You, Me and An Album

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

If you're looking for fresh perspectives on beloved albums, this is the show for you. Get to know albums through the ears of the musicians, journalists and music enthusiasts who love them. Host Al Melchior and his guests discuss the magic of music discovery and building lifelong relationships with their favorite albums.

  1. 3d ago

    Cindy Blackman Santana Discusses Her Work Past, Present and Future

    Send us Fan Mail For this episode, virtuoso drummer Cindy Blackman Santana chose her 2020 album Give the Drummer Some as the focus for this discussion, but she and Al branch out into a wide-ranging conversation about several of her albums. Cindy talks about why she decided to write and sing lyrics for Give the Drummer Some, and she highlights some of the album’s notable tracks. Cindy also discusses her 2010 Tony Williams tribute album Another Lifetime, her recently-released album Coherence and the upcoming self-titled release for the supergroup Power of 3 (with Orianthi and Rhonda Smith). As Cindy mentions on the episode, she has several live dates with her band over the next few months. Here are the dates for her shows in Baltimore and New York. For more information, go to cindyblackmansantana.com. Oct. 24-25, Keystone Corner, Baltimore, MD Dec. 4-6, Blue Note NYC, New York, NY For more information on Cindy’s recordings and shows, give her a follow on these platforms… Instagram, TikTok: @cindyblackmansantana Facebook: @cindyblackmandrummer The Power of 3 is also on Instagram at @thepowerof3official 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:24 Cindy’s introduction 2:23 Cindy explains why she wanted to talk about Give the Drummer Some 3:45 Cindy talks about the song that led to her making Give the Drummer Some with Narada Michael Walden 6:46 Cindy recalls how she took on the challenge of becoming a vocalist 9:14 Cindy discusses the songwriting process for Give the Drummer Some 15:44 Cindy highlights some of her favorite things about Give the Drummer Some 18:28 Cindy talks about the recording process for Give the Drummer Some 20:05 Cindy revisits her Tony Williams tribute album Another Lifetime 21:48 Cindy explains how her “suite” for “Coherence” came together 28:11 Cindy talks about the formation of the new supergroup The Power of 3 32:04 Cindy discusses the vinyl version of Coherence and her upcoming live dates Outro music is from “Guitar Love” by Cindy Blackman Santana (feat. John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana). Support the show

  2. Sep 24

    Jorina Stamm Discusses Phoebe Bridgers, Lost Weekend

    Send us Fan Mail Jorina Stamm of the Swiss indie pop band Soft Loft joins Al for this week’s album deep dive, and she chose Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend (released on August 14) to discuss. Jorina explains why she wanted to talk about Lost Weekend and shares her early reactions to this highly-anticipated release. She also discusses how listening to Lost Weekend got her thinking more about concept albums. Jorina explains how Soft Loft unintentionally made a concept album with their recent release Throw the Dice, and she talks about the band’s upcoming tour dates and other plans. Want to know more about Jorina and Soft Loft? You can find them in these places online… softloftmusic.com (includes newsletter signup) Instagram: @softloftsoftloft 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:21 Jorina’s introduction 2:04 Jorina explains why she picked Lost Weekend for this episode 4:04 Jorina talks about her initial experience with listening to the album 5:35 Jorina explains how doing research enhanced her listening experience 6:54 Jorina and Al react to the album opening with “The Outside” 10:09 Jorina notes the songs that have stood out to her so far 11:51 Jorina explains what she likes about Bridgers’ songwriting 13:11 Jorina and Al talk about the speculation over how much Bridgers’ lyrics are about her personal relationships 17:30 Jorina highlights the musical aspects of the album she likes 18:47 Jorina explains why her experience with listening to Lost Weekend was not a typical one for her 21:20 Jorina and Al identify their go-to tracks for one-offs 26:49 Jorina talks about why she has recently revisited some of Bridgers’ earlier work 29:36 Jorina and Al discuss Cameron Winter’s involvement with the album 33:57 Al had a failed attempt at listening to Lost Weekend right when it came out 34:57 Jorina explains how the theme of Throw the Dice came together 41:26 Jorina talks about the reaction to “Wednesdays” 44:15 Jorina reveals Soft Loft’s upcoming plans Outro music is from “What Are The Odds” by Soft Loft. Support the show

