You, Me and An Album

Al Melchior
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

On each episode, a guest introduces the host, Al Melchior, to an album they love but that he doesn't know.

  1. 6d ago

    Robert Margouleff Discusses David Sanborn, As We Speak, and Revisits His Work with Stevie Wonder

    Send us Fan Mail Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer, synthesizer programmer, studio owner, film producer and author Robert Margouleff stops by YMAAA to introduce Al to David Sanborn’s 1982 album As We Speak—an album that he produced. Robert talks about how he came to produce the saxophonist’s album and why the album had the novelty of two tracks with vocals by Michael Sembello. Robert and Al covered a wide range of topics, from how drum machines changed the nature of recorded music from the ‘80s forward to the demise of fade-outs to the drawbacks of noise-canceling headphones to the use of AI in music. Robert also discussed his recently-released memoir Shaping Sounds: Stevie Wonder, DEVO, The Synth Revolution and My Life Behind the Music, and he delved into his work with Stevie Wonder (along with his production and engineering partner Malcolm Cecil) during the early- and mid-‘70s. Robert’s website (which links to sites where you can buy his book) and socials: https://www.margouleff.com/ Instagram: @robertmargouleff Facebook: @robert_margouleff Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. Al has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, but you can listen to the past ones at the You, Me and An Album Patreon for $1/month. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:41 Robert’s introduction 3:05 Robert talks about the archive of songs that provided tracks for Stevie Wonder’s albums from Music of My Mind to Fulfillingness’ First Finale 6:08 Robert delves into his first foray into digital recording for As We Speak 8:37 Robert points out the novelty of having tracks with vocals on a David Sanborn album 10:13 Robert and Al talk about some of the unquestioned conventions of album-making 12:31 Robert makes the case against noise-canceling headphones (and for cursive handwriting) 15:28 Robert mourns the loss of rubato and “objective listening” in recorded music 19:07 Robert explains why he wanted to record As We Speak as live as possible 20:19 Robert talks about how he came to produce As We Speak 22:48 Robert recalls the recording process for the album 27:08 Robert and Al talk about Michael Sembello’s contributions to As We Speak and why the album didn’t break him out 31:31 Robert talks about the impact of cocaine and drum machines on ‘80s music (plus an aside on crating dogs) 38:13 Robert pinpoints what makes Taylor Swift’s live performances powerful 39:18 Robert explains why he does not fear the use of AI in music 46:03 Robert shares his final thoughts on As We Speak and some observations about recording drums and percussion 51:55 Al sums up his reaction to listening to As We Speak 52:41 Robert explains why Music of My Mind has a joyous, human feel 1:01:16 Al cites one part of Robert’s book that made a big impression on him Outro music is from “Boogie On Reggae Woman” by Stevie Wonder. Support the show

    1h 7m

  2. Jun 5

    Robert Deeble Discusses Florist, self-titled

    Send us Fan Mail Seattle-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Robert Deeble joins Al to get him acquainted with Florist’s 2022 self-titled album. Robert talks about how he got introduced to the album and why he connected with it almost immediately. He also discusses the parallels between the album and some of his own music. Al notes some connections between Florist and Robert’s latest album The Space Between Us, and Robert talks about inspirations and meanings of two of the album’s tracks, “Forest From the Tree” and “Not on Your Team.” As Robert mentioned, you can check out his music and learn more about his work on his website, robertdeeble.com, and on his Bandcamp page, robertdeeble.bandcamp.com. You can also follow Robert on Instagram at @rdeeble. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. Al has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, but you can listen to the past ones at the You, Me and An Album Patreon for $1/month. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:32 Robert’s introduction 2:16 Florist are nearly as new to Robert as they are to Al 4:59 Robert talks about some of the artists who have been influential to his music 7:07 Robert revisits his first impressions of the album 10:12 Robert shares his appreciation for music appreciators 11:51 Al found the album’s pacing and sequencing interesting 15:35 Robert talks about connections he’s discovered between his album’s and Florist’s 20:38 One similarity between Robert’s music and Florist’s was particularly notable 26:34 Robert explains what he likes about Florist’s sound and approach 29:05 Robert talks about Emily Sprague as a lyricist 31:15 Robert and Al discuss the healing quality of Florist 36:39 Robert talks about the album’s dreamlike quality 38:06 Al picks out the one track that stood out for him 40:00 Robert makes note of Sprague’s affinity for synths 43:12 Robert and Al sum up their reactions to Florist 44:15 Robert talks about the origins of his song “Forest From the Tree” 47:42 Robert reveals the conceptual layers of “Not on Your Team” 57:50 Robert talks about his upcoming plans Outro music is from “Orphan Song” by Robert Deeble. Support the show

