013242.

You should absolutely check out Casper’s cover of the entire Isn’t Anything album. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyriOMmEtyw&t=256s

Find Casper and his music at @casperiskov on Instagram and YouTube, or search for him on Spotify!

Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Casper joins the show

1:34 Al explains how he became aware of Casper’s music

2:17 Casper talks about his introduction to Ride’s music

6:37 What does Casper like—and dislike—about shoegaze?

10:54 Casper and Al hear an interesting blend of different influences on Going Blank Again

12:20 Al has opinions about Ride’s drummer, Loz Colbert

16:31 Casper marvels at the album’s depth of good songs

19:02 Are the critiques of Ride’s lyrics fair?

25:18 Casper helps Al hear what’s happening in “Chrome Waves”

28:21 Casper likes the album’s combination of pop and experimental writing

29:58 Casper finds the album inspires him to do things that make him feel alive

31:59 Casper explains why he makes covers

36:59 Concluding thoughts on Going Blank Again

38:00 Casper explains why he decided to cover the entirety of Isn’t Anything in the style of Green Day

41:54 Al shares his reaction to Casper’s version of Isn’t Anything

43:29 Casper walks through the process of making his MBV covers

49:14 Casper talks about his new single and video and his future plans

The music featured in the outro is from “Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)” by Casper Iskov.

Support the show

Send us a text

Ex Hex drummer Laura Harris makes her return to YMAAA to talk about Canadian electronic music pioneer Bruce Haack and his album, The Electric Lucifer.  Laura shares why this album holds a special place for her, discusses her favorite tracks from the album and explores how it relates to her general fascination with synthesizers. She also talks about the recent Ex Hex tour and what’s happening with her other bands, Ecstatic International and The Owners.

Note: This episode was recorded at the lesson and rehearsal space where Laura works, and about an hour in, you can hear drumming in the background (presumably from someone’s lesson).

Take lessons with Laura! You can book sessions through the 7 Drum City website (https://www.7drumcity.com/laura-harris-bio.html) or by contacting her directly by email at [email protected].

Also, be sure to follow each of Laura’s bands on Instagram!

Ex Hex: @exhexband

Ecstatic International: @ecstatic_international

The Owners: @the.owners.band

1:24 Laura joins the show

2:40 Was Bruce Haack the Father of Techno?

4:17 The Electric Lucifer marks Haack’s transition away from music for children

7:10 Haack made some interesting appearances on TV

8:28 Laura provides some background information on Haack

15:30 Some music and TV shows made for kids are pretty scary

19:57 Children play a key role in the story told in The Electric Lucifer

23:11 How did The Electric Lucifer get released on a major label?

26:55 Laura finds the disjointedness of the album’s music appealing

30:12 It’s a strange album, but it has some jams

31:09 Laura explains why she chose The Electric Lucifer

36:33 Laura identifies one of her favorite tracks from the album

41:12 Laura addresses the psychedelic aspects of the album

46:40 Laura and Al break down the song “War”

51:42 Laura discusses “Song Of The Death Machine” and her rescue parrots

58:34 Laura and Al get into a Genesis discussion…and relate it back to Laura’s fascination with Bruce Haack and synthesizers

1:04:03 Laura summarizes what’s great about the album

1:07:10 Laura talks about the recent Ex Hex shows

1:10:45 Laura updates us on what’s next for Ecstatic International and The Owners

Outro is from “Corridor” by Ecstatic International.

Support the show

Send us a text

Visual artist, writer, producer, director and filmmaker — and creator of Programme 4 and Easy AM 66 — Rachel Lichtman introduces Al to The Anita Kerr Singers’ 1971 album, Grow to Know Me. Rachel talks about the special role this album has played for her over the last few years, why she is a fan of vocal groups and easy listening and why we should appreciate Anita Kerr’s contributions to popular music more. She also talks about why she created Programme 4 and Easy AM 66 and what inspired their creation.

As Rachel mentioned, it’s best to follow her on Instagram:

@rachellichtman and @programmefour…

…but she’s also on Bluesky at @rachellichtman.bsky.social and on Twitter/X at @rachelichtman.

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

Note: Tammy Faye Starlite did the Nico voiceover for the public service announcement.

1:16 Rachel joins the show

1:54 Rachel explains her affinity for vocal groups

5:35 Rachel explains why she chose to talk about Anita Kerr

8:25 The cover for Grow to Know Me primed Rachel to get excited about the album

11:58 Grow to Know Me strikes Rachel as a transitional album

15:07 Rachel talks about the different versions of the album

18:19 Is Grow to Know Me a concept album?

19:50 Rachel talks about why Grow to Know Me is special to her

22:23 Rachel discusses some of the songwriters and vocalists Kerr worked with

25:48 Why does easy listening get labeled as “uncool”?

35:42 The culture of easy listening was more accepting than rock culture

37:58 Rachel found easy listening comforting early on during the pandemic

39:40 A short break

40:57 Easy listening is already getting reevaluated

45:56 Al talks about a couple of tracks that defied his expectations

47:23 Rachel wants to hear a Flat Five version of “Blame It On a Monday”

49:44 The songwriters and vocalists represented on the album were versatile

54:02 Rachel has a remedy for overcoming a concern for “coolness”

58:46 Kerr may have suffered from getting pigeonholed

1:01:01 The songs on Grow to Know Me highlight the full range of Kerr’s talents

1:04:27 Rachel summarizes what Programme 4 is about and why she created it

Support the show

Send us a text

Former Genesis lead guitarist, prolific solo artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Hackett joins Al — an ardent Genesis fan — to discuss his just-released live album, Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights (Live In Brighton). Steve talks about his setlist choices for this album, how the songs differ from their original studio versions, which period of Genesis he thinks was the best and his upcoming studio album and tour plans.

Just about everything Steve Hackett-related can be found on his website, hackettsongs.com.

Also, be sure to follow Steve on Twitter/X and Instagram!

Twitter/X: @HackettOfficial

IG: @stevehackettofficial

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Steve joins the show

2:14 Steve talks about next year’s Lamb Highlights tour and upcoming studio album

6:43 Steve explains the setlist choices for his new live album

9:34 Steve remembers back to Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour

10:53 Steve discusses the importance of playing live versions that are different from the studio originals

14:40 Steve reveals how new versions of his songs typically get created

16:29 Steve talks about his band’s rhythm section

18:30 Steve discusses his band’s English-American-Swedish connection

21:06 Steve explains why Genesis gave up on playing “Can-Utility and the Coastliners” live

23:18 Steve thinks Genesis’ best work was still to come after Foxtrot

26:23 Which part of Foxtrot has Steve’s band improved upon the most?

28:23 Steve recommends an album that he loves

Outro is from Steve Hackett, “Watcher of the Skies (live).”

Support the show

Send us a text

Indie rock icon Juliana Hatfield pays YMAAA a visit to talk about the soundtrack album for the 1980 musical motion picture, Xanadu, which features Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra. Juliana talks about being a fan of both artists growing up, her Olivia Newton-John covers album and her upcoming ELO covers album and the difficulties involved in covering other artists’ songs in general.

Juliana made a reference to the How Did This Get Made? podcast. If you want to check it out, you can find it here: https://www.earwolf.com/show/how-did-this-get-made/

Al mentioned an interview with Fee Waybill that he had read in which he discusses The Tubes’ involvement in Xanadu. Here’s the link: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/the-tubes-fee-waybill-recalls-bonkers-xanadu-scene-214128554.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Here are links to the videos for “Dancin’” that Al mentioned.

Clip of the scene from Xanadu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts9GdyGD5e4

Olivia Newton-John and Tubes video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WckwVPVnLyM

Juliana is on Instagram at @julianahatfield.

Also, check out her website, https://www.julianahatfield.com/…

…and her Substack: https://julianahatfield.substack.com/.

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:19 Juliana joins the show

1:36 Juliana’s album choice is the perfect one for her

2:34 Juliana chose the Xanadu soundtrack for a variety of reasons

6:02 John Farrar’s songwriting was important to this album

8:29 Juliana faced some challenges when trying to cover “Suddenly”

14:57 Why didn’t Juliana include a cover of “I’m Alive” on her new ELO covers album?

17:59 Juliana didn’t become familiar with ELO’s deeper cuts until recently

23:18 Al was fascinated by “Dancin’”

30:10 Gene Kelly makes an appearance on the soundtrack

31:16 Juliana didn’t care about Xanadu being perceived as uncool

33:31 Al talks about what he likes about Juliana’s cover of “Magic”

35:50 Juliana and Al get into a discussion of Weezer’s covers

38:22 Juliana explains why she wanted to make an ELO covers album

41:25 Artists borrowing from other artists doesn’t bother Juliana

46:41 Juliana learned a lesson from covering “Don’t Bring Me Down”

50:27 Covering ELO had its own specific challenges

54:26 Did Juliana intend to record a series of covers albums?

Outro is from “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” by Juliana Hatfield.

Support the show

Send us a text

Vocalist and guitarist Maura Weaver (Mixtapes, Ogikubo Station) joins Al to introduce him to Elliott Smith’s self-titled album. Maura talks about how she got introduced to Elliott Smith’s music, why this album holds a special place for her and how it has helped to shape her own work. She also talks specifically about the throughlines between this Elliott Smith album and her just-released solo debut, I Was Due For A Heartbreak.

Be sure to keep up with Maura and her work!

@mauraweaver on Instagram and Threads

@everreadyy on Twitter/X

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Maura joins the show

2:08 Al explains why he was glad that Maura chose this album

3:18 Maura talks about the first songs that got her into Elliott Smith

6:38 Maura gives one reason for why this album is special to her

8:08 Al starts to talk about his first reaction to Elliott Smith

9:18 Did it take time for Maura to get used to the sound of Smith’s music?

13:50 Maura discusses the elements of Elliott Smith that are poppy

19:12 Al expands on his experience with the album

23:03 Covers are the gateway to Elliott Smith’s music for some people

26:21 Maura explains what she loves about Smith’s guitar-playing style

28:49 Maura mentions some of Smith’s songs that she sometimes plays

30:51 Maura put her love of indie folk to the side with Mixtapes

33:53 Maura is an Elliott Smith power listener

36:25 Drug addiction is a major theme on Elliott Smith…or is it?

39:38 Al pinpoints what made Elliott Smith hard to access at first

43:24 Maura talks about some ways in which she relates to Smith’s music

48:45 Maura and Al discuss some of the album’s lyrics

52:37 Maura elaborates on how Smith influenced I Was Due For A Heartbreak

55:45 Could Maura draw inspiration from a bee sting?

57:06 Maura cites another example of Smith’s influence on her lyrics

59:53 Good lyrics are important to Maura

1:01:43 Which band is a guilty pleasure for Maura?

1:03:46 Maura talks about the changes in her singing style

1:09:20 Maura discusses her upcoming performances

Outro is from “As If Your Love” by Maura Weaver.

Support the show

Send us a text

This week’s episode isn’t about an album, but rather about a particular artist’s legacy. Author and professor Megan Mayhew Bergman makes her return to YMAAA (she had been the show’s guest on Ep 93) to make the case for reexamining the career of Kenny Loggins. Megan also argues that Loggins’ musical career has been marked by audacious decisions, including choices made regarding his arrangements, lyrics, collaborations and music videos. She and Al explore the theme of audacity through a discussion of several of Loggins’ better-known songs that span the various eras of his career.

Al made note of Megan’s recent piece in The Atlantic on this summer’s flooding in Vermont. You can read it here (subscription required): https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/07/climate-change-safe-states-vermont-floods/674780/

1:14 Megan joins the show

1:24 Why are Megan and Al talking about Kenny Loggins?

2:27 Megan and Al put their Kenny Loggins game faces on for this episode

3:47 Megan recounts the moment when she realized Loggins needed a deeper examination

Song-by-song analysis

6:31 Danny’s Song

9:38 Whenever I Call You “Friend”

13:15 Was Loggins a trend-setter or trend-follower?

17:16 Celebrate Me Home

22:34 This Is It/What A Fool Believes, and a discussion of “yacht rock” and “blue-eyed soul”

31:06 I’m Alright

34:26 Don’t Fight It

35:47 Heart to Heart

38:16 Megan reveals another aspect of Kenny Loggins’ audacity

40:54 Footloose/I’m Free

42:41 Danger Zone

49:07 Meet Me Half Way

52:17 Conviction of the Heart

54:16 We’ve lost track of how much of pop music’s foundation Loggins is responsible for

59:04 Megan updates us on her latest projects

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode marks a YMAAA first, as it focuses on a band rather than an album. Al talks to each member of the Washington, DC-based alternative rock band Ex Hex — Mary Timony, Betsy Wright and Laura Harris — about the  group's two albums and upcoming live dates. The interview with Timony is an excerpt from an upcoming episode, while the interview with Wright is an excerpt from Ep. 44. Al’s discussion with Harris is a standalone interview (though she will also be on a new episode soon).

Get information on Ex Hex’s live shows and more on Instagram at @exhexband and on their website, https://exhexband.com/shows!

More social media for Ex Hex and its members…

Ex Hex:

@exhexband on Twitter/X

Mary Timony:

@MaryT_Money on Twitter/X

@marytimony on Instagram

Betsy Wright

@betsybooots on Instagram

Laura Harris

@heylisaharris on Instagram

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:18 Al explains why he’s doing a You, Me and a Band episode

2:51 Introducing the members of Ex Hex

Mary Timony interview excerpt

4:11 Mary explains why Ex Hex is playing shows again

6:51 When did Mary first get the idea to form Ex Hex?

9:10 Mary challenged herself to craft catchy pop songs

11:09 Does Mary prefer one Ex Hex album over the other?

Laura Harris interview

13:16 Ex Hex recently played a “warmup” show

17:45 Laura talks about how she joined Ex Hex

21:53 Laura compares the two Ex Hex albums

28:16 Which bands have influenced Ex Hex’s sound?

35:42 Laura’s playing style has varied with different bands she’s been in

39:59 Which Ex Hex songs are Laura’s favorites to play?

Betsy Wright interview excerpt

44:57 Betsy talks about how Ex Hex’s songwriting process evolved

48:02 Betsy compares Rips with It’s Real

50:50 Betsy clears up a misheard lyric for Al

52:52 Al wraps things up

Outro is from “Want It To Be True” by Ex Hex.

Support the show

Send us a text

The Atlanta-based country music duo The Waymores makes a return appearance on YMAAA, and this time, Willie Heath Neal and Kira Annalise introduce Al to Willie Nelson’s 1975 breakthrough album, Red Headed Stranger. Willie and Kira talk about the album’s importance to them musically and personally, the concept behind the album and the aspects of the performance and production that they particularly enjoy. They also discuss their just-released album, Greener Pastures, which was produced by the legendary Shel Talmy (The Who, The Kinks).

Be sure to give The Waymores a follow!

@thewaymores on Instagram and Threads

@TWaymores on Twitter/X

Website: thewaymores.com

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:21 Kira and Willie join the show

2:45 Kira has had to overcome some health challenges recently

9:31 Willie and Kira talk about the things that make Red Headed Stranger special

13:57 This album was the first one for which Willie Nelson had complete artistic control

16:56 Al learned a lot about Willie Nelson’s life and career in preparing for the episode

19:20 Willie cites a Willie Nelson cover he actually doesn’t like

21:12 Why was Red Headed Stranger such a big hit?

27:03 Willie, Kira and Al discuss how reprises enhance the storytelling

31:22 Does the story’s action move fast or slow?

