You, Me and An Album

Al Melchior
  • 5.0 (17)
  • 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

    221. Alan Williams Discusses Carla Bley and Paul Haines, Escalator over the Hill

    Send a text Musician, songwriter, producer, engineer and ethnomusicologist Alan Williams (solo, Birdsong at Morning, Knots and Crosses) joins Al to talk about Carla Bley and Paul Haines’ 1971 album Escalator over the Hill. Alan discusses why he decided to explore EOTH during his high school years, what his favorite parts of the album are, why it has stuck with him over the years and how much he actually likes the album. Alan explores the challenges the album presents to the genrefication of music and talks about several of the artists involved, including Linda Ronstadt, Jack Bruce and Charlie Haden. He also shares details about the making of his soon-to-be-released solo album Floating on the Dreamline (out on March 6) and his experiences with directing the Album Ensembles at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where he is a Professor of Music. You can watch videos of the Album Ensembles’ live performances from Alan’s website: https://www.alanwilliamsevidence.com/musings/an-incredible-simulation-the-umass-lowell-album-ensemble-projects You can follow Alan on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at @alanwilliamsevidence. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first seven episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:16 Alan’s introduction 2:27 Alan explains why he got interested in Escalator over the Hill 3:55 Alan describes his initial experience with listening to the album 7:17 Alan and Al talk about the album’s lack of a story 11:01 Alan talks about the blending of the jazz and rock worlds on EOTH 16:29 Alan explains why EOTH made a big impact on him 19:47 Is it best to listen to all six sides of the album all the way through? 22:24 Alan picks out some of his favorite parts of the album 27:27 Linda Ronstadt’s involvement with this album puts the rest of her career in perspective 30:53 Alan is impressed that Bley got the project completed in spite of the obstacles 32:50 Bley continued to collaborate with rock musicians after EOTH 34:38 Does Alan actually like EOTH? 39:45 Alan explains why he finds EOTH inspirational 42:45 Alan recounts a personal encounter he had related to EOTH 44:20 Alan talks about artists who influenced the sound of Floating on the Dreamline 47:49 Alan discusses how “Feel No Pain” came together 51:16 Al hears FOTD as sonically cohesive 53:06 Alan talks about his students’ eclectic musical tastes 53:56 Alan discusses the Album Ensembles at University of Massachusetts-Lowell 1:06:37 Alan talks about his imminent retirement and upcoming events Outro music is from “Before My Eyes” by Alan Williams. Support the show

    1h 14m

  2. FEB 11

    220. Will Epstein Discusses Lou Reed, The Blue Mask

    Send a text Woodstock, NY-based composer and musician Will Epstein joins Al to introduce him to Lou Reed’s 1982 album The Blue Mask. Will talks about when he first got acquainted with the Velvet Underground and how he eventually started listening to Reed’s solo material and The Blue Mask specifically. He breaks down several of the album’s tracks, illustrating what impresses him about Reed as a songwriter and performer. Will also discusses his recently-released album Yeah, mostly and talks about his upcoming plans. You can follow Will on Instagram at @willcrushwater and find his music on Bandcamp at https://willepstein.bandcamp.com/. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first seven episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:15 Will's introduction 1:55 Will talks about how he first got interested in the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed 5:24 Will explains why The Blue Mask impressed him when he first explored it 13:04 Al and Will discuss the album’s track sequencing 16:35 Will explains how “My House” inspires him 20:44 Will discusses the contradictions of “Women” and “Underneath the Bottle” 24:36 Will sees Reed as being connected to Larry David 26:50 Al is impressed by the fluidity of the moods on The Blue Mask 28:03 Will hears contradictions in “Waves of Fear,” too 32:15 Will talks about how listening to The Blue Mask had an impact on the making of Yeah, mostly 40:25 Will explains why he name-checked Reed in “Socks in LA” 42:23 Will revisits some of the times he saw Reed perform 44:07 Did Will channel Reed on “Dishwasher”? 49:03 Will explains why he chose Yeah, mostly as the album title 53:12 Will talks about his plans for the coming months Outro music is from “Brideshead Revisited Revisited” by Will Epstein. Support the show

