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. 4D AGO

    225. Ben Vaughn Discusses Alex Chilton, Like Flies on Sherbert

    Send us Fan Mail Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, TV and film composer, radio show host and podcaster Ben Vaughn drops by to introduce Al to Alex Chilton’s 1979 debut solo album Like Flies on Sherbert. Ben talks about the negative impression he got the first time he was exposed to Chilton, when he appeared on a local 1960s television show in Philadelphia, and how he eventually became a fan, friend and collaborator of Chilton’s. He explains why he thinks Like Flies on Sherbert is Chilton’s best album, digging into several of the album’s tracks and discussing the circumstances under which the album was recorded. Ben also talks about his recently-launched podcast Straight From The Hat, as well as his upcoming album with Deer Tick. Follow Ben on Instagram! He’s at @benvaughnmusic. You can also learn more about Ben and his work on his website https://benvaughn.org/. Ben also mentioned that Straight From The Hat has a website. Check out episodes and the extra goodies that Ben talked about at straightfromthehat.com. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first eight 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. 1:48 Ben’s introduction 3:00 Ben revisits his earliest memories of Chilton 6:59 Ben shares the story of how he got introduced to Big Star 9:27 Ben explains how he first heard Like Flies on Sherbert 14:43 Ben talks about the circumstances under which Like Flies on Sherbert was made, as he learned from Chilton himself 18:09 Ben discusses the eclecticism of the album 21:06 Al talks about the album’s different versions 23:33 Al shares his reaction to the album 25:17 Ben talks about the musicians who played on Like Flies on Sherbert and the challenges they must have faced 27:48 Ben discusses the mysterious quality of the title track 30:10 Ben and Al talk about how the album feels unfinished 32:10 Ben explains why he thinks the album resonated with him 33:38 Ben talks about how he became friends with Chilton and how he and Chilton wound up working with Alan Vega 43:12 Chilton’s music used to be hard to find 49:53 Ben discusses the origins of his new podcast Straight From The Hat 57:21 Ben shares news of an upcoming release with Deer Tick Outro music is from “Magdalena ’94 (live)” by Ben Vaughn. Support the show

    1h 6m

  2. MAR 20

    224. Hannah Frances Discusses Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...

    Send us Fan Mail Vermont-based singer, composer, guitarist, dancer and poet Hannah Frances joins Al to introduce him to Fiona Apple’s 2012 album The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (aka The Idler Wheel…). Hannah talks about her earliest experiences with listening to The Idler Wheel… and why the album made such an impression on her. She and Al delve into several of the album’s tracks, and they highlight what they enjoy about Apple’s lyrics, vocal delivery and instrumentation in general. Hannah also discusses her most recent album Nested in Tangles as well as her recent and upcoming shows and projects, including her Landscapes of Song workshop. Correction: Al made an incorrect reference to Hannah's album Nested in Tangles as Nestled in Tangles. To find Hannah’s music, videos, merch and more, visit her website https://hannahfrancesmusic.com/. As mentioned on this episode, you will also be able to purchase the on-demand version of Hannah’s Landscapes of Song songwriting workshop via her website soon. You can follow Hannah on Instagram and Substack at @hannahfracesmusic. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first eight 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. 2:02 Hannah’s introduction 2:38 Does Vermont need a new state seal? 3:17 Hannah talks about how she got introduced to The Idler Wheel… 5:53 Hannah explains why she chose to discuss The Idler Wheel… 8:27 Hannah discusses the personal loss that changed her music listening 13:27 Hannah revisits one of the first times she had listened to the album 17:01 Hannah explains why she thinks Apple’s anger is part of what makes The Idler Wheel… an important album 20:33 Hannah and Al find Apple’s lyrical directness appealing 23:10 Hannah explains why she needs to hear the album in full Discussion of specific tracks: 23:59 Daredevil/Valentine 27:09 Werewolf 30:20 Periphery 31:58 Regret 34:05 Hannah contrasts Apple’s approach on The Idler Wheel… to Fetch the Bolt Cutters and Extraordinary Machine 37:06 Al and Hannah comment on the variety in the use of percussion across the tracks on The Idler Wheel… 42:07 Hannah sums up what she loves about The Idler Wheel… 42:57 Hannah talks about the sonic and lyrical landscapes of Nested in Tangles 46:08 Hannah explains how she consciously wanted to defy genre labels 51:10 Hannah talks about how Joni Mitchell is an inspiration for her 54:38 Hannah discusses how her love of progressive rock impacts her own music 56:47 Hannah shares her upcoming plans for live and recorded music 1:00:43 Hannah talks about her recent songwriting workshop Outro music is from “Falling From and Further” by Hannah Frances. Support the show