33:25 Red Headed Stranger opened Willie up to concept albums (TW // reference to suicide)

39:00 Kira and Willie appreciate Willie Nelson’s choice of covers for the album

42:44 Al found the album surprisingly relaxing

44:49 Kira and Willie talk about working with Shel Talmy on their new album

53:00 Kira and Willie highlight some of the things they did differently for Greener Pastures

1:02:51 One track was particularly tough for Willie to record

1:05:50 Kira and Willie discuss their tour plans

Outro is from “But I Don’t” by The Waymores.

Support the show

Send us a text

Drummer Laura King (Superchunk, Bat Fangs, R. Ring, Speed Stick) talks about her love for the album that kickstarted The Bangles’ run of ‘80s hits, All Over The Place. Laura recounts the event that started her childhood obsession with The Bangles, breaks down what makes the album special and shares her thoughts on the band’s more successful albums. She also provides updates on the many bands she plays with.

As Laura and Al mentioned, R. Ring released a new video for “Cartoon Heart/Build Me a Question” just hours before their conversation. It’s great! Check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG1RGmkPdBo

They also discussed the really cool video for R. Ring’s "Def Sup." Watch it here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovFJidJAO14

It’s also worth your time to check out the video of Speed Stick performing at the North Carolina Museum of Art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gpKgwyzfc

Find Laura and her music online!

@lkbroiler on Instagram

speedstickband.com

Superchunk tour dates: https://www.mergerecords.com/tour

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:07 Laura joins the show

1:11 Laura talks about discovering The Bangles during her childhood

3:44 Laura remembers back to the first instruments she had

6:51 Laura’s Bangles obsession actually started with Different Light

8:40 Laura explains why she wanted to discuss All Over the Place

9:30 Al forgot a lot of things he previously knew about this album

12:19 Laura talks about the elements of the album that make it special

15:24 Laura highlights some of her favorite parts of the album, including the cover art

18:42 Laura and Al talk about the cover songs on the album

25:09 Did commercial success spell the end of The Bangles?

26:48 Al rants against rants about new music

28:51 Laura talks about some of the music she plays while working at a bar

31:53 Al developed an opinion about the attention Susanna Hoffs received

35:12 Laura defends the Bangles’ post-All Over The Place direction

38:19 Laura summarizes her feelings about the album

39:04 Laura talks about the upcoming Superchunk tour

41:06 Updates on Bat Fangs, R. Ring

43:19 Laura talks about collaborating with Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery on “Def Sup”

47:02 Laura is in a band where she plays bass

48:00 Laura discusses the last Speed Stick album and possibly the next one

51:28 Al asks Laura about her sharing a kick drum in Speed Stick

Outro is from “Online Tangle = HiSSS” by Speed Stick.

Support the show

Send us a text

Vocalist, bassist, artist and graphic designer Meghan Minior (Longings, Corrode) introduces Al to Naomi Punk’s 2014 album, Television Man. Meghan talks about what makes this an album she returns to over and over again and what makes it a rewarding listen from start to finish, while Al likens Naomi Punk to another band that came out of Olympia, Washington. Meghan also talks about the new Longings album, Dreams In Red, and her upcoming plans musically and otherwise.

Meghan recommended several music venues to check out for anyone who lives in or is visiting Western Massachusetts. These are the ones she mentioned.

Flywheel Arts Collective: puts on shows at various venues

10 Forward in Greenfield: https://www.10forwardartsvenue.org/

Marigold in Easthampton: https://marigoldtheater.com/

The Drake in Amherst: https://www.thedrakeamherst.org/

Tree House Brewing Company in Deerfield: https://treehousebrew.com/visiting-deerfield

Hutghi’s in Westfield: https://hutghis.square.site/

Find/Follow Meghan on the internet!

@mminior and @static_frame_ on Instagram
meghanminior.com
https://longings.bandcamp.com
https://corrodehc.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:19 Meghan joins the show

2:22 Television Man has been a frequent topic of conversation for Meghan

4:12 Meghan discusses her process for picking an album for this episode

5:40 Al talks about his initial reaction to Television Man

8:08 Meghan explains why the album has stuck with her over the years

9:06 Meghan and Al talk about “Firehose Face” as the album’s opening statement

12:03 Meghan describes Naomi Punk’s sound

13:53 Al was surprised by a Naomi Punk live performance video he watched

15:39 Meghan appreciates the uniqueness of Naomi Punk’s sound

17:30 Television Man is a very visual album for Meghan

24:32 Meghan likes the album’s flow and sequencing

30:30 Is this a punk album?

33:53 Meghan is not sure how much her work has been influenced by Naomi Punk

35:07 Television Man moved Naomi Punk towards a more experimental approach

37:20 Al sees parallels between Naomi Punk and Unwound

40:10 The new Longings album was years in the making

42:03 Meghan talks about her future plans, including with Longings and Corrode

44:10 Meghan gives Al some recommendations for music venues to visit in Western Massachusetts

Outro is from “Expensive Graves” by Longings.

Support the show

Send us a text

Tiff Hannay, vocalist and guitarist for the Lansing-based band Rodeo Boys, introduces Al to Mitski’s fifth album, Be the Cowboy. Tiff talks about what they love about this album and how they think of it in relation to the other albums in Mitski’s discography. Tiff and Al also share their impressions of various lyrics from the album. Tiff  discusses Rodeo Boys’ latest album, Home Movies, and the band’s upcoming tour.

Tiff recommended watching Mitski’s 2015 NPR Tiny Desk performance. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFHD0lUAQ.

Also, as promised in this episode, here is the link to Miley Cyrus’ performance of “Heart of Glass”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdRLyixJpc.

Follow Tiff and Rodeo Boys!

@rodeoboysofficial on Instagram and YouTube

https://www.rodeoboysofficial.com/

https://rodeoboys.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Tiff joins the show

1:25 Tiff talks about the album title, Be the Cowboy

3:37 Tiff explains why they chose to discuss Be the Cowboy

7:36 Tiff puts Be the Cowboy in the larger context of Mitski’s discography

12:53 What does Tiff pay the most attention to when listening to this album?

17:01 Tiff talks about some of their favorite songs on the album

20:44 Al thinks some of Be the Cowboy goes over his head

24:37 Tiff loves the beefy Stratocaster sound

26:20 Kissing is a repeated theme on Be the Cowboy

28:56 Tiff recommends Crying in H Mart to Al

33:00 Tiff and Al discuss the songs where Mitski is telling a story from an older perspective

41:12 Al is impressed by the economy of Mitski’s songwriting

44:51 Tiff highlights a few other tracks that are among their favorites on the album

48:26 Al makes note of some of his favorite lyrics on Be the Cowboy

51:31 Al tries to explain his reaction to the album

52:56 Mitski had a huge breakout on Tiktok

55:55 Rodeo Boys once played the Masonic Temple in Detroit

57:15 Al asks Tiff about covering Blondie’s “One Way or Another”

1:02:39 Rodeo Boys are opening for Fishbone…and no one told them about it

Outro is from “Sugar” by Rodeo Boys.

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Beth Bombara joins Al to introduce him to Hiss Golden Messenger’s 2019 album, Terms of Surrender. Beth talks about her first impressions of the album, what makes it a great album for her and how it has helped to inform her own writing and playing. She also talks about the process of making her new album, It All Goes Up, and her upcoming tour plans.

A couple of notes about some music clips that were included…Al included an excerpt from Talk Talk’s “Ascension Day.” He used it in the context of making some comparisons between Terms of Surrender and Spirit of Eden, but he actually found that this track from Laughing Stock illustrated his point better than any track from the album he was referencing.

Al also included a clip from “My Wing” at 19:44, just after Beth had referenced a part of the album that featured some interplay between two acoustic guitars. The guitars in the clips are electric, so Al’s apologies to Beth if she had another clip in mind!

Follow Beth online! Find her music!

@BethBombara on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram

https://bethbombara.com/

https://bethbombara.bandcamp.com/

And you can support Beth’s work here:

https://www.patreon.com/bethbombara

1:15 Beth joins the show

3:06 Is Terms of Surrender a good album for the car?

8:50 Beth talks about what she likes about MC Taylor’s vocals

10:31 Beth and Al talk about lyrics on the album that made an impact on them

13:07 Was MC Taylor influenced by Talk Talk?

17:55 Beth identifies the musical features of the album that are so appealing to her

26:01 Beth has enjoyed listening to some of HGM’s live versions of older songs

28:21 Going to see HGM live is on Beth’s bucket list

30:24 Beth and Al find “I Need A Teacher” to be different from the rest of the album

32:33 Beth likes listening to non-traditional vocalists

38:33 Beth talks about how her writing has been influenced by listening to Terms of Surrender

40:13 Beth discusses some of the obstacles she faced with recording parts of It All Goes Up remotely

43:02 Beth acknowledges the importance of receiving outside support for her work

46:58 Beth talks about her album release party and upcoming tour

49:27 Beth is looking forward to making some new videos

Outro is from “Moment” by Beth Bombara.

Support the show

Send us a text

Earl Cureton, veteran of 12 NBA seasons and author of Earl the Twirl: My Life in Basketball (with Jake Uitti), joins Al to discuss Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1975 double album, Gratitude. Earl talks about what he loves about EWF and about this part-live, part-studio album in particular. He also discusses how music and basketball has been intertwined in his life and in the lives of others he has known, including Julius Erving. Earl also delves into his book and his work as the Detroit Pistons’ Community Ambassador.

As Earl and Al mentioned on the episode, you can pre-order Earl’s book now. Here’s the link! https://www.amazon.com/Earl-Twirl-My-Life-Basketball/dp/1476693838/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QJI8P93F3V0T&keywords=earl+the+twirl&qid=1684467193&sprefix=earl+the+twirl%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1

Also, be sure to keep up with Earl on Twitter: @EarlTheTwirl

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:18 Earl joins the show

2:50 Earth, Wind and Fire was a popular band when Earl was in college

4:54 Gratitude introduced Al to sides of EWF he didn’t know about

7:39 Earl remembers back to listening to Gratitude and other albums in the dorm

11:06 Earl talks about music that evokes memories for him

14:27 Certain tracks from Gratitude bring back memories for Earl

18:31 The early ‘80s were a great time for Philadelphia sports

21:26 Earl explains why he decided to write his book

24:24 Earl talks about his current work with the Detroit Pistons

25:40 Were The Temptations the first group to rap?

28:00 Does Earl focus more on EWF’s lyrics or their music?

29:56 Earl saw Maurice White frequently in the Sixers’ locker room

33:42 Earl has listened to EWF throughout the years

Discussion of specific tracks:

35:03 Reasons

37:30 Shining Star

38:20 Sun Goddess/New World Symphony

40:38 Al thinks he hadn’t appreciated EWF enough after the ‘70s ended

42:28 Earl talks about an Alicia Keys concert he had just attended

44:19 Earl lets readers know what they can expect from his book

54:16 Earl talks about Marvin Gaye and Dave Bing growing up together in Detroit

56:48 Earl recently performed in a lip synch competition

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maia Sharp introduces Al to Lucy Dacus’ second album, Historian. Maia talks about how she wound up getting obsessed with the album and how it has influenced her songwriting and production approach. She also discusses her soon-to-be-released album, Reckless Thoughts, and her upcoming tour and production work.

There’s lots of places to keep up with Maia and to find her work online!

@maiasharpmusic on Instagram

maiasharpofficial on Facebook

@maiasharp4091 on YouTube

Maia’s Patreon is cool! https://www.patreon.com/maiasharp

Be sure to visit Maia’s website, too: maiasharp.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Maia joins the show

1:26 Why Maia chose Historian over Rickie Lee Jones’ debut album

7:43 Maia talks about the ways she keeps up with new music

12:12 Maia recalls how she introduced herself to Lucy Dacus’ music

14:42 Maia explains how Dacus has influenced her own music

18:33 Dacus is masterful at building up the intensity of her songs

20:23 Hearing Dacus’ vocals gave Maia a different perspective on her own

25:15 Al grappled with understanding Dacus’ music when he listened to Home Movies

28:18 Maia surmises what might make Dacus so popular with so many people

31:43 Maia discusses the elements of Historian that made a particularly big impression on her

36:32 Different parts of “The Shell” made a big impact on Al and Maia

40:04 Maia explains why the lyrics of “Pillar of Truth” are so powerful

44:16 Maia likes the lower, darker tones of the album

48:14 Has Maia completed the Lucy List?

49:53 Maia asks Al which album he is obsessed with now

51:13 Maia has also gone through obsessions with Bon Iver albums

54:21 Maia discusses her soon-to-be released album, Reckless Thoughts, and upcoming tour

59:58 Maia also has some production work in her near future

Outro is from “Kind” by Maia Sharp

Support the show

Send us a text

Legendary audio engineer and author Phill Brown, who has worked with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Talk Talk and countless other prominent artists over the last 50-plus years, comes to YMAAA to talk about one of the more underappreciated albums he has contributed to. He and Al discuss Murray Head’s 1973 debut solo album, Nigel Lived, and Phill talks about what he learned from making the album, why it’s special to him and what made it such an ambitious project for the time in which it was recorded. He also talks about his subsequent work with Talk Talk and Mark Hollis and the recent recordings by Held By Trees, which he has worked on.

Al made reference to a few previous episodes that are related to this one. Be sure to check them out, if you haven’t already!

Ep 92 with Mary Beth Melchior on the Jesus Christ Superstar concept album (featuring Murray Head): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/92-mary-beth-melchior-discusses-jesus-christ-superstar/id1545282273?i=1000586877486

Ep 113 with David Joseph on Mark Hollis' self-titled solo album: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/113-david-joseph-discusses-mark-hollis-self-titled/id1545282273?i=1000611196557

Ep 79 with Tim Friese-Greene on My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/79-tim-friese-greene-discusses-my-bloody-valentine/id1545282273?i=1000571013242

As mentioned on this episode, Phill has a website where you can order his book, keep up with his ever-growing list of artists he’s worked with and more. It’s tapedemon.net.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:24 Phill joins the show

1:43 Phill explains why he wrote “Are We Still Rolling?”

3:48 Al was thrilled with Phill’s album choice

4:38 Phill found working on Nigel Lived to be inspirational

6:24 The album’s story allowed Murray Head to showcase his versatility

8:16 Making Nigel Lived changed the way Phill worked on albums

10:33 Phill talks about how they used mobile recording on certain tracks

16:38 Phill got some great sounds with hidden mics

20:55 Phill talks about using the mobile studio to record a church organ and choir

24:17 Phill singles out a few of his favorite tracks from Nigel Lived

28:19 Murray thought the timing of the album’s release worked against it

31:15 Having the physical album makes it easier to follow Nigel’s story

32:54 Nigel Lived sounds different from most rock albums of its era

34:53 Was there a larger message in Nigel Lived?

36:51 Phill summarizes what makes the album special to him

37:56 Al finds “Junk” difficult to listen to

41:05 One of the craziest things Phill has ever recorded was on “The Party”

42:20 Phill explains how he got involved with Held By Trees

45:51 Phill revisits the process of making Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock

49:12 Phill talks about a track from Laughing Stock that he couldn’t listen to

54:17 Phill and Al talk about the quietness of Mark Hollis

55:18 Phill mentions an album he’ll be working on

Outro is from “Grow Dark” by Held By Trees from their upcoming EP, Eventide.