  3. Sep 18

    Michael Rudd Discusses Townes Van Zandt, self-titled

    Send us Fan Mail Albuquerque-based Americana singer-songwriter Michael Rudd joins Al for a deep-dive analysis of Townes Van Zandt’s 1969 self-titled album. Michael explains why he admires Van Zandt’s songwriting, notes what makes this album a special one in Van Zandt’s discography and breaks down the album’s highlights. He also discusses how he became inspired to create a five-album cycle over the last few years and goes into detail on some of the tracks off his latest release, Midnight at Dawn. You can find Michael’s music and keep up with him through the following places. https://www.michaelrudd.com/ https://michaelrudd.bandcamp.com/ @michaelruddmusic on YouTube @michael.rudd.music 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:16 Michael’s introduction 2:32 Michael talks about his relatively recent introduction to Townes Van Zandt’s music 4:18 Michael explains why Townes Van Zandt is a perfect album 5:15 Michael and Al discuss the emotional nature of “Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel” 7:08 Michael explains why Van Zandt stands out to him among other great songwriters 12:21 Michael hears something about the Southwestern landscape in Van Zandt’s voice 13:25 Al and Michael discuss the spiritual nature of the lyrics in “Just For the Sake of the Song” 19:39 Michael picks out some of the other highlights from the album 25:37 How much does Michael listen to Townes Van Zandt? 26:39 Michael thinks the self-titled album distinguishes itself in Van Zandt’s discography 27:54 Michael explains how he wound up creating a five-album cycle 34:48 Michael talks about the perils of trying to interpret lyrics 37:11 Michael cites the biggest influence that Van Zandt has had on his own work 39:16 Michael discusses the meaning of “Made It Out of Jersey” 47:50 Michael provides an update on Palace of Flames Outro music is from “Made It Out of Jersey” by Michael Rudd. Support the show

  4. Sep 10

    Wesley Stace Discusses Robert Wyatt, Rock Bottom

    Send us Fan Mail For his album deep dive, singer, songwriter, author and educator Wesley Stace chose Robert Wyatt’s 1974 album Rock Bottom. Wesley recounts the adolescent friendship that led to his discovery of Rock Bottom, and he explains why it has been one of his favorite albums in the ensuing decades. He delves into the non-sensical nature of Wyatt’s lyrics and why they carry deep meaning for him. Wesley also talks about his latest album One Last Heist, his recent movement towards jazzier music and his upcoming shows. There’s a lot to keep up with when it comes to Wesley’s music and shows, and you can do so at the following places online. wesleystace.com Instagram and Threads: @wesleystace Facebook: @wesley.stace.9 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:02 Wesley’s introduction 2:00 Wesley recalls how he first got introduced to Robert Wyatt’s music 12:03 Wesley explains why he was drawn to Rock Bottom and how the album made him a lifelong Wyatt fan 18:05 Wesley makes a connection between Rock Bottom and the film Don’t Look Now 23:53 Wesley lauds Nick Mason’s production work and musical vision 27:00 It doesn’t take long for Rock Bottom to get non-sensical 32:14 Wesley sees the album as having broad appeal despite its bizarre quality 33:14 Wesley compares the non-sensical lyrics of Rock Bottom with those of Yes 36:23 A couple of childhood friends were instrumental to shaping Wesley’s musical explorations 39:47 Wesley sees a link between Robert Wyatt and Bob Dylan 44:37 Wesley and Al were impacted by Wyatt’s lyrics, even when they didn’t make sense 46:11 Wesley addresses why he didn’t pick a jazz album to discuss 48:51 Wesley was disappointed with one aspect of the Rock Bottom reissue 50:03 Wesley talks about the thread tying “One Last Heist” and “Hello Dead Horse”—the opening and closing tracks from One Last Heist 53:27 Wesley explains how he started making jazzier music 58:26 Wesley talks about upcoming Smithereens and Cabinet of Wonders shows Outro music is from “Not My Speed” by Wesley Stace. Support the show

