You, Me and An Album

Al Melchior
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Music Interviews
  • 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. 3d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

See All (249)

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. 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
    249
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

You Might Also Like