Support the show

Send us a text

This week, Al takes a break from the usual format to revisit nine previous episodes where the guest changed the way that he thinks about or listens to music. Al groups the excerpted discussions into the two groups: guests who helped him to give artists he had neglected a more careful listen and guests who taught him to think about music in new ways.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:17 Al explains why he is revisiting some past episodes on this episode

Insights into Artists Al Didn’t Get

3:58 Peter Case on Bob Dylan’s self-titled album (Ep. 114)

7:04 Rain Perry on Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska (Ep. 65)

11:33 Sam Coomes on Velvet Underground’s White Light/White Heat (Ep. 98)

18:35 Anita Lee Elliott on Ace Frehley’s self-titled album (Ep. 71)

24:14 Michael Peter Olson on Van Halen’s 1984 (Ep. 111)

The Different Ways We Listen To Music

28:48 Greg Saunier on Atrium Musicae de Madrid’s Music of Ancient Greece (Ep. 103)

38:07 Glen Phillips on Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose (Ep. 64)

44:31 Kristin Hanggi on India.Arie, SongVersation: Medicine (Ep. 87)

49:05 Kelley Deal on Julian Cope, Droolian (Ep. 100)

Support the show

Send us a text

YMAAA has never been visited by the head of a record label or proprietor of a record store, but this week’s guest, Isaac Slusarenko, is both! Isaac runs the Jackpot Records label and store, and on this week’s episode, he introduces Al to Texas-based psychedelic rock band Bubble Puppy and their lone album, 1969’s A Gathering of Promises. Isaac talks about how he learned about this band and this album and how it changed the way that he sought out new music to listen to. Isaac also explains how he wound up opening the Jackpot Records store more than 25 years ago and which new releases we can expect from the label,.

Follow Isaac and Jackpot Records on Twitter and Instagram at @jackpotrecords!

Also be sure to visit the store’s website at jackpotrecords.com.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:09 Isaac joins the show

1:52 Isaac talks about why he opened Jackpot Records

3:32 Al remembers learning about Djangos

5:38 Isaac explains why A Gathering of Promises is a special album for him

12:17 Isaac talks about other small label discoveries he made, emboldened by his discovery of Bubble Puppy

15:59 Isaac discusses Bubble Puppy’s second iteration called Demian

17:08 Bubble Puppy inspired Isaac to make a pilgrimage to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

18:03 There is a Bubble Puppy-Funkadelic connection

19:44 How was “Hot Smoke and Sassafras” a top 20 hit??

21:41 Bubble Puppy reminded Al of a lot of other bands

24:30 Bubble Puppy apparently had a following in England

26:13 Mike Mills is a fan of the album

26:52 Al doesn’t know if this is an album he’ll go back to often

28:19 Isaac talks about the importance of an album’s artwork

30:17 Isaac doesn’t find it easy to single out favorite tracks

33:33 Isaac reveals some of his other finds

37:51 Isaac discusses the origins of the Jackpot Records label

40:00 Isaac talks about how he determines what gets published on his label

44:21 Isaac reports on Jackpot Records’ upcoming releases

Support the show

Send us a text

Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, Filthy Friends, The Baseball Project, The No Ones, R.E.M.) returns to the show (he first appeared on episode 9) to discuss Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Scott talks about what the album means to him, how Neil Young conveyed a sense of fun on the album despite its tragic themes, and his own experience with hearing the songs performed live. Scott also talks about the new No Ones and Minus 5 albums and the upcoming Baseball Project album, Grand Salami Time.

Scott made a reference to the Neil Young Archives, and they’re definitely worth checking out: https://neilyoungarchives.com/.

Here are just some of the places you can find Scott on social media:

@ScottMcMinus5 on Twitter

@the_minus_5 on Instagram

@BaseballProject on Twitter and  Instagram

The Minus 5 on Facebook

And a couple of places to find Scott’s music:

https://scottthehoople.bandcamp.com/

https://www.yeproc.com/artists/the-minus-5/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:18 Scott joins the show

1:28 It’s hard to keep track of all of Scott’s bands

2:59 Scott has three releases coming out within a few weeks of each other

4:59 Why Scott hasn’t recorded any covers from Tonight’s the Night

6:58 Scott talks about Mike McCready’s contributions to his first Neil Young covers album

11:12 Al has never quite “gotten” Neil Young

13:16 Scott thinks Al’s Genesis fandom explains a lot about his ambivalence about Neil Young

20:00 Scott says Tonight’s the Night is Neil Young’s most emotionally intense album

22:19 Scott can listen to Tonight’s the Night anytime

25:44 Neil Young made a huge impression on Scott when he was a teen

27:27 Scott talks about the career trajectory that led Neil Young to make Tonight’s the Night

31:45 Why are there two versions of the title track on the album?

35:15 Scott talks about the inclusion of the tracks not recorded at SIR

Discussion of other tracks from the album:

41:07 Tired Eyes

46:34 Albuquerque

48:51 Roll Another Number

53:03 Neil Young’s live album from The Roxy exemplifies the fun that he and his band had playing songs from Tonight’s the Night

55:11 Scott and Al note the variety of musical styles on Tonight’s the Night

57:31 Scott references a track with Joni Mitchell posted to Neil Young Archives

58:49 Scott sees the album as ultimately about the importance of friends and music

1:00:44 This episode could have been about Jenny Lewis instead

1:03:26 Scott talks about his upcoming No Ones tour

1:05:03 The new Baseball Project album was several years in the making

1:09:12 Will there be a new Filthy Friends album? (Plus some Sleater-Kinney news)

Outro is from “Hitchhiker” by The Minus 5.

Support the show

Send us a text

Guitarist Nili Brosh takes a quick time out from her many gigs (e.g., Danny Elfman, Dethklok, Cirque du Soleil, solo) to introduce Al to Steve Stevens’ 1999 album, Flamenco A Go-Go. Nili talks about her first impressions of the album, why she thinks a lot more people need to know about it and how it has influenced her own work. She also discusses her love of the band Extreme, her experience of playing with Alphonso Johnson and Chester Thompson and her new songs and upcoming tour dates.

There’s a whole bunch of places where you can keep up with Nili!

Instagram: @nilibrosh

YouTube: @nilibrosh

Facebook: NiliBroshMusic

soundcloud.com/nilibrosh

nilibrosh.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:07 Nili joins the show

1:57 Nili talks about her Extreme fandom

5:48 Nili doesn’t really associate Steve Stevens with Billy Idol

7:33 Nili explains why she wanted to discuss Flamenco A Go-Go

8:09 Nili and Al talk about the album’s eclecticism

10:21 Does Flamenco A Go-Go sound like a turn-of-the-millenium album? 

11:59 Nili and Al talk about the vibes they get from the album

13:53 Nili recalls how she first heard about the album

16:28 Nili discusses her first impressions of Flamenco A Go-Go

17:53 Flamenco A Go-Go influenced Nili’s own writing and playing

20:16 How did Steve Stevens pull off blending so many different types of genres?

23:03 Nili identifies the most magical parts of the album

25:51 Al wonders if there is a live track on the album…

27:58 …and if Steve Stevens might have contributed vocals

29:06 Al makes his obligatory Genesis reference

31:46 Al asks Nili about her experience of performing with Chester Thompson and Alphonso Johnson

34:15 Nili talks about her two newly-released songs

37:53 Nili discusses her upcoming live dates

Outro is from “Lavender Mountains” by Nili Brosh.

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Dunne joins Al for this episode to introduce him to Vampire Weekend’s Father of the Bride. Brian talks about why he loves the album’s frequent shifting of genres, what he admires about Ezra Koenig as a songwriter and the specific time period that the album references. Brian also discusses his new album, Loser On The Ropes, and playing the songs from the album live for the first time.

Al has a previous guest to thank for his being aware of Brian’s music, and ultimately, for Brian joining him for this episode. Joan Holiday, who was Al's guest on ep. 66, played “Rockaway” on her drive time show on WRSI The River.

At 51:46, Al and Mary Beth’s horse Fynn makes his first podcast appearance!

Be sure to follow Brian on Twitter and Instagram at @briandunnemusic!

Brian also has a website, https://www.briandunnemusic.net/…

…and a Bandcamp page: https://briandunne.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:15 Brian joins the show

1:36 Brian explains why he chose to discuss Father of the Bride

3:03 The album’s frequent changes in styles and genres made an immediate impression on Brian

5:47 Brian cites an example of great songwriting on the album

9:30 Father of the Bride has been a polarizing album for Vampire Weekend fans

11:23 Al wonders why he has such a hard time “getting” Vampire Weekend

14:05 Brian places Vampire Weekend in the context of indie rock

17:30 There is a purpose to all of the switching between genres

21:56 Brian talks about growing up with classic rock

24:11 Brian digs into his favorite songs on the album

27:57 Al asks Brian for his interpretation of “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin”

31:49 Brian understands that Father of the Bride is not for everybody

33:04 Al talks about one of his favorite moments on the album

34:50 Brian sees Modern Vampires of the City as a pivotal album

37:07 Father of the Bride takes Brian back to 1994

40:45 Brian makes an analogy between Father of the Bride and Bruce Springsteen’s The River

46:46 Brain explains what he was conveying with the song “Rockaway”

51:58 Brian talks about playing the songs from Loser On The Ropes live

Outro is from “Rockaway” by Brian Dunne.

Support the show

Send us a text

Vocalist and songwriter Joe Casey of Protomartyr pays YMAAA a visit and introduces Al to a band with which he is completely unfamiliar. Joe talks about Detroit-based punk band Tyvek and their 2007 album, Fast Metabolism, which is a compilation of some of their earliest singles and EPs. Joe explains why he chose this album for the show and discusses his personal connections to Tyvek and why they have been an inspiration to him. Joe also talks about Protomartyr’s upcoming sixth album, Formal Growth in the Desert, and answers some questions about the tour for the album.

Al referred to a video that Joe did for Amoeba Music’s What’s In My Bag series. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIYyJD24Ppg&t=4s

Joe and Al talked extensively about Protomartyr’s video for “Elimination Dances.” You should definitely check it out. It’s really cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uf98p7Dsdk

Joe talked about the difficulties that Protomartyr had in scheduling an album release event date in Detroit. Update: They scheduled it, and it happened on May 27…before the Tigers-White Sox game at Comerica Park!

Be sure to follow Protomartyr on Twitter and Instagram: @protomartyrband

They also have a very nice website, http://protomartyrband.com/, and a Bandcamp page: https://protomartyr.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:13 Joe joins the show

2:05 Joe explains how Tyvek inspired him and helped him get Protomartyr started

6:31 Kevin Boyer influenced Joe’s musical tastes and lyric writing

10:34 Joe explains why he picked Fast Metabolism for this episode

11:48 Tyvek received some flak over the cover for their first album

16:39 Joe talks about the specifics of why he loves listening to Fast Metabolism

17:55 Joe discusses his favorite tracks from the album

21:43 What makes “Honda” a blueprint for other punk songs?

25:39 Al talks about some lyrics he enjoyed

28:46 Joe talks about the art of writing about a specific place

31:00 Al sees “Air Conditioner” as being different from the other songs on the compilation

33:20 It’s important to Joe to remind people to listen to overlooked bands like Tyvek

34:39 Joe shares some updates on Tyvek

35:48 Making artwork is a reason why Joe wanted to be in a band

37:10 Joe talks about the development of the concept for Protomartyr’s “Elimination Dances” video

41:45 We have another new Protomartyr video to look forward to 

42:56 Joe explains why Protomartyr recorded Formal Growth in the Desert in West Texas

44:27 Joe answers Al’s questions about Protomartyr’s upcoming tour

Outro is from “Elimination Dances” by Protomartyr.

Support the show

Send us a text

Louise Post of Veruca Salt pays YMAAA a visit to talk about Kate Bush’s 1985 album, Hounds of Love. Louise explains why Hounds of Love is one of her favorite albums, how Kate Bush was something of an acquired taste for her and which tracks on the album are the most special to her. The conversation also frequently turns to The Beatles and Post Malone, and Louise talks about how she wound up teaching music in the L.A. public schools. She also discusses the writing and recording process for her upcoming solo album, Sleepwalker, and the band she has assembled for her tour.

Al referenced an interview that Louise and Nina Gordon did for the Women in Rock Oral History Project. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju8QAzTGC-8.

Al’s memory of Kate Bush’s appearance on Saturday Night Live was inaccurate, even though he said he was “99 percent sure” he remembered it correctly. She performed “The Man With the Child In His Eyes” and “Them Heavy People,” and not “Wuthering Heights” and “Babooshka,” as he had remembered. Also, the broadcast was in 1978, and not in 1979 or 1980.

Follow Louise on social media! 

Instagram and Tiktok: @louiselightnerpost

YouTube: @louisepost

Facebook: louisepostmusician

You can find Louise’s music, tour information, VIP package information and merch on louisepost.com.

Keep up with Veruca Salt, too!

Twitter: @verucasalt

Instagram: @verucasaltband

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Louise joins the show

1:26 Louise talks about one of the first albums she ever listened to

5:25 Louise explains why she chose Hounds of Love for this episode

10:28 It took time for Louise to get into Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Rickie Lee Jones

15:04 Louise talks about her experience with listening to the album’s two suites

18:43 Louise gives her interpretation of the album’s meaning

23:36 How important are lyrics to Louise when she listens to music?

26:42 Louise taught music in the L.A. public schools

31:03 Al and Louise dig into the lyrics for “Cloudbusting”

37:57 Louise identifies her favorite parts of the album

41:33 Louise singles out “Hello Earth” as an important song

44:58 Al was impressed by Kate Bush’s videos

47:24 Louise relates to the themes and images evoked on Hounds of Love

50:43 Louise talks about how she got started as a songwriter

55:04 Louise explains her songwriting and arranging process for some of her new songs

1:01:37 Louise provides an update on Veruca Salt

1:03:51 Louise talks about the band she has assembled for her solo album and tour

1:05:38 It took Al a while to realize he was reading Louise’s posts on Instagram

Outro is from “Guilty” by Louise Post.

Support the show

Send us a text

Author, speaker and former professional baseball player Mike Robbins introduces Al to A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 album, The Low End Theory. Mike talks about how he was first introduced to ATCQ in high school, the culture shock he experienced hearing unfamiliar music when he went to college and why The Low End Theory has stood the test of time more than 30 years after its release.

Keep up with Mike’s podcast, blog and publications at his site: mike-robbins.com.

You can also get Mike’s podcast, We’re All In This Together, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-all-in-this-together/id1134737783.

Be sure to follow Mike on Twitter and Instagram! @mikedrobbins

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Mike joins the show

3:31 Mike talks about what initially appealed to him about A Tribe Called Quest

9:07 Mike alludes to Q-Tip’s affinity for jazz

11:06 Mike talks about the rap community in Oakland

12:36 No one listened to rap when Mike went to Stanford

15:21 Not all rap from the ‘90s holds up for Mike

19:02 Mike distinguishes between the different styles of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg

20:58 Rapping is hard

23:35 Mike talks about the Native Tongues collective

26:00 Hip-hop and basketball were important to Mike growing up, and they were connected

26:43 Al likes how the first two tracks set up the album

29:41 Al and Mike review some of the sports references made on the album

34:21 Mike discusses the different approaches ATCQ took on various tracks

37:31 Mike finds “The Infamous Date Rape” both problematic and nuanced

44:22 Mike thinks The Low End Theory holds up really well

47:17 Al had heard Q-Tip on a guest appearance he made on another band’s album

48:29 Mike enjoys artists with eclectic musical backgrounds

50:45 Al asks Mike to recommend his next ATCQ album to listen to

53:08 Mike’s daughters help keep him current on music

54:05 Mike talks about his current and upcoming work

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Peter Case (The Nerves, The Plimsouls, solo) drops by YMAAA to give Al a long-overdue introduction to Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut album. Peter talks about how he got introduced to Dylan’s music during his childhood, his life as a busker in San Francisco prior to his time with The Nerves and what is particularly special about Dylan’s first album. He also talks about his new album, Doctor Moan, and his recent experiences with playing live shows.