    59 min

  3. JAN 29

    219. I Get So Emotional: What Makes These Sad Songs Sad? with Mary Beth Melchior

    Send a text This is an excerpt from the first-ever Patreon-only episode of You, Me and An Album, aka Bonus Tracks. On the original version of this episode, Mary Beth and Al Melchior discuss four songs, two that Mary Beth experiences as sad and two that Al experiences as sad. Al's choices were “Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)" by James and “Murmurations” by Amy Millan. Mary Beth’s were “Remember My Name” by Sons of Legion and “Hallelujah” by k.d. lang (specifically, her performance of the song at the 2005 Juno Awards). This excerpted version features the discussions of "Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)" and "Hallelujah." Mary Beth and Al wound up having very different reactions to each of the songs, and they try to figure out why each song made one of them sad but not the other. To hear k.d. lang's Juno Awards performance of "Hallelujah," you can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE&list=RDP_NpxTWbovE&start_radio=1. Mary Beth has a wonderful poetry channel on YouTube! Check it out and subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/@OnThePath88. You can also follow Mary Beth on Instagram at @mbmelchior. To hear the full version of this episode, plus all of the other Bonus Tracks episodes, join the YMAAA Patreon at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. 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. 1:47 What to expect from Bonus Tracks 4:38 Mary Beth joins the show 5:57 The theme of this episode was Mary Beth’s idea 7:05 Mary Beth and Al deal with sadness in music very differently Discussion of specific sad songs 8:37 James, “Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)" 29:36 k.d. lang, “Hallelujah” 45:10 Other versions of “Hallelujah” 48:39 Mary Beth helps Al to understand why he doesn’t get “Hallelujah” 58:15 Mary Beth’s final thoughts about comparing reactions to the songs Support the show

    1h 1m

  4. JAN 21

    218. Storey Littleton Discusses Madi Diaz, History of a Feeling

    Send a text Woodstock, NY-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Storey Littleton joins Al to talk about Madi Diaz’s 2021 album History of a Feeling. Storey explains why she chose to discuss this album, even though she doesn’t always listen to it regularly, and she highlights certain tracks that are among her favorites. She also talks about how the album is a departure from the breakup albums that she used to listen to. Storey and Al chat about Storey’s soon-to-be-released debut album At a Diner (Feb. 6 on Don Giovanni Records), and Storey goes into detail about how the writing and recording process for her recent single “January” developed. You can pre-order At a Diner from Storey’s website, and while you’re there, you can also check out her videos, tour dates and more. Just go to https://storeylittleton.com/. Also, you can follow Storey and her bands on the following platforms… Storey: @storeylittletn on Instagram @storeylittleton on YouTube Monogamy: @m0nogamy on Instagram Ida: @talesofbraveida on Instagram Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first six episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:33 Storey’s introduction 2:17 Storey chose History of a Feeling, even though she doesn’t always listen to it frequently 6:25 Storey’s mother was instrumental in her discovery of this album 9:01 Storey explains why she has such a strong affinity for the album 10:40 Storey talks about her most recent experience with listening to History of a Feeling 16:57 Al explains why he listened to the album backwards 20:27 Storey expounds on the indirectness of some of Diaz’s lyrics 21:54 Storey found listening to History of a Feeling to be a shocking experience 27:49 Al talks about a lyric that stood out for him 30:07 Storey and Al take note of the harmonies on “Do It Now’ 30:49 Storey explains why “Man in Me” is one of her favorite songs on the album 35:39 History of a Feeling was a gateway to other music for Storey 37:51 Storey talks about a couple of other tracks that are among her favorites 40:33 Storey mentions the various drummers who performed on At a Diner 42:33 Storey discusses her parents’ contributions to At a Diner 43:27 Storey talks about the development of “January” 51:11 Why does Storey like playing at Tubby’s? 53:13 What’s next for Storey? Outro music is from “At a Diner” by Storey Littleton. Support the show