    1h 9m

  3. MAR 13

    223. Ásgeir Discusses Atoms for Peace, Amok

    Send a text On this episode, Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir introduces Al to the 2013 album Amok by the supergroup/Radiohead spinoff Atoms for Peace. Ásgeir talks about how he got acquainted with the album and why he and his bandmates had it on repeat during their 2013 tour. While Ásgeir highlights particular tracks that are his favorites, he explains how he experiences the album as a cohesive whole. Ásgeir also talks about his new album Julia, his upcoming Icelandic-language album and his tour plans. Keep up with Ásgeir on Instagram at @asgeirmusic! You can also find Ásgeir’s tour dates, music and more on his website, https://www.asgeirmusic.com/. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first eight 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. 1:25 Ásgeir’s introduction 2;01 Al knew very little about Atoms for Peace before researching the album 3:16 Ásgeir explains why he chose to discuss Amok 4:03 Ásgeir cites some other artists he considered talking about on this episode 5:21 Ásgeir explains how he discovered Amok 8:16 Ásgeir talks about how the album is both immediate and nuanced 12:04 Ásgeir and Al both experience the album as more of a “vibe” than a collection of distinctive songs 16:37 Listening to Amok helped Ásgeir to take his own music into a more electronic direction 17:46 Ásgeir and his bandmates had a special motivation for having Amok on repeat 22:05 Al and Ásgeir enjoy what the rhythm section brings to the band’s sound 24:02 Ásgeir and Al both view “Ingenue” as a highlight 26:00 Ásgeir doesn’t listen to Amok nearly as often lately 29:08 Ásgeir acknowledges the Radiohead/Atoms for Peace influence on “Sugar Clouds” 31;34 Ásgeir talks about writing all of the lyrics for the songs on Julia 32:30 Ásgeir discusses the challenges of writing songs in two languages 34:28 Does Ásgeir have any upcoming collaborations? 35:34 Ásgeir talks about the success he has had in Australia 36:46 Ásgeir discusses his upcoming tour Outro music is from “Ferris Wheel” by Ásgeir. Support the show

    43 min

  4. MAR 5

    222. Olivia Barton Discusses Mount Eerie, A Crow Looked at Me

    Send a text On this episode, Nashville-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Olivia Barton introduces Al to Mount Eerie’s 2017 album A Crow Looked at Me. Olivia talks about why she chose this album to discuss, even though she hasn’t listened to it very often, and she explains why she considers this a life-changing album. She also highlights some of the most impactful lyrics and musical elements from the album. Olivia  discusses her latest album For Myself and For You, as well as the .m4a version of the album she released in January. Correction: Al referred to Olivia’s song “The Hardest Thing” as “The Hardest Part.” To keep up with Olivia’s tour plans and much, much more, be sure to give her a follow on Instagram at @oliviabartonhaha. She has the same handle on TikTok and YouTube. You can also find tour information and merch on Olivia’s website, https://oliviabartonhaha.com/. Also, you can explore and buy Olivia’s music on Bandcamp at https://oliviabarton.bandcamp.com/. Olivia mentioned her collaboration with Lizzie McAlpine, “Learn Something,” which is now available on Bandcamp. All proceeds go to the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund in Minnesota. Check it out here: https://lizzymcalpine.bandcamp.com/track/learn-something. Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io.  The first eight 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 Olivia’s introduction 2:42 A Crow Looked at Me was an obvious choice for Olivia, even though she had listened to it only three times 5:30 Olivia recalls the part of the album that first made a big impression on her 10:22 Olivia and Al talk about some of the mundane details Phil Elverum sings about and the emotional impact they felt 14:24 Al and Olivia interpret some of the lyrics from “Emptiness Pt. 2” 17:40 Olivia explains how Elverum’s vocal style adds to the album’s emotional impact 18:50 Al and Olivia discuss Elverum’s unconventional use of noises in the recording 21:13 Olivia talks about the directness of Elverum’s lyrics 26:43 Olivia notes the album’s lack of hooks 28:16 Al and Olivia talk about the slight change in tone in the album’s last two tracks 36:51 Olivia discusses Elverum’s symbolic use of the crow 40:47 Listening to A Crow Looked at Me made Olivia think about stream counts 42:59 Olivia talks about her own emotionally difficult songs 45:27 Olivia mentions the other album she could have chosen for this episode 47:26 Olivia discusses the .m4a version of For Myself and For You 50:30 Olivia shares her upcoming tour plans Outro music is from “Kissing in Public” by Olivia Barton. Support the show

    56 min

  5. FEB 20

    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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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5
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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
    226
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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