Keep up with Peter! @ThePeterCase on Twitter, @petercase111 on Instagram

Peter’s music, tour info, blog and more are on his site, petercase.com. Be sure to pay it a visit!

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:03 Peter joins the show

2:23 Peter played songs from Bob Dylan’s debut album when he was a busker

3:50 Peter talks about his introduction to Dylan’s music

5:10 Peter explains what makes the debut album different from other Dylan albums

8:17 “You’re No Good” exemplifies several things that Peter loves about the album

13:10 Peter notes a similarity between Dylan and early Elvis Presley

15:02 Could a young Dylan sing about death and relationships with authenticity?

22:43 “Talkin’ New York” was not as much about Dylan’s experience as Al thought

25:51 Peter likes the symphonic quality of “In My Time of Dyin’”

27:55 Peter talks about The Animals’ covers of Dylan’s songs

30:17 Peter breaks down the arrangement of “Man of Constant Sorrow”

33:00 Al asks Peter what it was like to hear early Dylan when it was new and fresh

38:25 Peter talks about the mystery of how people decide to let unfamiliar music into their lives

40:44 Al decided to listen to “Murder Most Foul”

44:53 Peter reveals which Dylan album he listens to the most

47:07 Dylan is an inspiration for Peter

51:00 “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” is another one of Peter’s favorite tracks from the album

54:23 Peter talks about the community that helped shape Dylan’s music

57:28 Peter cites the song that got his kids into Dylan

59:42 Peter recounts his journey over the years as a Dylan fan

1:03:54 Peter talks about his new album and just-completed tour

Outro is from “Have You Ever Been In Trouble?” by Peter Case

Support the show

Send us a text

Multi-instrumentalist and composer David Joseph of Held By Trees has played with several of the musicians who performed on the final two Talk Talk albums, so there is no one better to introduce Al to Mark Hollis’ solo album, which featured many of the same people. In addition to talking about what makes Mark Hollis a special album, David discusses how he became a fan of Talk Talk and how the band has inspired his own work. He also chats with Al about his latest recordings with Held By Trees, which were made at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios.

Al mentioned and recommended a video of Talk Talk performing at the 1986 Montreux Jazz Festival. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTOYdH6tdSQ

Al also noted some previous interviews David did that go into more detail about how Held By Trees came about. This one from Classic Pop is pretty comprehensive: https://www.classicpopmag.com/2022/07/held-by-trees-interview/.

Follow David and Held by Trees! @heldbytrees on both Twitter and Instagram

And, of course, stream/buy David’s music on Bandcamp: https://heldbytrees.bandcamp.com/

You can pre-order Held By Trees’ upcoming twin EPs here: https://www.innersleeve.com/collections/held-by-trees

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:00 A couple of announcements

2:39 David joins the show

3:23 Why the Mark Hollis album was not a Talk Talk album

4:59 Al makes note of the connection between Talk Talk and Held By Trees

5:34 A Chris Martin interview led David to explore the later period of Talk Talk/Mark Hollis

9:09 Al talks about how he got into Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock

11:10 David explains what distinguishes Mark Hollis from Talk Talk albums

16:51 David and Al talk about Mark’s approach to vocals and lyrics on this album

20:40 David feels that Mark Hollis asks something different of him as a listener

24:43 The songs on Mark Hollis don’t have many hooks

29:14 Al finds a couple of examples of hooks on Mark Hollis

31:31 David talks about the difficulty Mark had in making this album

34:37 David explains how Mark was able to achieve the album’s pure sound

36:24 Al and David comment on the album’s sequencing

40:02 David notes that Mark had co-writers on nearly all of the tracks

44:01 David gives Lee Harris and Paul Webb their due

52:06 David offers suggestions for how to get the most out of listening to Mark Hollis

55:38 David discusses how Held By Trees’ Solace was recorded

1:05:55 David appreciates the reception that Solace has received

1:07:47 David talks about Held By Trees’ upcoming twin EPs

1:09:44 David discusses the experience of meeting Peter Gabriel

Outro is from “In The Trees” (live) by Held By Trees.

Support the show

Send us a text

Music and sports writer Jake Uitti visits YMAAA to introduce Al to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ The Heist. Jake talks about why he chose the album for this episode, how it became a breakthrough album and what he loves about it. He also discusses his recent and upcoming projects, including a book he co-authored with former NBA veteran Earl Cureton.

On this episode, Jake talked about his recent cover story for American Songwriter on Macklemore and his new solo album, Ben. Be sure to check it out; you can read it here: https://americansongwriter.com/macklemore-finding-his-purpose/

Jake also mentioned Macklemore’s video for “Maniac,” which features Eva Walker and Narduwar. Great song, great video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrKSgwtVk0

Jake's on Twitter! Follow him at @jakeuitti.
Find Jake's writing at jakeuitti.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:04 Jake joins the show

2:27 Jake is married to a previous guest of YMAAA

3:53 Jake talks about his New Jersey roots

6:15 Jake explains why he chose to discuss The Heist

10:20 Jake and Al appreciate how well The Heist was crafted

13:14 Jake talks about how The Heist was well positioned

22:34 Making the album Seattle-centric was part of the positioning

24:07 Jake summarizes his experience of listening to The Heist

28:41 Jake shares his interpretation of “Jimmy Iovine”

33:36 Jake’s appreciation for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ songcraft has grown over time

36:43 Macklemore’s lyrics can be corny

41:21 Jake and Al take a different approach to hearing lyrics

42:57 Al cites an example of great sequencing on the album

46:11 The Heist can be viewed as a gateway to learning more about the Seattle music scene

47:18 Jake and Al both like “Cowboy Boots” as an album closer

51:30 How well does Jake know Macklemore?

53:17 Jake talks about Macklemore’s new solo album

56:35 Jake discusses his upcoming book with Earl Cureton

Support the show

Send us a text

Cellist Michael Peter Olsen joins Al to familiarize him with an album he thought he mostly knew: Van Halen’s 1984. Michael makes the case that a careful listening of the album reveals an experimental side of Van Halen. He also talks about why Van Halen, and this album is particular, is an inspiration to him, his recent experience of meeting Greg Saunier of Deerhoof (who was a recent guest on this show) and what Post-Cello is all about.

1:10 Michael joins the show

1:47 Michael explains why he started playing the cello

2:55 Michael made a strong case for breaking one of Al’s rules

4:31 Hearing 1984 was an ear-opening experience for Michael when he first heard it

10:13 Michael talks about how 1984 is an outlier in the Van Halen discography

11:57 Michael break downs the elements that make 1984 special

14:54 Michael describes the process behind the recording of 1984

19:37 1984 epitomizes Van Halen’s combination of virtuosity and silliness

22:45 “Panama” is a more straightforward Van Halen song

24:05 There’s a lot going on in “Jump”

29:29 Michael gives Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth their props

30:29 Van Halen were always a different type of metal band

32:31 Michael has a theory about the album cover

36:05 Al has questions about “I’ll Wait”

40:06 Michael talks about the lack of overdubs…

41:55 …except for one notable exception

44:11 Michael discusses some of the innovations Eddie Van Halen used on this album

46:33 Al is more interested in exploring the Van Halen discography now

50:41 Michael talks about how he recently got to meet Greg Saunier

57:00 Michael explains what Post-Cello is

1:05:07 Michael talks about his upcoming album

Outro is from “Falling Forward” by Michael Peter Olsen

Support the show

Send us a text

Elizabeth Nelson of The Paranoid Style turns the tables on Al for this episode, serving as host and asking Al about why he loves Genesis and their 1983 self-titled album (also known as the “Shapes” album). Al talks about how he became a Genesis superfan, what his first impressions were of the “Shapes” album and  how those impressions have changed over the decades.

You can find Elizabeth and her must-follow Twitter account at @paranoiacs. You can also follow her on Instagram at @paranoid_style (also a must-follow account).

Check out the music of The Paranoid Style! https://theparanoidstyle.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Elizabeth takes over!

2:14 Al joins the show

2:39 Al revisits how this episode came about

4:11 Al explains how he got into Genesis as a teenager

7:39 Al walks Elizabeth through the history of Genesis

11:53 Al identifies a Genesis album that is the best gateway to their proggy side

15:35 Al talks about his initial experience with listening to the “Shapes” album

19:35 Elizabeth shares Al’s opinion of “That’s All”

20:53 Al compares the versions of Genesis with three, four and five members

Discussion of specific tracks

24:06 Mama

29:00 Elizabeth asks Al what he thinks about the drum sounds on the album

32:44 Taking It All Too Hard

34:49 It’s Gonna Get Better

38:48 That’s All

39:20 Just A Job To Do

42:37 Illegal Alien

45:24 Silver Rainbow

47:38 Al recommends three songs from the album and three songs from the entire catalog to listen to as an introduction to each

Outro is from “The Thrill Is Back” by The Paranoid Style.

Support the show

Send us a text

Neil Gust, guitarist, songwriter and vocalist for Portland rock trio No. 2 (and previously of Heatmiser) becomes the first YMAAA guest to discuss a compilation. He introduces Al to Nigeria 70, Vol. 1 (Funky Lagos), and in the process, sparks a discussion about several key Afrobeat artists. Neil also talks about No. 2’s recent touring behind their 2022 album, First Love — his first live performances in more than 20 years.

There are three, three, three! places to follow Neil on Instagram: @neilgust, @___numberdeux___, @heatmiser_archv

Check out No. 2’s Bandcamp page…https://no2music.bandcamp.com/

…and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@No-oe3yq

1:09 Neil joins the show

2:12 Neil explains why he chose to discuss this compilation

6:24 Al has yet to learn about the featured artists in depth

7:35 Neil’s listening experience for this album was different from his usual album-listening experience

10:33 Neil talks about the importance of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen to Afrobeat

Discussion of other Afrobeat artists

11:55 Blo

13:45 The Funkees/Osibisa

15:16 William Onyeabor

16:03 Neil talks about the Nigerian Civil War and the Lagos music scene that emerged in its aftermath

19:25 Al and Neil talk about the artists who introduced Western audiences to Afrobeat

20:54 The compilation spans a variety of genres

22:02 Neil and Al talk about the brutal misogyny reflected in “Woman Made The Devil”

24:56 Al talks about artists on the album he wants to learn more about

28:30 Segun Bucknor & His Revolution’s “La La La” is a highlight for Neil

31:01“Jeun Ko Ku” was a springboard into Fela Kuti’s music for Neil

33:25 Neil talks about some of Tony Allen’s various projects

37:22 There are a couple of tracks that Neil doesn’t like as much as the others

39:45 It took Al some time to more fully appreciate the compilation

42:39 Neil expects Al will make more connections between Afrobeat and Western rock over time

44:44 Neil talks about the albums he considered discussing but didn’t

46:44 Neil talks about playing live with No. 2 for the first time in more than 20 years

51:52 Will Neil tour again?

53:55 What was Neil’s favorite part of playing live again?

Outro is from “Model of the Universe” by No. 2.

Support the show

Send us a text

Dr. Neal Barnard is a clinical researcher who is the founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and he is also a multi-instrumentalist who founded the band CarbonWorks. Neal joins Al on this episode to discuss Cream’s third album, Wheels of Fire, and along the way, he talks about Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, the good and the bad of Cream’s collaboration and CarbonWorks’ upcoming album, Vanishing Act.

You can find Neal on Twitter and Instagram! @DrNealBarnard

There are also accounts for CarbonWorks on both platforms: @carbonworksband on Twitter, @carbonworksmusic on Instagram.

Neil also mentioned the CarbonWorks YouTube channel, where you can find their videos, including some for their new songs: https://www.youtube.com/@carbonworks1770

Also be sure to visit CarbonWorks’ website: www.carbonworksmusic.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:22 Neal joins the show

2:18 Neal shares his thoughts on Jimi Hendrix’s discography

6:44 Neal explains why he wanted to discuss Wheels of Fire

11:54 Neal expands on some of his thoughts about The Beatles

14:23 Did Al misinterpret “Politician”?

16:27 Neal and Al continue a discussion of lyrics with “Pressed Rat and Warthog”

19:05 Cream took their time making this album

21:28 The various elements of Cream's music work well together

26:17 Neal talks about how he related to Cream’s music when he first listened to them

28:24 Neal and Al discuss their efforts to separate the artists from the art that Cream made

30:24 Neal finds a flaw in Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads” solo

32:56 Neal offers his perspective on criticisms of Clapton’s playing

36:16 Al’s first impression of “Traintime” didn’t last long

37:34 Is a 16-minute drum solo too much drum solo?

40:44 Neal delves into Cream’s dysfunctions

43:21 Can Neal and Al separate Clapton’s actions from his music?

47:15 Neal discusses the origins of his CarbonWorks project

50:17 Neal talks about how CarbonWorks’ music comes together

51:31 Neal’s experience as an exchange student in Belgium changed how he listened to music

53:19 Neal brings up a couple of songs on Vanishing Act that exemplify his approach to music

Outro is from “Tout Ira Bien” by CarbonWorks.

Support the show

Send us a text

Chris Slusarenko of the Portland-based band Eyelids joins Al to talk about The Fall’s 1983 album, Perverted by Language, and their “Kicker Conspiracy” single, which was released in the same year. Chris explains how he wound up getting up obsessed with The Fall, why he chose to focus on these particular records for this episode and how The Fall has influenced his own creative process. He also talks about Eyelids’ recently-released fourth album, A Colossal Waste of Light, and the experience of being produced by and touring with Peter Buck.

Chris made repeated reference to The Annotated Fall, which lists and, yes, annotates the lyrics to The Fall’s songs. If you’re new to The Fall like Al is (or probably even if you’re not), it’s an indispensable resource. http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/

Where’s the cursor?? Where’s the eraser?? Here’s where to find Eyelids on your computer…

Be sure to follow Eyelids on Twitter and Instagram! @musicofeyelids

To follow/visit Eyelids on Bandcamp, go here: https://musicofeyelids.bandcamp.com/

You can get Eyelids merch, tour info and much more at https://musicofeyelids.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:19 Chris joins the show

1:26 Chris talks about the importance of music in his family

3:21 Chris explains the origins of the title of Eyelids’ new album

6:23 Chris discusses how he got obsessed with The Fall

9:29 Chris walks through the various stages of The Fall’s discography

12:29 “Eat Y’self Fitter” exemplifies many of the things Chris loves about Perverted by Language

18:38 There’s a lot one can read about The Fall

20:17 Why was Mark E. Smith singing about computers in 1983?

22:22 The Fall isn’t for everybody

23:17 Chris addresses the similarities between The Fall and Pavement

24:43 Al talks about his initial impressions of Perverted by Language

26:55 Chris sees Perverted by Language as a transitional album

28:51 Chris and Al disagree as to how cohesive the album is

31:36 Chris talks about The Fall’s frequent changes in personnel

34:05 Chris is impressed by the confidence of The Fall on Perverted by Language

37:48 Chris has trouble picking a favorite track

40:49 Al and Chris admire Steve Hanley’s bass playing

43:58 Chris talks about the “Kicker Conspiracy/Wings” single

48:24 Chris doesn’t think The Fall sold out after Perverted by Language

49:56 Chris suggests some other albums by The Fall for Al to explore

52:56 Chris appreciates Mark E. Smith’s lyrics

54:14 Chris clarifies a misheard lyric for Al

57:03 Eyelids took a different approach to songwriting for A Colossal Waste of Light

1:00:55 Chris talks about Peter Buck’s involvement on A Colossal Waste of Light

1:05:41 Chris discusses Eyelids’ current tour

Outro is from “That’s Not Real At All (B. Midweek Pg. 207)” by Eyelids.