  5. Sep 3

    Bossi Discusses Bruce Springsteen, The River

    Send us Fan Mail Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, YouTuber, poet and satirist Bossi joins Al for a rare double album deep dive, as she talks about Bruce Springsteen’s 1980 release The River. Bossi discusses her Springsteen fandom, which dates back to her childhood, and she explains why The River has been one of her favorite albums for decades. She explores the prominent themes of The River and illustrates how many of those themes are present in her own work, particularly on her latest album Tell All the Other Girls. Bossi also talks about her Finishing School for Difficult Women video series and how it developed from its beginnings as a part of the rollout for Tell All the Other Girls. You can explore the many facets of Bossi’s work in the following places: www.iambossi.com iambossi.bandcamp.com www.houseofbossi.com Instagram and TikTok: @iambossiofficial Substack and YouTube: @iambossi 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:19 Bossi’s introduction 2:09 Bossi is a big believer in the album format 4:21 Bossi’s father was instrumental to her Springsteen fandom 6:45 Bossi explains how a Springsteen concert changed her life 11:05 Bossi talks about why “The Price You Pay” is a special song for her 16:22 “Two Hearts” is another track where Springsteen explores the theme of “keeping the spark alive” 17:43 Bossi explains how The River is a hopeful album, despite its many bleak moments 21:35 Bossi notes the parallels between the themes on The River and in her own music 25:25 Al and Bossi talk about the masculinity of Springsteen’s songs and image 31:09 Al thinks The River should be a single album 33:23 Bossi talks about an ongoing emotional connection she has with one of Springsteen’s songs 35:52 Bossi highlights some of her favorite tracks from the second half of the album 40:23 Bossi talks about the role of memory in Springsteen’s songs as well as in hers 45:53 Bossi and Al contrast the feel of the two discs of the album 48:10 Bossi and Al note the similarities in the sequencing between The River and Tell All the Other Girls 52:37 Bossi explains why she didn’t end Tell All the Other Girls with “Hold On” 55:43 Bossi admires how Springsteen sometimes sets heavy lyrics to upbeat music 58:25 Bossi explains how her Finishing School videos grew out of her process of rolling out Tell All the Other Girls 1:06:13 Bossi’s Finishing School character had its roots in some of her earlier performances 1:07:50 Bossi talks about her intent in creating the Finishing School videos and Substack 1:13:11 Bossi discusses the House of Bossi 1:16:39 Bossi explains why she chose “Bossi” as her artist name Outro music is from “Run Baby Run” by Bossi. Support the show

  6. Aug 27

    Rafael Melo (Late Again) Discusses Arthur Verocai, self-titled

    Send us Fan Mail For this week’s album deep dive, Brazilian-born, Brooklyn-based musician, songwriter and video game designer Rafael Melo (who records and performs as Late Again) chose Arthur Verocai’s 1972 self-titled album. Rafael talks about how he first came across Verocai’s music and why he connected with this album instantly. He also delves into why he takes inspiration from Verocai’s music and career and how he came to collaborate with the Brazilian maestro on the song “People Pleasers.” Rafael discusses his soon-to-be-released EP I Dreamt I Was Awake (out September 4) and the upcoming debut Late Again album. There are lots of places online where you can check out Late Again and follow Rafael… Website: www.imlateagain.com Bandcamp: imlateagain.bandcamp.com/ Instagram: @lateagainsta YouTube: @reallylateagain Spotify: Late Again TikTok: @reallylateagain Soundcloud: @reallylateagain 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:15 Rafael’s introduction 2:56 Al explains why his reaction to the album left him feeling a little stupid 4:20 Rafael talks about how he first got exposed to Arthur Verocai 8:51 Rafael hears Verocai’s voice through his arrangements 10:41 Rafael considers why Verocai’s music wasn’t discovered by many until decades after being released 14:13 Al and Rafael note the album’s eclecticism 17:56 Discovering Verocai was part of a larger exploration of Brazilian music for Rafael 21:33 Rafael explains how his collaboration with Verocai happened 27:04 Al found a surprise in the album’s credits 29:49 Rafael and Al appreciate Verocai’s vocals 31:26 Rafael picks his favorite tracks from the album 35:42 Al and Rafael discuss how “Na Boca do Sol” was sampled by several artists 37:42 Rafael and Al sort out their mixed feelings about sampling 39:49 Rafael finds inspiration in Verocai’s story 42:41 Rafael talks about the various musical elements in I Dreamt I Was Awake 46:28 Rafael discusses some songwriting challenges he gave himself 47:55 Rafael explains why he has not released a full album yet 51:25 Rafael provides an update on the upcoming Late Again album 52:49 Rafael talks about the many facets of his professional life 55:40 Rafael discusses his upcoming tour Outro music is from “Crazy or Stupid” by Late Again. Support the show

  7. Aug 20

    Laura Veirs Discusses Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra, Promises

