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. In the process of their album deep dives, Al and his guests discuss their process of music discovery, lyrics analysis, songwriting, musical arrangements, music production and much more.

  1. 1d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. Aug 8

    Candace Hastings Discusses Adam Carroll, Lookin' Out the Screen Door

    Send us Fan Mail Texas-based singer-songwriter Candace Hastings takes us on this week’s album deep dive, as she introduces Al to Adam Carroll’s 2000 album Lookin’ Out the Screen Door. Candace talks about first getting to know Carroll when he was a student in her creative writing class at Tyler Junior College in east Texas, and what it was like to first hear Lookin’ Out the Screen Door. She also talks about what she appreciates most about Carroll’s songwriting and how he helped her to restart her own musical career. Candace also chats with Al about her recently-released album Soft Place to Land, and how Carroll was instrumental to her writing one of the tracks. You can keep up with Candace online in the following places: https://www.candacehastings.com/ https://candacehastings.bandcamp.com/ Instagram and YouTube: @candacehastingsmusic 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. 1:28 Candace’s introduction 2:12 Candace talks about her history with Carroll, beginning with him being a student of hers 6:00 Candace explains why she chose Lookin’ Out the Screen Door for this episode 7:57 Al and Candace discuss how “Sno Cone Man” exemplifies Carroll’s songwriting acumen 11:05 “Race Car Joe” shows a different side of Carroll’s songwriting 14:06 Al talks about the premise of this show 16:08 Candace revisits her first experience with listening to the album 18:23 Candace discusses how Adam helped her to re-launch her music career 23:19 Candace highlights “Screen Door” as a standout track 26:00 Candace pinpoints what she likes about Carroll’s songwriting 29:14 How autobiographical is “Errol’s Song”? 32:49 Candace talks about a special aspect of Carroll’s live shows 34:08 Candace explains why Carroll introduces his songs 36:12 Al appreciates the variety of moods on the album 38:35 Candace talks about how one of Adam’s workshops helped her to write “Come Home” 43:41 Candace discusses the sentiment behind a lyric from “Come Home” 46:12 Candace explains how her songs reflect her feelings of separation and belonging 54:54 Candace talks about her plans for the next several months Outro music is from “Too Damn Hot” by Candace Hastings. Support the show

  4. Jul 30

    Johanna Samuels Discusses Sparklehorse, It's a Wonderful Life

    Send us Fan Mail Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Johanna Samuels joins Al to introduce him to Sparklehorse’s 2001 album It’s a Wonderful Life. Johanna shares the unique circumstance under which she first learned about Sparklehorse, and she explains what makes It’s a Wonderful Life a magical album for her. She and Al also explore two of the music videos that accompanied the release of the album. Johanna talks about her soon-to-be-released fourth album Sorry, Kid (out August 14 on Odd Man Out Records) and the music videos she made for the album’s singles. #johannasamuels #sorrykid #sparklehorse #marklinkous #itsawonderfullife #albumdiscussions There are lots of places to keep up with Johanna and hear her music… https://www.johannasamuels.com/ https://johannasamuels.bandcamp.com/ https://johannasamuels.substack.com/ @johannasamuels on Instagram and YouTube @johannasamuelsmusic 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. 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. 1:29 Johanna’s introduction 2:49 Johanna revisits the unusual circumstance that led to her discovery of It’s a Wonderful Life 6:13 Johanna made a connection between Sparklehorse and Elliott Smith 8:50 Johanna recalls the artists who were on her iPod when she first heard Sparklehorse 10:25 Johanna talks about the experience of listening to It’s a Wonderful Life in its entirety 12:55 Johanna interprets the overarching theme of It’s a Wonderful Life 16:50 Johanna and Al make note of Mark Linkous’ frequent references to animals and nature in general 19:35 Johanna and Al talk about the indirectness of Linkous’ lyrics 21:19 “Gold Day” was Johanna’s entry point into the rest of the album 22:21 Johanna digs into some specific lyrics from the album 26:25 Johanna talks about some of the collaborators who appear on It’s a Wonderful Life 28:17 Johanna has bonded with people over Sparklehorse 32:21 Johanna thinks the stranger songs on the album play an important role 37:09 Johanna and Al discuss the video for “King of Nails” 42:36 Johanna and Al discuss the video for “Little Fat Baby” 49:09 Johanna’s final thought on It’s a Wonderful Life 50:10 Johanna and Al talk about the videos she made for Sorry, Kid 55:15 Johanna talks about the history of writing and recording “White Limousine” 57:45 Johanna explains how she recruited collaborators for Sorry, Kid 1:01:19 Johanna discusses her upcoming plans Outro music is from “Full Story” by Johanna Samuels. Support the show