    1h 3m

  3. May 29

    Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara of Sub*T Discuss Plumtree, Predicts the Future

    Send us Fan Mail Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara of the Brooklyn-based band Sub*T introduce Al to Plumtree’s 1997 album Predicts the Future (or, as it is alternatively known, Plumtree Predicts the Future). Grace and Jade talk about why the album is an important one for both of them and the influence it has had on their own music. They also discuss favorite tracks from the album and the phenomenon that grew out of the song “Scott Pilgrim.” Grace and Jade talk about the evolution of their friendship and how that led to the formation of Sub*T, and they delve into their recently-released debut album, How My Own Voice Sounds. Here’s where you can learn more about Sub*T… @subtrules on Instagram and YouTube https://www.subtrules.com/ https://subtrules.substack.com/ For information on the June 6 show at AS220 in Providence, go here: https://as220.org/calendar/guppy-subt-stupid-robots. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. Al has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, but you can listen to the past ones at the You, Me and An Album Patreon for $1/month. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:39 Introducing Jade and Grace 2:17 Al barely knew what Scott Pilgrim was 3:11 Al had some confusion over the album’s name 4:16 Grace explains why they chose to talk about Predicts the Future 5:17 Grace and Jade talk about their early impressions of Plumtree 9:18 Jade and Grace point out the features of the album they find so appealing 14:20 Jade shares some interesting details about Plumtree’s members 16:38 Grace, Jade and Al talk about some of their favorite tracks from the album 21:20 Jade and Grace discuss how Plumtree’s sound progressed 24:50 Jade brings up some more of her favorite tracks 26:11 Grace and Jade talk about the album’s middle section 27:56 Jade and Grace discuss the phenomenon of “Scott Pilgrim” 36:31 Grace explains the origins of the album title, How My Own Voice Sounds 39:39 Grace reveals how she came up with the title for “Imaginal Cells” 41:33 Grace and Jade discuss how they determine vocal roles on their songs 46:55 Grace and Jade talk about how they became a band 54:14 What’s next for Sub*T? Outro music is from “Mirror Image” by Sub*T. Support the show

    1 hr

  4. May 21

    Joe Adragna and Mary Beth Melchior Discuss The Monkees, Head (film and soundtrack) - originally published on Bonus Tracks Patreon

    Send us Fan Mail This episode was first published in February 2026 on the You, Me and An Album Bonus Tracks Patreon. Joe Adragna (The Junior League) and Mary Beth Melchior join me for this episode to discuss the Monkees’ film Head, as well as its soundtrack, both released in 1968. We talk about our impressions of the movie, what we liked about the songs from the soundtrack and the ways in which the film and songs were and weren’t a departure for the group. We also discuss why the film, the soundtrack and the Monkees in general have not received more acclaim.’ Joe talks about his new album The Moon Neither Noticed Nor Ignored (out Feb. 6), and Mary Beth delves into her YouTube poetry channel OnThePath88. 0:00 Re-introducing Joe and Mary Beth 1:43 Joe encouraged Mary Beth and Al to watch the Head movie 2:55 Mary Beth explains why she hadn’t yet watched Head 6:10 Joe talks about when he first saw the movie 7:47 Joe and Mary Beth talk about the different way that the Monkees were presented in the film, as opposed to the TV series 14:12 The darkness of the Monkees' new image came more from the story than from the music itself 16:19 Mary Beth talks about the use of “Daddy’s Song” in the film and compares it to “Cuddly Toy” 21:33 Joe and Mary Beth discuss how topical Head was (and still is) 26:44 Joe explains how the movie came together and the degree to which the Monkees were involved 31:56 Joe and Mary Beth talk about how the film exposes the ways the Monkees were trapped in their TV series personas 39:02 Head was a difficult film to market 41:40 Joe relates an encounter he had with Peter Tork regarding the movie 44:18 Can the soundtrack be experienced as separate and distinct from the movie? 46:43 Joe recalls a live performance of “Porpoise Song” that he saw 47:55 Mary Beth ponders the strangeness of being a Monkee after the band’s heyday 48:58 Joe and Mary Beth celebrate the catalog of songs written by the Monkees themselves 54:47 Mary Beth and Joe discuss how Mickey Dolenz continues to build on the Monkees’ legacy 56:31 Is there a scenario where the Monkees could have continued the direction signaled by Head? 59:16 Al is more motivated now to explore more of the Monkees’ discography 1:00:42 Contrary to public perception, the Monkees were real musicians 1:02:20 Could there be another Monkees episode in the future? 1:03:19 Joe talks about his new album The Moon Neither Noticed Nor Ignored 1:06:53 Mary Beth shares the latest developments on her YouTube poetry channel, OnThePath88 Outro music is from “Forget Forget Me Nots” by The Junior League. Support the show