    59 min

  5. JAN 15

    217. Exploring Unfamiliar Albums with Fretted Dulcimer Player Sam Edelston

    Send a text This is an excerpt from a Bonus Tracks episode published on the You, Me and An Album Patreon on Sept. 25, 2025. You can hear the entire episode, plus all of the other Bonus Tracks episodes, by joining the YMAAA Patreon at patreon.com/youmealbum. Dulcimer player Sam Edelston joins Al to talk about listening to albums that are off the beaten path. Whether we're listening to genres we're unfamiliar with or music that we come across unexpectedly, finding the key that allows us to enjoy that music can be a challenge. Sam and Al talk about their experiences with listening to albums on a list that Sam created, which features artists ranging from Tom Lehrer to Bobby Bare to Kazuhito Yamashita. Sam also discusses how he has discovered and reimagined music through the fretted dulcimer—and he and Al chat about his terrific dulcimer rock album Making Waves. You can keep up with Sam and his music at the following places: https://www.samthemusicman.com/ @contemporarydulcimer on Instagram and YouTube @Sam.Edelston.Music on 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. 0:17 Introduction: Sharing excerpts from Bonus Tracks 2:55 Sam joins the show 3:08 Al explains how he is approaching this episode 4:36 Sam talks about why he took up fretted dulcimer 7:44 “Mellow Yellow” got Sam started on his exploration of rock songs on dulcimer 9:20 Sam talks about the advantages of playing a three-stringed instrument 11:49 Sam explains how he varies some of the arrangements on his cover songs 16:09 Sam aims to take the integration of dulcimer into rock music to another level 19:33 Al didn’t connect with some of the music on Sam’s list 24:02 Sam found each of the albums on his list in unexpected ways 28:03 Hearing a cappella versions of songs sometimes gets Sam to explore the originals 35:49 Sometimes record store recommendations fill in the gaps that radio listening leaves 37:05 Al highlights some of the music from Sam’s list that he liked the most 39:09 Arranging songs for dulcimer enhances Sam’s enjoyment of songs that are new to him Outro music is from “Wild Horses” by Edelston & Dulcimer. Support the show

    49 min

  6. JAN 9

    216. Maia Sharp Discusses Lord Huron, Vide Noir

    Send a text On this episode, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maia Sharp gets Al acquainted with Lord Huron’s 2018 album Vide Noir. (Maia was previously a guest on Ep 124, when she and Al talked about Historian by Lucy Dacus.) Maia explains why Vide Noir is on heavy rotation at her home and how this album—and Lord Huron’s music more generally—has informed her own songwriting. She also discusses the making of her latest album Tomboy, delving into some of the lyrical themes, arrangements and songwriting processes. Learn more about Maia and her music at https://www.maiasharp.com/! To hear exclusive songs, previews and much more, check out Maia’s Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/maiasharp. You can also follow Maia on Instagram at @maiasharpmusic and on Facebook at @maiasharpofficial. At the end of this episode, Al mentioned the song that Maia co-wrote as part of the Songwriting With Soldiers program. To learn more about the making of “Strumming Hand,” see the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhW4szERds. To learn more about Songwriting With Soldiers, visit their website at https://songwritingwithsoldiers.org/. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first six episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:19 Maia’s introduction 2:19 Al had heard of Lord Huron before…barely 6:03 Maia explains why she picked Vide Noir for this episode 11:02 Maia talks about songwriting lessons she has learned from Lord Huron 16:04 Al and Maia compare the experiences of listening to Lord Huron and Bon Iver 21:20 Al and Maia talk about the lack of action in Ben Schneider’s story 24:51 Maia loves the slackness of the drums on Vide Noir 30:16 Why doesn’t Maia usually like music that sounds theatrical? 32:18 Maia and Al note the album’s blend of retro and futuristic sounds 34:21 Maia appreciates how listening to Vide Noir is a full experience 39:04 There’s not much suspense as to how the protagonist’s story is going to end 40:13 Maia took a different approach to listening to Vide Noir in preparing for this episode 43:13 Maia talks about the use of percussion on Tomboy 48:08 Maia recounts the process of writing “Better Story” with Matthew Perryman Jones 52:30 Maia talks about her upcoming plans Outro is from “Strumming Hand” by Maia Sharp. Support the show