  5. Jul 23

    Tomas Rodriguez Discusses Toumani Diabaté, Kaira

    Send us Fan Mail On this episode, Brooklyn-based classical guitarist and music educator Tomas Rodriguez introduces Al to Toumani Diabaté’s 1988 album Kaira. Tomas talks about discovering Kaira during a visit to a New York record store and how his eclectic musical upbringing primed him to develop a deep appreciation for this album of Malian kora music. Tomas explains why Kaira is a spiritual album and how it has helped him to stay centered during tumultuous moments. He also discusses how this album influences his own music, and in particular, his latest album Whispered Awakening. To get Tomas’ music, schedule of live dates and more, please visit his website tomasrodriguez.com/. You can also buy or stream his music on Bandcamp at tomasrodriguez.bandcamp.com/. You can follow Tomas on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at @tomasrodriguezguitar. 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. 1:34 Tomas’ introduction 2:18 Tomas recalls when he was first introduced to Kaira and kora music 6:11 Tomas and Al talk about the uniqueness of the kora as an instrument 10:58 Tomas notes how the spirituality of Diabaté’s music drew him in 14:53 It took Al a while to notice the variety across the tracks of the album 17:30 Tomas explains how each track is derived from Malian standards 19:34 Tomas discusses the circularity of Diabaté’s music 22:36 Tomas and Al contrast and compare kora music with blues 24:44 Tomas makes a case for listening to tracks from Kaira as one-offs 26:56 Tomas talks about how Diabaté borrows specific lines from other genres 29:46 Tomas explains how listening to Kaira helps him with his own compositions 30:56 Tomas was influenced by a wide variety of musical genres growing up 33:16 Tomas talks about the tribute to Diabaté he recorded for his new album 40:02 Tomas revisits the lead-up to making Whispered Awakening 43:42 Tomas explains why he founded the Tomas Guitar Studio in Brooklyn and how he uses Kaira in his instruction 48:21 Tomas talks about teaching with Rick Beato’s materials 50:21 Tomas talks about his upcoming shows Outro music is from “Mélancolie” by Tomas Rodriguez. Support the show

  6. Jul 16

    Anne Richmond Boston Discusses The Glands (self-titled)

    Send us Fan Mail Georgia-based vocalist, songwriter, graphic designer and illustrator Anne Richmond Boston (The Swimming Pool Q’s, solo) visits YMAAA to introduce Al to The Glands’ self-titled album, released in 2000. Anne talks about getting to know The Glands’ late frontman Ross Shaprio in Athens, Georgia, before learning he was in a band and then discovering The Glands’ music. She explains what she loves about the band’s self-titled album and about the band in general, discussing the contributions of Shaprio as well as other members. Anne also talks about her 2025 solo album I Should Be Happy, which was 32 years in the making. You can check out I Should Be Happy on Bandcamp at annerichmondboston.bandcamp.com. Learn more about Anne’s work at annerichmondboston.com. You can also follow her on Instagram at @annerichmondboston. 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 https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:32 Anne’s introduction 2:10 Anne explains why she picked The Glands for this episode 3:29 Anne recalls how she met Ross Shapiro and got introduced to the The Glands’ music 8:38 Anne talks about Shapiro’s artwork 10:42 Anne discusses the appeal of the album’s eclecticism 14:02 Anne listens to the album in a variety of settings 14:48 Anne works at spreading the word about The Glands 16:27 Anne has a hard time picking a favorite track 18:31 Anne talks about the Athens music scene past and present 21:01 Anne gives props to the other musicians who were in The Glands 23:33 Anne hears Shapiro’s “heart and soul” in The Glands’ music 25:16 Will Anne and her band cover a Glands song? 26:39 Al talks about the full-band sound on several of the tracks on I Should Be Happy 28:50 Anne discusses the process of making I Should Be Happy and the 32-year delay in releasing it 37:43 Anne talks about putting a band together to tour the new album Outro music is from “I Should Be Happy” by Anne Richmond Boston. Support the show