    1h 14m

  5. May 15

    Jesca Hoop Discusses Joni Mitchell, For the Roses

    Send us Fan Mail Manchester-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Jesca Hoop joins Al to introduce him to Joni Mitchell’s 1972 album For the Roses. Jesca talks about how she first discovered For the Roses as well as the earlier albums in Mitchell’s catalog after having minimal exposure to popular artists during much of her childhood. She explains why she connects with this album and why it’s a notable part of Mitchell’s discography. Jesca also discusses her new album Long Wave Home and delves into her experience as the album’s sole producer. You can find Jesca online in each of the following places: https://www.jescahoop.co.uk/ @jescahoopster on Instagram @JescaHoopMusic on Facebook @JescaHoop on YouTube Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. Al has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, but you can listen to the past ones at the You, Me and An Album Patreon for $1/month. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:28 Jesca’s introduction 2:21 Jesca explains why she chose to talk about For the Roses 5:26 Jesca shares how she first encountered For the Roses and some of the other albums in Mitchell's catalog 8:29 Jesca talks about Mitchell’s progression from her earliest albums to For the Roses 11:49 Jesca explains why the album resonated for her during a lonely period of her life 14:34 Jesca singles out the first track that she felt a connection to 17:03 Jesca identifies a key element that separates Mitchell from many other musicians and songwriters 18:59 Jesca talks about the adventurousness of Mitchell’s poetry on For the Roses 21:35 Jesca discusses the artistry behind Mitchell’s arrangements and pacing 25:53 Did Mitchell make better singles on Court and Spark than on For the Roses? 29:02 Jesca explains why she listened to For the Roses a lot while on tour with Mark Knopfler 32:07 Jesca and Al contrast “For the Roses” with “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” 38:44 Jesca notes the recent Record Store Day reissue of For the Roses 39:53 Jesca talks about being the sole producer of Long Wave Home 45:48 Jesca explains some of her lyrical choices for “Designer Citizen” 51:48 Jesca discusses the comforting feel of “Long Wave Home” 55:15 Jesca talks about upcoming plans for The Songs of Joni Mitchell and her solo tour Outro music is from “Big Storm” by Jesca Hoop. Support the show

    1 hr

  6. May 7

    Ryan Sollee Discusses No Knife, Fire in the City of Automatons

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode, The Builders and The Butchers frontman Ryan Sollee joins Al to introduce him to No Knife’s 1999 album Fire in the City of Automatons. Ryan shares why he chose to talk about this No Knife album for this episode, and he explains what is special to him about this band and this album. He delves into his favorite tracks from Fire in the City of Automatons and talks about the rare encounter he had with another No Knife “mega-fan.” Ryan also talks about the new Builders and The Butchers album, No Tomorrow, the band’s recent performances with the Portland Cello Project and the band’s new board game. Note: The clip of No Knife performing “Minus One” at The Casbah in San Diego in 2009 comes from the YouTube account for Mvideojukebox. Ryan talked about The Builders and The Butchers’ Patreon on this episode. You can check it out and join at https://www.patreon.com/TheBuildersandtheButchers. He also mentioned the band’s Bandcamp page. Find their music there at https://thebuildersandthebutchers.bandcamp.com/. You can also learn more about The Builders and The Butchers at the following places: https://www.thebuildersandthebutchers.com/ @thebuildersandthebutchers on Instagram and Facebook Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. Though Al mentioned that he has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, you can listen to the past ones at the You, Me and An Album Patreon for $1/month. Just go to https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:13 Ryan’s introduction 1:48 Ryan explains why he chose Fire in the City of Automatons and cites some of his other favorite albums 3:51 Ryan revisits his introduction to No Knife, and Al shares his reaction to first hearing them 6:10 Ryan explains what he thinks sets No Knife apart from other emo-adjacent bands 8:51 Ryan shares what he liked about Fire in the City of Automatons right from the first listen 10:30 Al and Ryan really like No Knife’s vocals 11:49 Ryan and Al talk about the No Knife-Mission of Burma connection 14:34 Ryan discusses his favorite tracks from the album 16:55 Al was impressed by the album’s sonic variety 18:41 Ryan found another No Knife superfan while he was on tour 20:03 Ryan and Al try to understand why No Knife didn’t build a larger following 25:18 Ryan recommends another No Knife album 26:09 Ryan gives No Knife’s bassist (Brian Desjean) his props 27:52 Are there connections between No Knife and The Builders and The Butchers? 30:10 Ryan talks about No Tomorrow’s closing track, “A Wall/A Fire” 36:05 Ryan discusses The Builders and The Butchers’ album release shows with the Portland Cello Project 38:37 Ryan talks about the new Builders and The Butchers board game 40:21 Ryan explains how the band commemorated their 20th anniversary 41:28 Ryan discusses how The Builders and The Butchers keep in touch with their fans outside of social media Outro music is from “Mother Mary” by The Builders and The Butchers. Support the show