    1h 3m

  7. 12/26/2025

    215. Scott Dudelson Discusses Dillard & Clark, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

    Send a text For the final YMAAA episode of 2025, music photographer, podcaster, entrepreneur and record collector Scott Dudelson introduces Al to Dillard & Clark’s 1968 debut album The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark. Scott talks about how he first encountered the album, why it had special significance for him during an important time in his life and why it continues to be a favorite album of his. He also discusses how bluegrass legend Doug Dillard and rock icon Gene Clark became a duo and how Bernie Leadon came to be an important contributor to their work. Scott also talks about his Legends podcast, his work as a music photographer and rebuilding his substantial record collection after losing his home in the Palisades Fire. You can check out Scott’s interviews on his @alldayvinyl YouTube channel or at the home for his Legends podcast, https://musiclegendspodcast.com/. Scott mentioned his Instagram account, and you can follow him there at @alldayvinyl. He also has an IG account for his photography at @photos_by_the_dude. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first five episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:15 Scott’s introduction 2:08 Scott explains why he picked this Dillard & Clark album for this episode 3:40 Learning about Dillard & Clark helped both Scott and Al to better see the connections between country and rock 5:24 Scott revisits his experience of buying The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark 9:08 Scott recalls what impressed him about the album initially 10:33 Scott talks about Bernie Leadon’s role on the album 13:10 Scott discusses some of the details regarding the album that he learned from interviewing Leadon 17:21 Scott explains why this album resonates for him personally 22:35 Scott spotlights the songs that stand out for him 25:58 “Train Leaves Here This Morning” sent Al on a musical exploration 27:44 "The Radio Song” reminded Scott and Al of other songs 30:41 The Dillard & Clark album inspired Scott to explore other music 33:35 Scott talks about starting All Day Vinyl and interviewing Leadon 35:30 Scott discusses the process of rebuilding his record collection with help from donations 39:44 Scott doesn’t just listen to music on vinyl 41:33 Scott mentions some interviews he has done for his Legends podcast 43:02 Scott explains how he got started as a music photographer Support the show

    48 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    214. Madison Cunningham Discusses Silver Apples, self-titled

    Send a text Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Madison Cunningham joins Al to introduce him to the 1968 debut album by Silver Apples, Madison talks about how she became acquainted with the album, the unusual way the album was made and why it has become a meaningful album for her personally. She and Al highlight their favorite tracks and discuss how they relate to the album’s lyrics. Madison also discusses the making of her latest album, Ace, and the process of selecting its three singles. For Madison’s tour info, merch, newsletter and more, go to her website at https://www.madisoncunningham.com/. You can also follow Madison on the following platforms: Instagram: @madicunningham Facebook: @madisoncunninghammusic Tiktok: @madisoncunningham_ YouTube: @madisoncunningham Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first five episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going. To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum 1:26 Madison’s introduction 2:21 Madison explains what makes Silver Apples special for her 4:49 Madison shares how she first discovered this album 5:52 Madison talks about her initial experiences with listening to the album 9:08 Al describes his listening experience 11:35 Madison got some songwriting insights from listening to Silver Apples 13:39 Sliver Apples reminded Al of another artist covered on YMAAA 16:19 Madison and Al talk about the surprisingly human quality of the music, even though it’s electronic 19:09 Madison talks about Silver Apples' performance in Central Park for the moon landing 21:29 Madison recounts how Silver Apples disbanded after the release of their second album 23:57 Al explains why he finds “Oscillations” amusing 25:51 Madison and Al discuss their favorite tracks from the album 31:07 “Dancing Gods” left both Madison and Al confused 34:09 Madison appreciates Danny Taylor’s approach to drumming 36:39 Madison talks about her reactions to the album’s lyrics 41:52 Madison sees bands like Silver Apples as an antidote to the negative side of the singer-songwriter scene 43:46 Is there a common link between Silver Apples and Madison’s work? 47:36 Madison talks about her mindset during the time of making Ace 50:58 Do the singles from Ace feel like singles? 54:51 Madison explains why she recorded new live versions of songs for music videos 59:28 Madison talks about her upcoming tour and plugs one of her favorite albums of 2025 Outro music is from “Goodwill” by Madison Cunningham Support the show

    1h 5m
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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
    222
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album