Support the show

Send us a text

This year, for the first time, Al took part in #MWE — aka Music Writer’s Exercise — listening to and writing about a new album every day throughout the month of February. Al discusses 10 of his favorite albums out of the total of 28, explaining why he chose them for the project and what he liked about them.

Al mentioned the Sara Lund interview on the Tour Stories podcast, where she discussed Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda. You can listen to that episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-check-in-with-sara-lund-unwound/id1482193534?i=1000575099615.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:48 A #MWE primer

2:06 How Al picked his 28 albums

Highlight albums

4:06 Television, Marquee Moon

6:54 Tacocat, Lost Time

9:17 Tool, Lateralus

11:42 Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidananda

13:19  Horsegirl, Versions of Modern Performance

15:31 Obey Robots, One In A Thousand

18:38 Quasi, Breaking the Balls of History

20:10 Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

23:21 The Black Tones, Cobain & Cornbread

25:02 Bruce Springsteen, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

28:06 Al sums up his #MWE experience

Support the show

Send us a text

TV writer, editor and musician Allie Goertz introduces Al to an album that’s been central to her life for the past year — The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. Allie talks about how she first heard the album, why it’s been important to her and how she covered several of the tracks on her upcoming album, NIN, Peeled Back. She also talks about the Nerf Herder song that bears her name.

Correction: Al incorrectly stated that "Closer" was the album's first single. “March of the Pigs” was actually the lead single, though “Closer” was the first track Al had heard on the radio.

It’s ridiculously easy to find and follow Allie online (and you should)!

Twitter, Instagram and YouTube: @alliegoertz

Bandcamp: https://alliegoertz.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:10 Allie joins the show

1:35 Allie achieves a first for You, Me and An Album

2:03 Allie talks about why The Downward Spiral is an important album for her

4:56 Has Allie gotten obsessive about other bands?

9:30 How does The Downward Spiral make Allie feel?

12:08 Al was not prepared for the experience of listening to The Downward Spiral

15:45 Al was more familiar with the NIN version of “Hurt” than he realized

17:16 “Closer” has always given Al the creeps

20:50 Al explains what it is about NIN that makes listening difficult

27:24 Allie sees humor in NIN’s music

30:04 The Downward Spiral reminds Al of another album

33:02 Allie talks about her initial experiences with listening to NIN

35:32 There was only one track on The Downward Spiral that was hard for Allie to hear at first

Discussion of other tracks:

36:50 March of the Pigs

40:27 Hurt (again)

43:07 Does Allie have albums that she appreciates but can’t listen to?

44:13 Piggy/Heresy

47:47 Reptile

51:27 Ruiner

53:13 Big Man with a Gun

55:20 Allie talks about her upcoming NIN covers album

1:00:01 Allie talks about the Nerf Herder song

Outro is from “Nerf Herder Girl” by Allie Goertz

Support the show

Send us a text

Elizabeth Nelson does it all…singer/songwriter for The Paranoid Style, journalist, copywriter, educational consultant…and she took some time out to join Al for this episode of YMAAA. Elizabeth discusses Pavement’s debut album, Slanted and Enchanted, and details what she loves about the record and all of the various influences that went into it. She also talks about the upcoming Paranoid Style album, the story behind a Paranoid Style video and her @paranoiacs Twitter account.

The video for The Paranoid Style's "The Thrill Is Back!" is a whole lotta fun. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgyfywASWoE

Elizabeth wrote a great piece for the New York Times Magazine on some recent TV series reboots. It’s just one click away…https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/magazine/night-court-velma-that-90s-show-reboots.html

As noted above, Elizabeth is on Twitter at @paranoiacs, and she is a must-follow for any music fan. You can also follow her on Instagram at @paranoid_style.

Treat yourself to the music of The Paranoid Style! https://theparanoidstyle.bandcamp.com/

To read the bio/essay on The Paranoid Style’s namesake, head on over to the Bar None Records website. http://www.bar-none.com/the-paranoid-style

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:13 Elizabeth joins the show

1:34 Elizabeth provides a timetable for the new Paranoid Style album

2:40 Al asks Elizabeth about her Twitter ambivalence

6:29 Al explains why he is especially embarrassed about his lack of Pavement knowledge

9:13 Al and Elizabeth talk about their experiences with watching Pavement live

11:15 Elizabeth identifies a band she became a fan of after seeing them in concert

14:52 Elizabeth explains why she chose Slanted and Enchanted for this episode

20:10 Al is exploring Stephen Malkmus backwards

21:26 Elizabeth talks about Pavement’s influences

23:22 Elizabeth pieces together the details of how she first heard Slanted and Enchanted

25:57 Elizabeth details what she has liked about Pavement from the first time she listened to them

27:17 Is Pavement a slacker band?

28:59 Al finds Pavement confusing

30:53 Elizabeth enjoys Pavement’s variety of influences

Discussion of specific tracks

33:51 Summer Babe

39:35 In the Mouth a Desert

46:19 Fame Throwa

48:30 Our Singer

50:42 Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era

51:19 Two States

53:35 Conduit for Sale!

1:02:00 Zürich Is Stained

1:03:47 Here

1:08:48 Al feels like he didn’t pay sufficient attention to the lyrics

1:11:22 Elizabeth talks about the making of the video for “The Thrill is Back!”

1:16:24 Elizabeth alerts us to her current projects

1:17:18 Elizabeth suggests a topic for a future episode

Outro is from “The Worst of My Love” by The Paranoid Style,

Support the show

Send us a text

Greg Saunier, drummer and founding member of Deerhoof, joins You, Me and An Album for much more than just a discussion of a favorite album. He does talk about one of his favorite albums — Ancient Music of Greece by Atrium Musicae de Madrid — but he also considers what this album can teach us about contemporary music, classical music and Western culture in general. Greg also talks about Deerhoof’s soon-to-be-released album, Miracle-Level, and the band’s 2021 cover of Sleater-Kinney’s “Don’t Talk Like.”

Follow Greg and Deerhoof on Twitter and Instagram at @deerhoof!

You can get information on Miracle-Level and Deerhoof tour dates at https://deerhoof.website/ or https://deerhoof.bandcamp.com/.

Also, Greg mentioned Deerhoof’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GregFromDeerhoof.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:06 Greg joins the show

1:44 Greg and Al talk about their research on the album’s backstory

3:18 Greg recounts how he first learned about the album

4:18 Greg explains what the premise of Music of Ancient Greece is

6:27 Greg identifies modern Western musical conventions that can be linked to ancient Greece

13:55 Greg explains why he wanted to explore music from such a distant time

21:46 Why does some of the album sound modern?

24:30 Greg outlines several of the ways the musicians chose to interpret an incomplete score

31:50 Greg thinks the musicians made a conscious decision to make the music ugly

38:00 Are recent technology trends in music democratizing?

49:19 Do the features of Music of Ancient Greece work their way into Deerhoof’s music?

51:50 Al sees a connection between Music of Ancient Greece and a Deerhoof cover of a Sleater-Kinney song

56:40 Greg argues that today’s music technology codifies elite values

1:00:19 Greg finds Music of Ancient Greece’s mix of scholarship and amateurism charming

1:05:57 Deerhoof made a point of bringing their upcoming tour to Western Massachusetts

1:08:43 Greg talks about Miracle-Level being Deerhoof’s first album with all Japanese lyrics

1:12:23 Greg discusses the fragmentary nature of Deerhoof’s songwriting

1:17:44 Greg argues that artists don’t know what their art means

Support the show

Send us a text

Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Eva Walker of The Black Tones — who is also a DJ for Seattle’s KEXP — joins Al to talk about Funkadelic’s 1971 album, Maggot Brain. Eva delves into how she first discovered Maggot Brain, the elements of the album that make it a great listen and other albums she also considered discussing on this episode. She also talks about the status of The Black Tones’ second album and the band’s video game, They Want Us Dead!

Be sure to follow Eva and The Black Tones!

Twitter: @The_Black_Tones

Instagram: @theblacktones

And visit The Black Tones’ website!

https://theblacktones.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:59 Eva joins the show

1:43 Eva had a difficult time choosing an album to discuss

3:49 Eva first listened to Maggot Brain because of the album artwork

6:28 Al never understood why Parliament-Funkadlelic was hyphenated

7:44 Eva talks about listening to her mother’s records growing up

10:12 Seattle didn’t always embrace Jimi Hendrix

13:18 Maggot Brain completely defied Al’s expectations

18:29 Is there funk on Maggot Brain?

Observations about specific tracks

20:18 Hit It And Quit It

24:31 Wars of Armageddon (and a discussion of upbeat sad songs)

31:12 Maggot Brain

33:03 Can You Get To That (and a discussion of misheard lyrics)

36:37 You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks

41:45 The link between You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks and The Black Tones’ Blue Matrimony

44:39 Super Stupid

47:29 Back In Our Minds

50:42 Eva talks about her musical influences

53:39 Eva discusses The Black Tones’ current plans

56:24 One of the early reviews of Cobain and Cornbread had an issue with song structure

57:17 Eva explains the lyrics to “Plaid Pants” and “Welcome Mr. Pink”

1:01:32 Eva talks about The Black Tones’ video game

Outro is from “Welcome Mr. Pink” by The Black Tones

Support the show

Send us a text

Rat — the guitarist for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and Obey Robots — makes a return visit to YMAAA, and with a connection to his first visit. On Ep 29, he introduced Al to Public Service Broadcasting’s The Race for Space. Recently, Rat saw PSB live, and he was impressed by the support band, Pale Blue Eyes. He immediately went out and bought PBE’s debut album, Souvenirs, and now he is here to let us know why we should know this album, too. In addition to discussing Souvenirs, Rat talks about Obey Robots’ soon-to-be-released debut album, One In A Thousand, and upcoming plans for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin.

Rat and Al talked about Obey Robots’ video for “Let It Snow,” and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb734Q9HuK4

Be sure to follow Rat for all Ned’s and Obey Robots developments...

Twitter: @Rat_Ned

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rat.ned/

And check out his weekly playlist, as discussed on this episode:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/ratned?si=b9000f6ea2944018

And while you’re at it, keep up with Rat’s OR bandmate, Laura Kidd, too!

Twitter and Instagram: @penfriendrocks

Facebook: search for Laura Kidd or Penfriend

Website: https://penfriend.rocks/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:07 Rat joins the show

1:45 Rat talks about how he first learned about Pale Blue Eyes

4:34 Rat explains what makes Pale Blue Eyes a great live act

7:52 Rat encourages us to support the support bands

9:44 Souvenirs’ sequencing adds to the listening experience for Rat

Observations about specific tracks

12:41 Chelsea

16:53 Honeybear

20:59 Little Gem

24:29 Champagne (and a discussion of ‘80s music)

30:36 TV Flicker

31:52 Globe

33:04 Dr Pong

35:29 Neither Rat nor Al bothered much with listening to the lyrics

37:19 Sing It Like We Used To

38:52 Under Northern Sky

41:21 Rat and Al talk about the new Obey Robots album and videos

45:25 What’s next for Obey Robots?

47:25 What’s coming up for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin?

50:44 Rat talks about his new weekly playlists

Support the show

Send us a text

YMAAA winds up its first 100 episodes with a great last splash! Kelley Deal of The Breeders and R. Ring joins Al to discuss Julian Cope’s 1990 lo-fi album, Droolian. Kelley talks about the unusual circumstance in which she first listened to Droolian, the narratives she has created around the album and what she loves about it. She also talks about her involvement with The Amps’ Pacer album and what a busy 2023 has in store for her and The Breeders.

R. Ring’s brand-new album, War Poems, We Rested, is out, and it’s great! https://rring.bandcamp.com/album/war-poems-we-rested

Kelley had mentioned a cover of a Guided By Voices song, “Scalding Creek,” that she recorded with Buffalo Killers. It’s worth your time to check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZAOwdXhYc

Al made a couple of error in his discussion with Kelley:

He said Kelley was listed on the Pacer Wikipedia page, but what he was thinking of was her inclusion on The Amps’ Wikipedia page.

He mentioned a piano melody on R.E.M.’s “Why Not Smile,” but it’s actually played on a marimba (he thinks).

Be sure to follow Kelley on Twitter and Instagram! @kelleydeal…

…and check out her online store: store.kelleydeal.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:10 Kelley joins the show

1:51 Al singles out a great Kelley Deal lyric

4:06 Kelley talks about her involvement with The Amps’ Pacer album

7:28 Al’s previous exposure to Julian Cope was almost exclusively through The Teardrop Explodes

8:03 Kelley was first exposed to Droolian in an unusual way

14:13 Kelley and Al consider how the nature of fandom has changed

15:57 Kelley talks about her deep dive into Cope’s catalog

17:32 Kelley compares Droolian with its predecessor, Skellington

20:30 Kelley also listened to some of Cope’s more polished albums

21:28 Droolian was love at first listen for Kelley

Discussion of specific tracks

23:49 Look After Your Leathers

28:30 Commin Down

31:00 Yeah Yeah Yeah

32:15 Jellypop Perky Jean/Louis 14th

34:34 …Atonement of Wasp

36:00 Gentleman Dude

37:45 Kelly

41:12 Kelley wants to borrow a harmony from a Teardrop Explodes song

42:33 Church of England 1991/Sqwubbsy

46:46 Kelley explains why her favorite Droolian lyrics are her favorites

50:16 Al wants to try listening to an album the way Kelley first listened to Droolian

51:02 Kelley talks about some of her other CD discoveries

53:13 Kelley discusses R. Ring’s origins

57:18 Kelley previews her 2023 plans with R. Ring, The Breeders and Protomartyr

1:00:09 Is Kelley a competitive knitter?

Outro is from "Def Sup" by R. Ring.

Support the show

Send us a text

Singer/songwriter/poet Caleb Nichols (Port O’Brien, Soft People) gets Al acquainted with Blur’s 1997 self-titled album, and they also discuss the album’s significance in Blur’s discography as well as to them personally. Caleb talks about how Blur has influenced their own music and the important role that The Beatles have played in their life. Caleb also delves into their Beatles-inspired solo debut album, Ramon, and a couple of current projects.

Be sure to follow Caleb on Twitter and Instagram at @seanickels!

Caleb is also on TikTok: @theecalebnichols

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @[email protected].

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:02 Caleb joins the show

1:28 Caleb recalls when they first got into The Beatles

3:15 Caleb talks about other artists they listened to growing up

7:22 The Blur album was a launchpad into indie rock for Caleb

9:36 Caleb and Al talk about the Blur-Oasis rivalry

15:16 Caleb explains why they chose to discuss Blur on this episode

17:10 Caleb zeroes in on Graham Coxon’s contributions to the album

23:55 Al was surprised by his initial reaction to the album

24:51 Caleb and Al talk about the benefits of listening to an album multiple times

30:02 Caleb likes the blending of random noises with pop elements

34:53 Caleb identifies their favorite parts of the album

37:42 Caleb appreciates how Blur put themselves into a conversation with David Bowie

38:45 How is Blur a dangerous album?