  7. Jul 9

    Bob Bert Discusses No New York (no wave compilation)

    Send us Fan Mail Drummer and percussionist Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, P***y Galore, Jon Spencer and the HITmakers, solo) visits YMAAA to introduce Al to the 1978 no wave compilation No New York. Bob talks about the music he listened to growing up in New Jersey and how he ultimately became immersed in the New York punk and no wave scenes. He details how No New York was an instrumental part of his exposure to no wave and how he eventually collaborated with some of the musicians from the scene, including Lydia Lunch. Bob also discusses his new album, Beach Bongo Bloodbath—the first solo album he has released under his own name. As Bob mentions on this episode, he has several upcoming shows and projects. You can learn more about those and whatever else Bob has coming up on his Instagram account. You can follow him at @therealbobbert. 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 https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:13 Bob’s introduction 2:26 Bob talks about the progression of his music listening, leading up to his discovery of no wave 7:35 Bob discusses joining Sonic Youth and meeting Lydia Lunch for the first time 10:15 Bob recalls some of the shows he went to growing up in New Jersey 13:27 Bob talks about the allure of the New York punk scene 17:37 Al shares his reaction to the compilation 20:25 Bob explains why he thinks no wave was accessible for him 21:36 Bob points out how interest in no wave has far outlasted the scene itself 24:06 Bob talks about the no wave scene beyond the compilation 30:22 Bob discusses the album’s ongoing importance to him 32:34 Bob recommends a pair of no wave documentaries 34:41 Bob explains how he came to make Beach Bongo Bloodbath and why he didn’t include guitars 38:18 Bob talks about the show from his recent album release party 40:40 Bob discusses his upcoming shows and projects Outro music is from “Foggy Notion” by Bob Bert. Support the show

  8. Jul 2

    Kira Roessler Discusses Bright Eyes, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn

    Send us Fan Mail Bassist, songwriter, music producer and film dialogue editor Kira Roessler (Black Flag, dos, solo) introduces Al to Bright Eyes’ 2005 album Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. Kira talks about why this album has been one of her favorites for the last 10 years and explains why she admires Conor Oberst’s musicianship and songwriting in general. She delves into her favorite tracks on the album and explores why Oberst’s highly vulnerable performances are a central reason for why she revisits Digital Ash frequently. Kira also talks about her second and latest solo album Enigma and how her songwriting process shaped the album’s sound. If you want to hear Kira’s album Enigma in its entirety before it gets released on July 10, register for her Bandcamp listening party, which will take place on Tuesday, July 7 at 6pm ET. You can RSVP at kiraroessler.bandcamp.com. Follow Kira and her label Org Music on their socials! @kira_bassplayer on Instagram @kiraroessler on Facebook @orgmusic on Instagram 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 https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. 1:10 Kira’s introduction 2:13 Kira reveals how she first became aware of Bright Eyes 3:08 Kira explains why Digital Ash resonates with her 4:57 Al and Kira share their responses to Oberst’s vocal style 7:50 Oberst’s openness and vulnerability is part of the appeal for Kira 10:31 Al identifies the point where his experience with Digital Ash started to change 12:48 Kira and Al responded differently to “Hit the Switch” 16:01 Kira appreciates Conor’s songwriting and album-making craft 18:47 Coping with addiction is an important theme of Digital Ash 22:02 Kira and Al talk about the one anthemic track on Digital Ash 28:34 Al and Kira make note of the album’s loop-like nature 30:24 Kira addresses a few tracks towards the end of the album 34:27 Kira and Al talk about the Bright Eyes discography 37:32 Kira explains why she recently saw Bright Eyes perform Digital Ash and I’m Wide Awake, despite her dislike of nostalgia 39:57 Kira gives some examples of artists she can get nostalgic about 41:02 Kira talks about her cover of “Drinking and Driving” 43:17 Kira discusses the title track and album closer for Enigma 45:16 Kira explains how she created the spacious sound on Enigma 49:45 Kira talks about her recent singles and upcoming plans Outro music is from “You Will Feel My Pain” by Kira Roessler. Support the show

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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. In the process of their album deep dives, Al and his guests discuss their process of music discovery, lyrics analysis, songwriting, musical arrangements, music production and much more.

Information

  • Creator
    Al Melchior
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    246
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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