    Send us Fan Mail This week’s guest is Portland-based singer, songwriter, author, podcaster, educator and visual artist Laura Veirs, and she chose the 2021 release Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra for her album deep dive. Laura talks about her recent explorations of EDM and how that led her to listening to Floating Points and, ultimately, to Promises. She discusses the elements of Promises that make it an enthralling listening experience for her, as well as how the album has helped to her to reconnect to her own music. That reconnection resulted in the making of Temple Songs (released Aug. 14), and Laura delves into her process of writing and recording songs for the album. There are many ways to keep up with Laura online! lauraveirs.com @lauraveirs on Instagram, Facebook and X @_lauraveirs_ on Tiktok @RavenMarchingBandLauraVeirs 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:22 Laura’s introduction 2:38 Laura discovered Promises by way of Floating Points’ EDM work 5:06 Laura was also drawn to the album due to her interest in Pharoah Sanders 7:45 Laura talks about the relationship between Sam Shepherd and Sanders 9:32 Laura was impressed by the use of silence and human noises on Promises 14:16 Laura hears some elements of EDM in Promises 17:50 Laura revisits the moment when she decided to pick this album 19:39 Listening to the album sparked a greater interest in Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders 21:53 Promises helped Laura to reconnect with music after a period of burnout 25:00 Laura talks about how she wound up making Temple Songs 27:43 Laura focused on her performances and not on gear when making her album 32:18 Laura explains why she didn’t mix Temple Songs 36:27 Laura talks about the “No Masters” theme of Temple Songs and why she decided not to make that the name of the album 44:41 Laura discusses the upcoming reissued version of the case/lang/veirs album 47:57 Laura talks about her videos and upcoming tour dates Outro music is from “Arc Still Bends” by Laura Veirs. Support the show

  8. Aug 13

    Kelley Dugan and Mina Walker of Daisy the Great Discuss Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Kelley Dugan and Mina Walker of Daisy the Great drop by YMAAA. For their chosen album deep dive, they selected Fiona Apple’s 2005 release Extraordinary Machine. Kelley and Mina talk about their respective musical journeys with the album, from how they individually discovered and got hooked on it to how they collectively take inspiration from Apple’s songwriting and performances. They also chat with Al about their own latest album, The Rubber Teeth Talk with Friends, and why they decided to remake the songs from their 2025 album The Rubber Teeth Talk. You can keep up with Daisy the Great via their website daisythegreat.com, as well as on the following social media accounts. Instagram and Facebook: @daisythegreatband YouTube and TikTok: @daisythegreat 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. Excerpts from episodes are now available on YouTube at @YouMeAndAnAlbum. Please consider subscribing and liking! 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 www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:18 Kelley and Mina’s introduction 2:08 Mina and Kelley talk about listening to the Jon Brion version of Extraordinary Machine 7:08 Mina and Kelley explain how they chose Extraordinary Machine for this episode 9:55 Mina recounts how she first encountered Extraordinary Machine 13:31 Kelley talks about first discovering Apple early in high school 15:54 Kelley, Mina and Al explore the theatrical side of Apple’s music 17:48 Kelley talks about what makes Extraordinary Machine stand out among Apple’s albums 20:26 Kelley, Mina and Al all view “Tymps” as a standout track 23:17 Mina explains how Apple’s rhythms accentuate her lyrics 24:32 Mina took some lessons about songwriting from the album 28:50 Kelley and Mina discuss the parallels between Apple’s music and their own 33:58 Mina and Kelley consider whether quirkiness is part of Apple’s appeal 37:10 Al was mystified the first time he had ever heard Apple 39:33 Kelley appreciates the tactile quality of Apple’s vocals 42:17 Kelley explains why she decided to go to school for theater 45:00 Kelley and Mina discuss how they came to create Daisy the Great 52:27 Mina and Kelley explain why they remade The Rubber Teeth Talk 1:01:24 Kelley and Mina talk about their upcoming plans Outro music is from “Mary’s at the Carnival (Lutalo remix)” by Daisy the Great. Support the show

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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

If you're looking for fresh perspectives on beloved albums, this is the show for you. Get to know albums through the ears of the musicians, journalists and music enthusiasts who love them. Host Al Melchior and his guests discuss the magic of music discovery and building lifelong relationships with their favorite albums.

Information

  • Creator
    Al Melchior
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    252
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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