44:41 Al talks about his favorite parts of the album

47:20 Caleb notes Blur’s use of older synth sounds

50:16 Something in “Essex Dogs/Interlude” shocked Al

54:41 Caleb mentions an athletic feat from Graham Coxon that they witnessed

56:02 Caleb comments on a few more tracks

58:44 Some confusion over Supertramp

59:58 Caleb talks about their upcoming album and book of poems

Outro is from “Run Rabbit Run” by Caleb Nichols.

Support the show

Send us a text

Portland-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Sam Coomes (Quasi, Jon Spencer and the HITmakers, Heatmiser, The Donner Party) takes a break from a busy 2023 to get Al up to speed on the Velvet Underground. Specifically, he introduces our host to VU’s second album, White Light/White Heat. Sam goes in depth on the album’s 17-minute closer, “Sister Ray,” and also talks about the tracks that were his favorites when he first starting listening to the album. He also talks about Quasi’s soon-to-be-released (Feb. 10) album, Breaking the Balls of History, and their upcoming tour.

On this episode, Al made reference to an appearance Sam made on Joe Wong’s podcast, The Trap Set. You can listen to that episode here: http://www.thetrapset.net/290-sam-coomes-quasi/.

Sam mentioned that Quasi would be releasing a third single from Breaking the Balls of History shortly after the recording of this episode. In fact, that single — “Nowheresville” — is out now, and there’s a great video for it, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODVN6LoNL5g&list=RDODVN6LoNL5g&start_radio=1

Be sure to follow Sam on Instagram! @theecoomes

Quasi are worth a follow, too! @thee.quasi on Instagram and @TheeQuasi on Twitter

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @[email protected].

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:21 Sam joins the show

2:09 The Velvet Underground’s first album was Sam’s introduction to the band

4:29 Sam talks about the group that inspired him to play in a band

8:03 Sam and Al wax nostalgic about record stores

9:10 Sam explains why he chose White Light/White Heat

10:17 Is “Sister Ray” prog?

13:27 Sam hears “Sister Ray” as a discussion

16:29 “Sister Ray” was the last song on the album that Sam got into

18:19 The Velvet Underground add unconventional elements to conventional rock songs

21:23 Sam identifies the elements of White Light/White Heat that made him love the album initially

26:33 Al had trouble with some of the more grisly lyrics

27:23 Sam used to focus more on the music than the lyrics in “The Gift”

29:16 Sam talks about the paradox of Lou Reed’s lyrics

31:59 The Velvet Underground got tighter as a band on White Light/White Heat

33:47 Al asks Sam if he models his own sounds on those of Velvet Underground

35:48 Al asks Sam about his hypothetical prog rock podcast

43:08 Sam talks about the soon-to-be-released Quasi album

46:33 Sam discusses his near-term touring plans

Outro is from "Doomscrollers" by Quasi.

Support the show

Send us a text

Music journalist and sportswriter Natalie Weiner kicks off the 2023 episodes of YMAAA on a jazzy note, as she introduces Al to the 1962 album, Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley. Natalie talks about how she got into jazz when she was in high school, why she selected this album for this episode and what she loves about both Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley. She also delves into what’s been different about music in the 2020s and the projects she will be working on in the coming year.

Natalie mentioned an essay by Nicholas Payton about why jazz “died” in 1959. You can read it here: https://nicholaspayton.com/on-why-jazz-isnt-cool-anymore/

Be sure to follow Natalie on TwItter (@natalieweiner) and Instagram (@natalieweinerwrites)...

...and check out her website: natalieweiner.com!

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @[email protected].

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:20 Natalie joins the show

1:57 Playing bass was Natalie’s gateway to getting deeper into music

5:24 Natalie’s jazz band teacher was instrumental to expanding her jazz knowledge

9:06 Natalie talks about the first piece of music writing she got paid to do

11:02 Learning to play “So What” was a turning point for Natalie

12:37 Natalie explains why she chose this album for this episode

15:49 Al found listening to the album relaxing

17:16 Al looks to Natalie to help him hear Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley in a different context

21:51 Al really enjoyed Nancy Wilson’s vocals

22:40 Natalie highlights some of the aspects that make the album special

26:51 Natalie talks about what she loves about Cannonball Adderley’s style of playing

28:49 Natalie appreciates the relative simplicity of the sound on this album

30:29 Natalie and Al talk about the album’s dynamics

32:30 Natalie gets into the particulars of Nancy Wilson’s performance

34:35 Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley came out in the aftermath of what many consider to be jazz’s peak

37:31 Nalalie credits the producers with the album’s high-quality sound

39:33 Al asks Natalie about the sequencing on the different versions of the album

40:30 The song arrangements are part of the album’s appeal for Natalie

46:53 Natalie recommends the album as an introduction to other work by Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley

50:45 Natalie’s music listening habits have changed in the 2020s

54:17 Natalie talks about her current and upcoming projects

Support the show

Send us a text

Musician, songwriter and producer D.K. Lyons makes his second appearance on YMAAA, and just as with The 1975's I Like It When You Sleep..., he chooses an album that's a real challenge for Al. For the first time ever on this show, Al and his guest discuss an album from the current year, as D.K. picked Charli XCX’s Crash for this episode. D.K. talks about how he first got acquainted with Charli XCX’s music, why he chose Crash for this episode, what he likes musically and lyrically about the album and what releases we can expect from him in 2023.

Keep up with D.K. on Instagram at @d.k.lyonsmusic.

Also be sure to check out the D.K. Lyons YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@user-sk4wz2tf1d, and his website, https://dklyonsmusic.com/.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show now has an account on Mastodon: @[email protected].

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:05 D.K. (re)joins the show

2:03 D.K. talks about his reaction to The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language

5:01 D.K. explains how he started listening to Charli XCX and why he chose to discuss Crash

7:24 Al heard Crash differently after doing some research on the album

9:18 D.K. and Al talk about Charli XCX’s experimental side

11:56 Al found a particular spot to listen to Crash that helped him to appreciate it more

14:32 D.K. and Al identify aspects of the album’s production that they don’t like

17:54 Crash doesn’t lack for memorable hooks

21:44 D.K. and Al talk about Charli XCX’s collaborators on “New Shapes”

23:41 D.K. talks about the connection between a song from The Goofy Movie and “New Shapes”

24:53 The title track is a standout song for D.K.

26:25 D.K. and Al hear some similarities between Charli XCX and The 1975

27:50 “Good Ones” and “Constant Repeat” are earworms for both D.K. and Al

33:09 Al has a hard time thinking of songs from Crash where he really likes the lyrics

34:50 D.K. noted a few songs where he appreciates the lyrics

37:18 D.K. has a theory about why Charli XCX processes her vocals as much as she does

39:55 D.K. talks about the album’s four bonus tracks

44:56 D.K. sums up what he enjoys about Crash

46:50 D.K. gives Al a recommendation for where to continue his Charli XCX exploration

49:56 D.K. talks about his recent and upcoming releases

Outro is from “The Sadness” by D.K. Lyons

Support the show

Send us a text

Drummer, producer, visual artist and designer Steve Luongo (Rat Race Choir, TorQue) takes the guest seat on this week’s You, Me and An Album to discuss Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick. Steve talks about why this album is special to him, which parts are his favorites and whether he considers Jethro Tull to be a prog band. He also delves into the John Entiwistle Oxhumed rarities albums he has been working on.

Al talked about some other prog rock suites that were released around the same time as Thick as a Brick, and in doing so, he incorrectly stated that “Supper’s Ready” comprises the second side of Foxtrot by Genesis. Al is mortified at this error, as he is a fan of Steve Hackett’s instrumental, “Horizons,” which kicks off Side 2 before “Supper’s Ready” embarks on its 23-minute run.

Steve mentioned a video of West Side Story’s “America” that includes performances from both the 1961 and 2021 versions. Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0jVQT0Brzw

Keep up with Steve and his many projects!
Twitter: @drumcrusher
Instagram: @steveluongo4real
Website: steveluongo.com

For more information on John Entwistle Rarities Oxhumed, go to johnentwistle.com.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @[email protected].

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:24 Steve joins the show

2:35 Is Jethro Tull a prog band?

4:02 Steve recalls how he got introduced to Jethro Tull’s music

6:19 Steve explains why Jethro Tull resonated for him more than some other bands

7:19 Steve details why he chose Thick as a Brick for this episode

8:50 Al compares Thick as a Brick with other early ‘70s prog suites

10:51 Steve gives an example of how Jethro Tull is “orchestral”

14:41 Is Thick as a Brick a parody of prog rock?

16:06 Steve and Al agree on their favorite part of the album

17:40 Why aren’t rock flautists more of a thing?

19:49 Steve learned a lot of lessons about drumming from Thick as a Brick

23:34 Steve would still love the album even if he weren’t a drummer

26:22 Steve wonders how the various parts all came together

28:36 The drum solo…too much or just right?

31:29 Steve singles out the key difference between Thick as a Brick and Aqualung

35:05 Steve talks about some music that he appreciates as a listener (as opposed to as a drummer)

43:11 Steve discusses a couple more standout sections of the album

47:24 Would Steve rather listen to a remixed version of this album?

49:34 Steve talks about current projects, including the John Entwistle rarities albums

Support the show

Send us a text

Economics and finance writer/editor Heidi Moore introduces Al to singer-songwriter Joe Pug and his 2010 album, Messenger. Heidi talks about other artists who are a part of Pug’s “cinematic universe,” why the songs of Messenger resonate with her and why she didn’t choose to discuss a Bastille album instead.

Heidi mentioned Pug’s weekly Sunday livestreams and his podcast, Working Songwriter. Find them via the following links…

Livestream: https://joepugmusic.com/livestream

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-working-songwriter/id1079001185

Al talked about how an essay he wrote for Bandcamp Daily earlier this year relates to some of themes covered on Messenger. You can read that essay here: https://daily.bandcamp.com/resonance/quasi-seal-the-deal-essay.

As Heidi mentioned, she has accounts on multiple social media platforms, but you are most likely to find her on Twitter. She is at @moorehn.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @[email protected].

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:00 Heidi joins the show

1:38 Why didn’t Heidi choose a Bastille album?

4:24 Al and Heidi talk about shows they’ve attended during the pandemic

6:23 Heidi explains why she chose Messenger for this episode

8:33 Heidi names some other artists she considered discussing

11:36 Heidi talks about the song that started her Joe Pug fandom

16:17 Pug was prescient about how society would change with social media

18:22 The lyrics of Messenger made a huge impression on Al

21:05 Al related to “How Good You Are” in particular

23:16 Heidi compares Pug to Joni Mitchell

29:01 Themes that Pug raises provide lessons that were relevant for the Trump era

39:56 “Disguised as Someone Else” is a meaningful track for both Heidi and Al

44:26 Al sees the opening and closing tracks as outliers on the album

47:01 Heidi explains why she can’t listen to “Unsophisticated Heart” often

52:54 Is songwriting magic?

54:08 Heidi and Al see contrasts between Messenger and Fiona Apple’s Tidal

57:53 Heidi and Al revisit a line from “Unsophisticated Heart” they like

1:00:06 Heidi talks about Pug’s training as a playwright

1:01:50 “The First Time I Saw You” is another of Heidi’s favorite tracks from the album

1:05:44 Heidi talks about a couple of albums she’s been listening to lately

Support the show

Send us a text

Author and Middlebury College English and American Literatures professor Megan Mayhew Bergman pays a visit to YMAAA to talk about Fiona Apple’s debut album, Tidal. She revisits the time in her life when she first heard the album, why it was important then and continues to be important to her now, and which songs are her favorites (and which ones she is liable to skip).

Megan and Al got into a little bit of a discussion about Genesis as well, and Al stated that he thought Tony Banks wrote “In Too Deep.” Phil Collins is credited with the lyrics, so he was at least partly wrong about this.

Al also alluded to a series of Genesis interviews conducted in 2014. You can find them on YouTube in four installments. The first one is here — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeGVDk0mSY8 — and links to the others are in the notes for that video.

One last Genesis-related note: Megan mentioned a baby Jesus statue in Mexico that resembles Phil Collins. Here is one of many stories regarding said statue. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jesus-statue-phil-collins-trnd/index.html

Follow Megan on Twitter and Instagram at @mayhewbergman! Also be sure to keep up with her many, many projects at http://www.mayhewbergman.com/.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @[email protected].

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:14 Megan joins the show

2:18 Megan has an awesome Genesis t-shirt

3:07 Megan first heard Tidal during a difficult and lonely period of her life

4:38 Megan and Al are impressed by the maturity and sophistication Apple showed on this album

6:47 Megan discusses the specific ways that Tidal helped her get through a difficult time

10:03 Megan breaks down how the drums and percussion amplify the emotional impact of “Sleep to Dream”

11:28 “Criminal” and “Never Is a Promise” also evoke strong emotions

13:54 Megan has a different relationship with Tidal now than when she was in her teens…

18:46 …but some of the messages carry just as much weight now as then

20:30 Megan and Al marvel at how Apple was able to create such an influential album in her teens

25:06 Megan highlights her favorite musical moments on Tidal

28:23 There are songs on the album that Megan will skip

32:28 Megan and Al discuss Tidal’s sequencing

34:32 Megan reveals which song from the album is her favorite now

36:28 Megan likes the “big character energy” of “Criminal”

38:36 Megan appreciates the videos Apple made for this album

41:19 A bonus Genesis discussion!

50:14 Megan talks about her upcoming book on the International Sweethearts of Rhythm

Support the show

Send us a text

Mary Beth Melchior returns to You, Me and An Album to discuss the first full-length album she ever listened to -- and just in advance of her and Al's 33-1/3 year wedding anniversary! The original Jesus Christ Superstar concept album has been an important album to Mary Beth for nearly her entire life, and Al finally gets better acquainted with it so they can discuss it for this episode. Mary Beth talks about the circumstances of her first listening to the album, why it's been an important part of her life and why she likes it much better than the other versions that have been released.

Follow Mary Beth on Twitter at @mbmelchior!

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

As Al mentioned, he also just joined Mastodon, though he slightly botched his handle there. It's @[email protected].

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:18 Mary Beth joins the show

2:24 Mary Beth distinguishes between the Jesus Christ Superstar concept album and other versions

7:35 Mary Beth explains why she wanted to talk about this album on this episode

9:31 Mary Beth talks about how she first heard the JCS album at the age of 5 or 6

13:54 JCS appeared in Mary Beth’s migraine auras

15:00 Do Al and Mary Beth find JCS emotionally draining?

21:14 Was Al justified in thinking that JCS was a “freaky” album?

25:02 JCS allowed Mary Beth to relate to religion without her parents’ filter

27:27 One song from the album still grates on Al

30:12 Mary Beth gives Al a different perspective on how JCS treats Pilate

37:17 Al talks about his favorite track from JCS

41;14 Mary Beth asks Al if he likes her favorite song on the album

44:41 Does JCS have any bangers?

49:41 Al heard “Superstar” in a totally different way than before

52:43 Al considers tracks he would listen to as one-offs

55:23 Mary Beth does have a song from JCS she listens to as a one-off

58:40 Mary Beth talks about her changing relationship with the album

1:02:50 Al sums up his feelings about the album

Support the show

Send us a text

American Studies professor Jeff Melnick normally teaches at University of Massachusetts Boston, but on this episode, he gives Al an education on Terry Melcher and his 1974 self-titled debut album. Jeff talks about Melcher's connections with Charles Manson (which Jeff also details in his book, Creepy Crawling: Charles Manson and the Many Lives of America’s Most Infamous Family), how they inform the themes of this album and Melcher's role in the '60s L.A. music scene. Jeff also discusses the book he is currently working on, which deals with the Boston music scene in the '70s, '80s and '90s.