    49 min

  7. Apr 30

    James Petralli (White Denim) Discusses Stevie Wonder, Music of My Mind

    Send us Fan Mail L.A.-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer James Petralli of White Denim joins Al for this episode to introduce him to Stevie Wonder’s 1972 album Music of My Mind. James talks about the album’s “value system,” and why it appealed to him so much when he first started listening to the record. He also discusses the ways in which Music of My Mind was a departure from Wonder’s previous work and how it foreshadowed his run of critically- and commercially-successful albums in the ‘70s. James talks about White Denim’s new album 13 and explains how the band’s songwriting process works. You can follow James and White Denim in all of the following places: Instagram and Facebook: @whitedenimmusic YouTube: @whitedenim https://whitedenimmusic.com/ whitedenim.substack.com Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. 1:20 James’ introduction 2:00 There will be a second episode where Music of My Mind will be discussed 2:44 James explains why he likes the “value system” of Music of My Mind 5:38 James and Al talk about how Music of My Mind was a pivotal album for Wonder 6:48 James recalls his initial experiences with the album 8:53 James appreciates the album’s combination of virtuosity and emotional feel 10:23 Al shares what he learned about Bernard Purdie’s involvement with the album, and why he doesn’t appear on it 12:16 James talks about some of the album’s great imperfect moments 15:59 James discusses similarities he hears with other artists’ work (and a disclaimer) 20:13 James explains why Music of My Mind is nostalgic for him 23:30 The songs on Music of My Mind were a precursor to Wonder's future hits 26:04 James recommends one of Wonder’s albums from the ‘80s 30:28 James talks about White Denim’s songwriting process Outro music is from "(God Created) Lock and Key" by White Denim. Support the show

    42 min

  8. Apr 25

    Amelia Fletcher Discusses Girls at Our Best!, Pleasure

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode, singer/songwriter/guitarist/economist Amelia Fletcher (Heavenly, Swansea Sound, Catenary Wires, Talulah Gosh) introduces Al to Girls at Our Best’s 1981 album Pleasure. Amelia revisits her teenage fandom of Girls at Our Best!, and she explains why they were—and continue to be—one of her favorite bands. She also talks about how their songwriting style has influenced her approach to writing songs and how that is reflected in Heavenly’s work. Amelia discusses several of the songs on Heavenly’s new album, Highway to Heavenly, and talks about how the recent virality of their 1993 song “P.U.N.K. Girl” contributed to the band’s reuniting. Finally, Amelia explains how balancing her careers as a musician and economist can sometimes be challenging. You can keep up with Amelia, Heavenly and her Skep Wax label in the following places: Instagram @ameliafletcher56, @heavenlyindie, @skepwax Facebook @amelia.fletcher.980, @HeavenlyGroupOfficial Tiktok @heavenlyindie https://www.skepwax.com/ Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum. 1:25 Amelia’s introduction 2:30 Amelia explains why she chose Pleasure for this episode 3:57 Amelia recalls how she first got into Girls at Our Best! 8:12 Amelia was not fooled by the band’s name 9:02 Amelia singles out the aspects of the band’s music that initially appealed to her 12:26 Amelia and Al share their observations about the album’s lyrics 17:26 Girls at Our Best! were influential to the sound of Heavenly 18:16 What ever happened to Girls at Our Best!? 23:00 Amelia likes other bands from the Leeds scene 25:29 Amelia and Al talk about their favorite tracks from Pleasure 30:48 Al noticed the connection between the songwriting style on Pleasure and on Highway to Heavenly 32:03 Is “Portland Town” based on Amelia’s experience? 34:20 Amelia talks about the real-life events she wrote about in “The Last Day” 38:11 The songs on Highway to Heavenly cover a wide range of moods 40:18 Amelia discusses Heavenly’s tour plans 41:30 Amelia explains why Heavenly decided to return to touring and recording 45:10 Amelia talks about her dual careers in music and economics Outro music is from “Deflicted” by Heavenly. Support the show

    55 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

On each episode, a guest introduces the host, Al Melchior, to an album they love but that he doesn't know.

Information

  • Creator
    Al Melchior
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    236
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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