Follow Jeff on Twitter! @melnickjeffrey1

Al (for the time being) is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:07 Jeff joins the show

2:06 How Al and Jeff met on Twitter

4:11 Jeff explains how his interest in Charles Manson developed

7:19 Jeff suggests that learning about the Manson Family can tell us a lot about L.A. culture in the late ‘60s

8:56 Jeff’s interest in Terry Melcher preceded his work on Creepy Crawling

10:30 Al’s wife, Mary Beth, had an interest in studying the Manson Family when she was in high school

11:36 Jeff explains how Melcher was connected to Manson

20:14 Jeff ponders why Melcher waited until 1974 to release a solo album

22:15 Jeff conceives of Melcher’s solo debut as a loose concept album

27:31 Al and Jeff find some of Melcher’s vocals hard to listen to

31:10 Jeff appreciates how Melcher captures the miserable side of LA. In the ‘70s

36:33 Self-pity is another major theme of the album

41:08 “Dr. Horowitz” doesn’t necessarily convey the message Melcher intended

42:55 Jeff sees the “Halls of Justice” medley as serving two purposes

57:35 Jeff thinks “covers” is not always the right word to describe the previously-recorded songs Melcher performed on this album

1:02:20 Does Jeff actually love this album?

1:06:50 Jeff talks about the book on the Boston music scene he’s been working on

Support the show

Send us a text

Portland indie rock legend Gilly Ann Hanner (Calamity Jane, Starpower, Braille Stars, No. 2, Desír) drops by the show to introduce Al to X's 1983 album, More Fun in the New World. Gilly talks about how she first learned about X, why this album is one of her favorites and how it has influenced her music. She also talks about the recently-released albums by Desír and No. 2, and the time that Calamity Jane opened for Nirvana in Argentina.

Al mentioned in this episode that he wrote a piece for Bandcamp Daily about No. 2 and their new album, First Love.  You can read it here: https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/no-2-first-love-interview

Keep up with Gilly and her bands on Instagram!
Gilly: @gillyann
Desír: @desirmusique
No. 2: @___numberdeux___

...and also be sure to check out her website, gillyannhanner.com.

As Gilly mentions, you can buy or stream her music on Bandcamp.
Desír: https://desirmusique.bandcamp.com/
No. 2: https://no2music.bandcamp.com/album/first-love
Braille Stars: https://braillestars.bandcamp.com/album/golden-dream

1:26 Gilly joins the show

3:14 Al found a connection between Gilly and Liz Phair

6:07 Al explains why he had never listened to X before

8:37 Gilly learned about X from People magazine

11:00 Gilly and Al marvel at completists

13:15 Gilly loves X’s lyrics

14:16 Is More Fun in the New World a punk album?

20:37 “Devil Doll” destroyed many of Al’s preconceptions about punk

21:52 Gilly says X is still a great band live and on record

23:48 Gilly and Al compare X with the B-52s

28:10 Gilly talks about X’s and B-52s’ influence on her own music

31:07 Gilly and Al admire John Doe’s vocals

31:54 Al was surprised by all of the references to older music on More Fun in the New World

37:30 Gilly gives an example of how X supports their lyrics with their music

40:10 Gilly appreciates X’s vocal harmonies

41:39 “True Love Pt. 2” reminds Al and Gilly of a particular classic rock song

43:46 Gilly makes some recommendations for some X-related films to watch

45:20 Gilly talks about the making of Desír’s first album

50:47 Gilly discusses some past projects

52:11 Gilly talks about getting back into making music after a long hiatus

57:08 Gilly recounts Calamity Jane’s infamous show in Argentina, when they opened for Nirvana

1:04:22 Gilly talks about when she first knew Kurt Cobain in Olympia

Outro is from “Pugilist” by Desír.

Support the show

Send us a text

Doug "Cosmo" Clifford -- yes, that Cosmo Clifford -- drummer for Creedence Clearwater Revival, joins Al for a discussion of Doug Sahm's 1974 album, Groover's Paradise.  Cosmo talks about why he thinks Groover's Paradise is a special album and why more people should know about Sahm and his music. Cosmo also discusses his role on the album, which he produced and played drums on. He also talks about the recent release of his album with Bobby Whitlock, California Gold, which was recorded in 1978.


Follow Doug on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DougCosmoClifford

Also, you can find links to stream or buy Doug's albums at https://dougcosmoclifford.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:13 Cosmo joins the show

1:19 Cosmo reacts to the new CCR documentary

4:19 Doug Sahm liked pot

7:03 Cosmo reveals his favorite track from Groover’s Paradise

9:37 Cosmo talks about the variety of musical styles on the album

15:28 Cosmo held out a “green carrot” for Sahm

16:12 Cosmo discusses the process for creating the sound for the album

20:54 Cosmo wants music fans to know how talented Sahm was

22:49 Sahm liked to give his songs a sense of place

24:49 Sahm had a couple of hits in the ‘60s with the Sir Douglas Quintet

26:17 Cosmo talks about how he first got to know Sahm

29:08 Cosmo discusses one of the recording choices made on “Just Groove Me”

32:33 Cosmo talks about Augie Meyers’ contribution on “Beautiful Texas Sunshine”

34:40 It may not be easy to get a copy of Groover’s Paradise now

36:07 Cosmo explains why he released California Gold 44 years after it was recorded

42:43 Cosmo explains why California Gold sounds like it could have been recorded more recently than 1978

44:23 Cosmo talks about his current plans

Outro is from “Rollin’ On” by Doug Clifford featuring Bobby Whitlock

Support the show

Send us a text

Smithereens drummer and music historian Dennis Diken joins Al for this episode to talk about The Lovin' Spoonful's second album, Daydream. Dennis shares why he thinks this is an album worth knowing and why he has been a Lovin' Spoonful fan ever since their first album came out. He also discusses The Smithereens' newly-released LP, The Lost Album, and what the band has in store for the future.

As Dennis mentioned, you can stream his weekly radio show. Check it out here! https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/DI

Be sure to keep up with Dennis and The Smithereens!
Twitter: @SmithereensHQ
Instagram: @the_smithereens_official

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:03 Dennis joins the show

3:03 Dennis talks about “The Empty Set” and his connection to Scott McCaughey

9:15 Al explains why he picked Daydream from Dennis’ short list

10:42 Dennis discusses a couple of personal connections he has with The Lovin’ Spoonful

15:38 Dennis remembers exactly when he first heard The Spoonful

18:22 Dennis explains why he chose Daydream for his short list

19:25 “Summer in the City” was one of the most memorable songs from Al’s childhood

22:15 There is a reason why The Spoonful's singles sounded so different from each other

24:19 The Spoonful's music was a strong influence on Dennis

28:36 Dennis clears up Al’s confusion about who is singing lead vocals

31:45 Dennis and Al dig into “Butchie’s Tune”

36:16 They talk about the album’s two hit singles

40:34 Dennis walks through what he likes about the remaining tracks

44:42 Dennis had a dilemma when he bought Daydream

47:29 Dennis likes the fun vibe of The Spoonful’s albums

50:01 Dennis talks about The Smithereens’ Lost Album

56:04 Dennis talks about his show on WFMU.org

59:38 Dennis has some news about The Smithereens

Outro music is from “A World Apart” by The Smithereens.

Support the show

Send us a text

This week's guest is director/writer/poet Kristin Hanggi, who received a Tony Award nomination for Best Director of a Musical for Rock of Ages. Kristin is also the author  of God, Sex and Musical Theatre (which is in the process of being adapted for a musical) and the co-host (with Natalie Roy) of Let’s Play: The C.R.E.A.T.E. Podcast. She chose the 2017 India.Arie EP, SongVersation: Medicine for this episode. Kristin talks about why this collection of songs is special to her, which lyrics from the EP resonate most strongly with her and how her approach to listening to music informs her work as a director and storyteller.

Kristin talked briefly about  the heroine’s journey as a conceptual framework for storytelling. If you want to hear her talk about this extensively, be sure to listen to her most recent appearance on Rob Bell’s Robcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heroines-journey/id956742638?i=1000569043767

To learn more about Kristin's various projects, workshops and other resources for storytellers, visit her website, kristinhanggi.com.

Also be sure to follow Kristin at @hanggilove on Twitter and Instagram.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:13 Kristin joins the show

1:25 Al is intrigued by Kristin’s use of the heroine’s journey as a storytelling framework

3:39 Kristin discusses why she chose SongVersation: Medicine for this episode

5:25 Kristin identifies what it is she loves about India Arie’s music

6:18 Kristin talks about the Arie track that motivated her to check out more of her songs

8:00 There are certain types of moments when Kristin especially enjoys listening to the EP

9:34 Kristin gives an example of a song from the EP that teaches the listener how to process emotional pain

10:30 Al talks about his initial reactions to the EP

12:37 SongVersation: Medicine is different from the type of music that many people associate Kristin with

15:29 The EP helps Kristin when the world feels especially crazy

16:49 Kristin thinks the authenticity of Arie’s writing is key to the album’s ability to move her

18:27 Al was surprised by the album’s dynamics

20:07 Kristin really relates to “Chicken Soup in a Song”

21:30 Kristin likes how the EP helps her to slow down

25:37 Kristin talks about the importance of being emotionally attuned in her work

28:00 Kristin identifies the healing elements of Arie’s music

30:49 Kristin’s approach to listening to music is influenced by her work as a director

32:17 Al points out some of the features of the EP that he enjoys

33:41 Kristin talks about how she would listen to albums growing up — and how that impacts her listening now

37:23 Kristin and Al share some of their favorite lyrics from the EP

49:58 Al came across an Arie song that was a true earworm

51:34 Kristin talks about working with other writers as a “story doctor”

57:10 Kristin discusses her current and upcoming projects

Support the show

Send us a text

This week’s guest is Elle Archer, a Portland-based multi-instrumentalist who records as Shaylee, and she gets Al acquainted with Liz Phair’s debut album, Exile in Guyville. Elle talks about how she first wound up listening to the album, and she identifies the features of the album that make it special. She also talks about her first album with Kill Rock Stars, Short-Sighted Security, and her upcoming plans for Shaylee.

Follow Elle/Shaylee!

Instagram @shayleeband

TikTok @shayleetheband

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:13 Elle joins the show

2:03 Elle explains why she first sought out Exile in Guyville

4:34 Elle talks about why she chose this album for this episode

6:47 Elle discusses how she sees the relationship between Exile in Guyville and Exile on Main St.

11:09 Al hears some musical similarities between Liz Phair and The Rolling Stones

12:33 Elle refers to Phair’s own comments about the album’s relationship with Exile on Main St.

Observations about specific tracks

14:30 6’1”

19:59 Dance of the Seven Veils

21:56 Never Said/Soap Star Joe

23:04 F*ck and Run

30:10 Explain It to Me

34:25 Elle surmises why Exile in Guyville wasn’t more popular when it was released

39:57 Elle and Al talk about the subsequent critical backlash against Phair

46:08 Elle thinks the production is part of what makes Exile in Guyville so effective

50:49 Elle talks about the difficulty in making a sonically diverse album

55:05 Elle explains how she wound up recording covers of Elliott Smith, Unwound, Jeff Hanson and Deerhoof songs

1:00:08 Elle talks about recording the new Shaylee single, “Clearwater”

1:00:43 Elle eludes to the planned changes for future Shaylee recordings

1:01:30 Elle discusses what’s coming up next for Shaylee

The outro music is from “Clearwater” by Shaylee

Support the show

Send us a text

Musician and author Stephanie Phillips is this week’s guest, and she introduces Al to The Amps’ one-and-only album, Pacer. Steph talks about why she picked Pacer for this episode, the differences and similarities between this album and Kim Deal’s other work with Pixies and The Breeders and which tracks on the album stand out to her. She also talks about her band Big Joanie’s upcoming album and tour and her book, Why Solange Matters.

Follow Steph!

@Stephanopolus on Twitter

@steffimusics on Instagram

And follow Big Joanie, too!

@Big_Joanie on Twitter

@bigjoanieband on Instagram

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:11 Steph joins the show

1:45 Is Pacer a “lost Breeders album”?

2:55 Al’s preparation for this episode was a little different

3:42 Steph explains why she picked Pacer for this episode

5:15 Steph details what’s special about Kim Deal’s songwriting and vocals

8:11 Deal’s approach to playing has influenced Steph’s songwriting

10:30 Steph and Al have trouble categorizing The Breeders and The Amps

12:06 Al found the title track to be an odd pick for an opener

15:19 Steph enjoys the entire album as a journey, rather than focusing on individual tracks

17:28 Steph views some Pacer tracks as a harbinger of future Breeders albums

18:27 Steph and Al both like “Breaking the Split Screen Barrier”

22:31 Steph points out that Deal repurposed a couple of the tracks on Pacer

Observations about additional tracks:

24:15 Bragging Party

27:59 Mom’s Drunk/First Revival

30:06 Hoverin’

31:55 Tipp City

33:43 Empty Glasses

34:32 Al missed some of the album’s subtleties on his initial listens

36:07 There are a couple of tracks that Steph will listen to on their own

37:57 Al talks about his favorite track from Pacer

39:23 Steph thinks Pacer is a good album for getting a feel for Deal as a songwriter

40:56 Steph recommends watching videos of The Amps’ live performances

42:25 Steph talks about the music she listened to around the same time she was initially listening to Pacer

43:50 Steph explains how she decided to write Why Solange Matters

47:09 Steph discusses Big Joanie’s upcoming tour plans

The outro is from “In My Arms” by Big Joanie.

Support the show

Send us a text

Levi Weaver, who covers the Texas Rangers for The Athletic, joins Al on this episode to introduce him to the David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) solo album, Curse Your Branches.  Levi discusses how this album has helped him to navigate the uncertainty that has come with questioning his religious faith, as well as what he loves about the album musically. He also talks about his career as a recording and touring musician, including a period when he was touring as a member of Imogen Heap's band, and how he transitioned into a sportswriting career.

Al mentioned a video in which Imogen Heap talks about gloves she invented that help her to perform live music. It's part of an NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance and very much worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QtklTXbKUQ

Levi is on Twitter at @ThreeTwoEephus.

Follow Levi’s great Rangers coverage on The Athletic here: https://theathletic.com/author/levi-weaver/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:11 Levi joins the show

3:19 Levi talks about playing in Imogen Heap’s band

9:06 Levi explains what about Curse Your Branches appeals to him

12:35 Al and Levi were both impressed by the intro to “Hard to Be”

15:09 Levi recounts the first time he listened to Curse Your Branches

19:13 Levi talks about the role the album has played in his “wrestling match” with his faith

25:21 Levi explains how Bazan is making an analogy between addiction and religious faith

27:26 Levi talks about some lyrics that were especially resonant

31:19 Levi helps Al to clarify the meaning of “In Stitches”

37:06 Al and Levi appreciate how well Bazan can perform music at a slow tempo

40:13 Levi picks out some of the musical moments from the album he loves the most

42:01 Levi points out a few more notable moments from the album

47:12 Levi explains why he left music and how he began his sportswriting career

48:56 Levis talks about his life as a touring musician

The outro is from "Apostate" by Levi Weaver.

Support the show

Send us a text

Former Red Sox pitcher and current Red Sox television analyst Lenny DiNardo drops by for You, Me and An Album’s latest music/baseball crossover. Lenny gets Al better acquainted with The Lemonheads’ fifth album, It’s a Shame About Ray. They talk about why Lenny chose this album for the show, how he got to know The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando personally, what Lenny likes about each of the album's tracks and his own journey as a guitarist.

As Lenny had mentioned, his Hot Stove Cool Music performance of “The Outdoor Type” with Evan Dando is on YouTube. Watch/listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbDtcu257Cc

Lenny had shared with Al this video on the making of The Dropkick Murphys’ “Tessie,” and now he's sharing it with you. If you love music, baseball or both, it’s a worthwhile watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKymxOS44Pw&t=5s

Be sure to give Lenny a follow on Twitter at @DinardoLenny and on Instagram at @dinardolhp.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

1:14 Lenny joins the show

3:02 Lenny talks about the eclectic mix of music he grew up with

5:46 Lenny explains what hooked him on It’s a Shame About Ray

6:44 Nic Dalton did a cool thing in the YouTube comments

9:40 Lenny talks about how he met Evan Dando…

12:00 …and how he wound up playing a gig with Evan

13:25 Lenny names a couple of other albums he considered discussing on this episode instead

14:56 Lenny explains why he chose It’s a Shame About Ray

Discussion of specific tracks

16:16 Hannah & Gabi

20:28 My Drug Buddy

22:58 Lenny has to listen to the album all the way through

24:35 Rockin Stroll

26:45 It’s a Shame About Ray

29:03 Confetti, Rudderless and the importance of lyrics and vocals

35:56 Mrs. Robinson

39:28 Frank Mills

40:40 The Turnpike Down

42:24 Bit Part/“Shorty Shea”

44:30 Allison’s Starting to Happen

47:08 Lenny talks about how The Lemonheads have evolved over time

50:26 Lenny helped The Baseball Project out with one of their songs

55:46 Lenny recounts some of his experiences with recording music

1:00:48 The one thing Lenny would change in his life if he could

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Lelya Turcihin, a great friend and a wonderful soul who loved INXS and left us far too early and far too long ago.

Sherry Thomas, host of the Analog Smile podcast and contributing writer for The Aquarian, is this episode’s guest, as she gets Al better acquainted with INXS’ fourth album, The Swing. They discuss what Sherry loves about this album and about INXS in general, how she got into music journalism and what made her start her latest podcast.

Be sure to follow Sherry on Twitter at @sherryt1970 and on Instagram at @readcoffeerepeat. Also find Sherry on Facebook at Analog Smile Podcast.

And listen to Analog Smile! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analog-smile/id1611061065?mt=2&ls=1

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:08 Sherry joins the show

2:39 Sherry identifies her favorite musical decade

5:00 Sherry sees The Swing as a pivotal album in INXS’ catalog

9:40 Sherry and Al talk about Original Sin as a centerpiece of the album

17:02 Sherry explains why she thinks Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence were a great songwriting team

Discussion of other tracks

18:34 Dancing on the Jetty

22:15 Johnson’s Aeroplane

27:02 Original Sin (remake)

28:37 Sherry talks about Michael Hutchence’s tragic passing

31:40 I Send a Message

33:12 Burn for You

34:02 Melting in the Sun

35:28 Face the Change/Love Is (What I Say)

38:18 Al explains why he was glad Sherry picked this album

42:00 Sherry names her favorite INXS album(s)

45:02 Sherry talks about how she got into music journalism

48:54 Sherry explains why she started Analog Smile

53:06 Al asks Sherry about the origins of her podcast’s name

Support the show

Send us a text

Andrew Stern, one-half of the Americana duo 3 Pairs of Boots (along with his wife, Laura Arias), joins Al to discuss Rosanne Cash’s 2014 album, The River & The Thread. Andrew talks about why he considers this album a “desert island” pick and how this album has influenced his own work as a producer and a musician. He also talks about 3 Pairs of Boots’ upcoming release, Mighty Love.

Where to keep up with Andrew and Laura…

@3pairsofboots on Twitter and Instagram

Website: 3pairsofboots.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:08 Andrew joins the show

1:23 Andrew explains why he picked The River & The Thread for this episode

7:37 Andrew talks about the ways that John Leventhal has influenced his own work

10:47 Andrew discusses his process for producing an album

18:25 Andrew picks out some examples of great production and arrangement from The River & The Thread

26:28 Al likes how the music complements the lyrics on “Night School”

27:25 Andrew explains to Al how the songs for The River & The Thread were written

29:53 Lyrics are the hardest part of songwriting for Andrew

33:40 Andrew finds the trajectory of Rosanne Cash’s life interesting

36:50 Al and Andrew talk about the theme of homecoming on The River & The Thread

39:06 Al and Andrew have a difference of opinion about the album closer

43:10 Al cites “The Sunken Lands” as another example of great lyrics

43:55 Andrew discusses his favorite tracks on the album

53:47 The River & The Thread reminds Andrew of Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways

55:59 Andrew talks about how he got used to listening to “relaxed” music

1:02:08 Andrew and Laura are already working on another album

1:07:00 Andrew discusses the origins of the 3 Pairs of Boots name

Outro is from “Evensong” by 3 Pairs of Boots.

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode's guest is David Moss, who performs with his twin brother, Adam, as The Brother Brothers. David introduces Al to Richard and Linda Thompson's first album, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight.  David shares how he first became acquainted with the album and what is special about it, and he also talks about The Brother Brothers' new album, Cover to Cover, and the duo's upcoming plans.

You can follow the Brother Brothers on Twitter at @thebrobros and on Instagram at @thebrotherbrothers. As David mentioned, he and Adam also have a website, where you can get tour information, videos and more...http://www.thebrotherbrothersmusic.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:11 David joins the show

1:26 David explains why he chose I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

1:55 David remembers the exact moment that the album took on special meaning for him

4:30 David talks about the elements of the album that set it apart

Discussion of specific tracks:

6:13 Calvary Cross

14:57 The End of the Rainbow

18:52 The Little Beggar Girl

20:44 What makes this a seminal folk rock album?

24:49 David and Al appreciate Linda Thompson’s vocal versatility

26:03 I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

31:46 The Great Valerio

35:41 David explains why the Brother Brothers made a covers album

37:57 David tells us about what’s coming up for the Brother Brothers

38:46 David recommends an additional album for us to listen to

The outro music is from the Brother Brothers' cover of Richard Thompson's "Waltzing's for Dreamers."

Support the show

Send us a text

Musician/songwriter/producer Tim Friese-Greene (solo, Short-Haired Domestic, Heligoland, Talk Talk) joins Al to talk about My Bloody Valentine's 1988 debut, Isn't Anything. Tim talks about why this is an important album and which tracks stand out for him. He also discusses his new album, Melodic Apoptosis, and upcoming projects.

Tim briefly alluded to the novel process used to write and record the last two Talk Talk albums. Al looked for some documentation of that process to share here in the notes, but was not able to find many sources, but this piece provides a start:  https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/13/talk-talk-mark-hollis.

Tim also mentioned that he kept and published a Twitter blog that documented his experience of creating Melodic Apoptosis. You can find it at https://twitter.com/fatpet3.

Be sure to check out Tim's website, https://www.timfriesegreene.co.uk/,  and his Bandcamp page, https://calciumchloride.bandcamp.com/!

You can also follow Tim on Twitter at @curonianspit2.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:42 Tim joins the show

2:29 Al’s normal routine for preparing for the show did not serve him well this time

4:06 Tim describes how he and his family listen to music at home

5:47 Tim explains why Isn’t Anything is an important album for him

10:18 Was Talk Talk affected by 1980s music trends that Tim wasn’t fond of?

13:31 Tim explains why he chose Isn’t Anything instead of Loveless

19:06 Tim recounts the one time he met Kevin Shields

21:20 Tim gives an example of the messiness of Isn’t Anything

23:00 Tim appreciates the sound of Isn’t Anything

24:27 Tim is reluctant to call Isn’t Anything a rock album

29:02 Tim imagines what Isn’t Anything would sound like if recorded by an American rock band

31:55 Tim talks about how he typically listens to Isn’t Anything

33:29 Tim gives the songs on Isn’t Anything a passing grade on the “busker’s test”

36:01 Tim identifies a pair of standout tracks

44:02 Tim is curious about My Bloody Valentine’s process for recording acoustic tracks

46:01 Sometimes Tim reflexively analyzes music

47:35 Tim talks about how he connects with Isn’t Anything

50:56 Tim offers Al a suggestion on how he might get more out of the album

54:48 Tim discusses the circumstances around the recording of Melodic Apoptosis

1:01:07 Tim is happy with the way the Short-Haired Domestic album came out

1:01:47 Tim talks about his upcoming albums

Support the show

Send us a text

Superorganism's lead vocalist and artist Orono joins Al and picks this week's album, which is Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?  by The Unicorns. Orono explains why she chose this album and what makes it one of her favorites. She also delves into the process Superorganism used to record their new album, World Wide Pop, and the videos they released along with it, and she also talks about her friendship with "cool dad" Stephen Malkmus.

Superorganisim YouTube channel (featuring videos discussed on this episode): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDWISefDYGwbspN9w6kyLSw

Superorganisim's website (with tour dates!): https://www.wearesuperorganism.com/

Superorganism on Twitter and Instagram: @sprorgnsm

As Orono noted, you can follow her on Twitter (@oronooo) and Instagram (@
oronooooo). Just make sure you type the right number of "o"s depending on the platform.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Orono joins the show

2:05 Orono explains how Superorganism wound up appearing on Legion

4:29 Orono’s friend suggested that she choose Who Will Cut Our Hair

6:20 Al tells Orono what his impression of the album is

9:26 Orono loved The Unicorns right at her first listen

12:22 Orono talks about the similarities between The Unicorns and Superorganism

15:54 Orono doesn’t have a favorite track

Observations about specific tracks

17:18 I Don’t Wanna Die

20:10 Child Star

25:00 Emasculate the Masculine

27:05 Is this a pop album?

30:18 Inoculate the Innocuous

31:34 Jellybones

32:11 Tuff Luff/Sea Ghost

34:59 Tuff Ghost

36:59 Les Os

39:42 Let’s Get Known

41:36 Orono wishes The Unicorns had stayed together longer

43:28 Orono explains how she got to be friends with Stephen Malkmus

47:13 Orono outlines Superorganism’s process for writing songs for World Wide Pop

50:50 Is Orono an Arizona Diamondbacks fan?

52:27 Orono talks about how Superorganism’s videos get made

54:52 Orono discusses her other current projects

Support the show

Send us a text

Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and producer Carla Olson is this week's guest, and she introduces Al to The Jimi Hendrix Experience's second album, Axis: Bold as Love. Carla co-founded The Textones (with Kathy Valentine), collaborated with Mick Taylor, Bob Dylan, Gene Clark and countless others, and co-produced and performed on the new compilation album, Americana Railroad. Carla talks about her favorite things about Axis, as well as her own encounter with Hendrix, her work with Taylor, the story behind Americana Railroad and much more.

Al referred to an interview that Carla did with Harold Lapidis, where she discussed performing in Bob Dylan's video for "Sweetheart Like You," among many other topics. You can check out the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG0QzQ_8Ejk&t=1838s

Also, you can see Carla's performance on the "Sweetheart Like You" video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpRKstHl7Y0

As Carla mentioned, you can stream/purchase Americana Railroad everywhere now. Here is one place to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nH73kV_CiBB9ooznmJi3W-BLiz6YdcOLg

There are lots of places to keep current with Carla's work!

@CarlaOlsonMusic on Twitter and Instagram

@CarlaBOlson on Instagram

@haveharmonywilltravel on Instagram

Textones Facebook page

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:24 Carla joins the show

2:08 Carla talks about the time she met Jimi Hendrix

14:27 Carla talks about playing guitar growing up

21:15 Carla recalls how she got introduced to Kathy Valentine

25:46 Carla pinpoints what it is about Jimi Hendrix that made him great

28:00 Carla discusses what was new for Hendrix on Axis

31:36 Carla tells us what Don Henley’s pet peeve with Hendrix was

32:38 Carla and Al talk about how Axis is meant to be listened to in its entirety

33:31 Carla says that the era in which Axis was recorded and toured was one of rapid growth for Hendrix as a musician

34:53 Carla and Al discuss Noel Redding and his pop sensibility

38:14 Carla and Al talk about Hendrix as a vocalist and lyricist

42:07 Listening to Axis has helped Al to better appreciate Hendrix’s impact

49:07 Al wonders why tracks from Axis didn’t get more radio airplay

55:33 Carla recounts the crisis that could have prevented Axis from getting released

59:13 Carla explains how she started working with Mick Taylor

1:05:15 The Americana Railroad compilation album was decades in the making

Support the show

Send us a text

This episode is an audio-only version of the livestream event that occurred on Monday, June 20. The participants discussed musical artists they have listened to the most in their lives, the benefits of digging deeply into their favorite artists' work and whether they feel FOMO when focusing their listening attention narrowly. The participants and host also picked albums that they wanted the other participants to hear.

The participants were:
Ellen Adair (actor, baseball analyst, podcast host)
Rebecca Clay Cole (keyboardist, Pavement)
Eric Gilde (actor, writer, podcast host)
Mariana Timony (senior editor, Bandcamp Daily)

Host:
Al Melchior

2:18 Introductions
3:55 The artists we have listened to the most
15:55 What are we looking for when we get immersed in certain artists' music?
32:33 Do we get musical FOMO?
43:42 Albums we want to share with others

If you want to actually see (as well as hear) this conversation, head on over to the You, Me and An Album channel on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVv9NLptU7Q

Support the show

Send us a text

Matt Norlander, basketball writer and analyst for CBS Sports and host of the Records & Riffs podcast, is this episode's guest, and he introduces Al to Pearl Jam's fifth album, Yield.  Matt talks about his fandom for Pearl Jam in general and his love for this particular album, commenting in detail on nearly every track. He also delves into his viral moment involving a Guster sticker and what's coming up for him, both at CBS Sports and on Records & Riffs.

This was not a great episode for Al in terms of correctly citing song titles. He referred to "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" from Vs., as "Elderly Lady," and "Red Dot" from Yield as "Red Bar."

Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter and Instagram at @mattnorlander, and to check out his website, mattnorlander.com. Also find the archive of episodes for Records and Riffs at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/records-riffs/id1038311526?mt=2.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts and much more. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

Finally, You, Me and An Album now has a YouTube channel! If you missed the recent livestream episode with Rebecca Clay Cole, Mariana Timony, Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde, you can replay it there...https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbABgYqn4lMrG4NE3dqniIw.

1:24 Matt joins the show

2:22 Matt talks about interviewing Steve Lillywhite for his music podcast

5:46 Matt explains why he picked Yield

8:37 1998 was a great music year for Matt

10:39 Why is Yield Matt’s favorite Pearl Jam album?

19:00 Al references albums that were the first ones he loved from certain bands

19:32 Al appreciates the elements that make Yield different from previous Pearl Jam albums

22:31 Matt thinks the band’s collaborative approach on Yield produced great results

25:38 Matt singles out his favorite songwriter in Pearl Jam

Discussion of specific tracks

27:52 No Way/Faithful

31:50 Wishlist and an appreciation of Jack Irons

34:22 Given to Fly

36:28 Brain of J./Do the Evolution

38:33 Red Dot/Push Me, Pull Me

42:15 Matt surmises which other albums Yield’s tracks could have been placed on

43:45 MFC

45:57 Low Light

47:42 Matt admires Brendan O’Brien’s production on Yield

48:44 Matt’s closing thoughts on the album

52:04 Matt talks about his current work at CBS Sports and with Records & Riffs

56:29 Matt talks about the viral moment he had with his Guster laptop sticker

Support the show

Send us a text