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.

  1. 1d ago

    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

    46 min

  2. 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

    57 min

  3. Jun 26

    Caro Kelley Discusses Selected Albums from Her 1000 Albums Project - originally published on Bonus Tracks Patreon

    Send us Fan Mail This episode was originally published on the YMAAA Patreon in October 2025. Munich-based soul-pop artist Caro Kelley visits Bonus Tracks to talk about her 1000 Albums project, in which she listened to three albums a day for an entire year. Caro shares why she started the project, and she explains how she determines what rating to give an album. She and Al get into discussions about seven of the albums she has listened to for the project, ranging from the one-star Flood by They Might Be Giants to Frank Ocean’s Blonde, which she gave five stars. To see Caro’s Google sheet, which lists every album she has listened to for the project and their ratings, go to:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lqeY7_ihNEpU-2ngUvmpn8p7FIrIRANCNWFwurbmM8I/edit?gid=0#gid=0 You can learn more about Caro and her music at https://carokelley.com! Also, you can follow her on the following platforms: Instagram and TikTok: @caro_kelley Facebook: @carokelleymusic YouTube: @CaroKelley 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. 0:00 Re-introducing Caro 1:09 Caro explains why she decided to undertake her 1000 Albums project 2:33 Caro details the process she used to select the 1000 albums 4:53 Caro explains how she rates the records she listens to 9:04 Why Caro gave her own album five stars 10:57 Caro clarifies the familiarity data from her 1000 Albums spreadsheet Discussion of selected albums (with Caro’s ratings): 13:16 They Might Be Giants, Flood (1 star) 17:18 The Waterboys, This Is The Sea (2 stars) 24:07 Toto, self-titled (3 stars) 26:59 Sleater-Kinney, Dig Me Out (3 stars) 33:32 The Cars, Heartbeat City (4 stars) 36:40 Steve Winwood, Arc of a Diver (4 stars) 38:32 Frank Ocean, Blonde (5 stars) Outro music is from “Guilty Feeling” by Caro Kelley. Support the show

    44 min

  4. Jun 19

    Peter Case Discusses Fred Neil, Sessions

    Send us Fan Mail Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Peter Case (solo, The Plimsouls, The Nerves) returns to YMAAA to introduce Al to Fred Neil’s 1968 album Sessions. (Peter was previously on Ep 114 to discuss Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut album.) Peter talks about how he became fascinated with Neil and Sessions during his early teens, and he explains why Neil’s work has not received as much acclaim and appreciation as it deserves. He also discusses how Sessions is a concept album and why it’s not necessary to know about album’s cohesive theme in order to enjoy it. Peter walks through his long history with the Santa Monica venue McCabe’s Guitar Shop and discusses his new live album, My Life to Live, which was recorded there. As Peter mentioned, the best place to follow him is on Instagram. He’s @petercase111. You can also keep up with Peter and his music at petercase.com and petercasemusic.bandcamp.com. Peter talked about the work of Denise Sullivan (his wife), including her book Keep on Pushing. You can find out more about her work on her website, denisesullivan.org. 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. As Al mentioned on this episode, 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. 1:12 Peter’s introduction 2:14 Al explains why he picked Sessions from Peter’s short list 3:29 Peter provides some of the reasons for why Neil didn’t have more of a following despite his accomplishments 6:28 Peter talks about what drew him to Neil’s music during his teen years 11:44 Peter explains how Neil’s music is a synthesis of different genres 14:20 Peter talks about how the album’s emotion comes from its vibe 18:16 Peter discusses how Sessions is a concept album 24:25 Peter talks about the ways that Neil influenced Richie Havens and Bob Dylan (plus a Dave Von Ronk story) 31:22 Peter views Sessions as a late-night listen 33:57 Peter talks about Neil’s Coconut Grove period 35:12 Peter and Al appreciate the loose feel of Sessions 37:44 Peter highlights one aspect of the recording environment that gives Sessions its unique sound 40:06 Peter gave Al some new ways to listen to the album 41:10 Peter talks about Herb Metoyer and his contribution to Sessions 44:28 Peter contrasts Neil’s focus on social issues versus the relative lack thereof in current indie music 47:09 Peter gives Neil kudos for his rhythm guitar skills 48:04 Al makes a comparison between Fred Neil and Joni Mitchell (h/t Jesca Hoop) 49:53 Peter talks about his new live album and his history with McCabe’s Guitar Shop 58:39 Peter shares his upcoming tour and songwriting plans Outro music is from “I Shook His Hand” by Peter Case. Support the show

    1h 7m

  5. Jun 11

    Robert Margouleff Discusses David Sanborn, As We Speak, and Revisits His Work with Stevie Wonder

    Send us Fan Mail Grammy Award-winning producer, engineer, synthesizer programmer, studio owner, film producer and author Robert Margouleff stops by YMAAA to introduce Al to David Sanborn’s 1982 album As We Speak—an album that he produced. Robert talks about how he came to produce the saxophonist’s album and why the album had the novelty of two tracks with vocals by Michael Sembello. Robert and Al covered a wide range of topics, from how drum machines changed the nature of recorded music from the ‘80s forward to the demise of fade-outs to the drawbacks of noise-canceling headphones to the use of AI in music. Robert also discussed his recently-released memoir Shaping Sounds: Stevie Wonder, DEVO, The Synth Revolution and My Life Behind the Music, and he delved into his work with Stevie Wonder (along with his production and engineering partner Malcolm Cecil) during the early- and mid-‘70s. Robert’s website (which links to sites where you can buy his book) and socials: https://www.margouleff.com/ Instagram: @robertmargouleff Facebook: @robert_margouleff 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. 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. 1:41 Robert’s introduction 3:05 Robert talks about the archive of songs that provided tracks for Stevie Wonder’s albums from Music of My Mind to Fulfillingness’ First Finale 6:08 Robert delves into his first foray into digital recording for As We Speak 8:37 Robert points out the novelty of having tracks with vocals on a David Sanborn album 10:13 Robert and Al talk about some of the unquestioned conventions of album-making 12:31 Robert makes the case against noise-canceling headphones (and for cursive handwriting) 15:28 Robert mourns the loss of rubato and “objective listening” in recorded music 19:07 Robert explains why he wanted to record As We Speak as live as possible 20:19 Robert talks about how he came to produce As We Speak 22:48 Robert recalls the recording process for the album 27:08 Robert and Al talk about Michael Sembello’s contributions to As We Speak and why the album didn’t break him out 31:31 Robert talks about the impact of cocaine and drum machines on ‘80s music (plus an aside on crating dogs) 38:13 Robert pinpoints what makes Taylor Swift’s live performances powerful 39:18 Robert explains why he does not fear the use of AI in music 46:03 Robert shares his final thoughts on As We Speak and some observations about recording drums and percussion 51:55 Al sums up his reaction to listening to As We Speak 52:41 Robert explains why Music of My Mind has a joyous, human feel 1:01:16 Al cites one part of Robert’s book that made a big impression on him Outro music is from “Boogie On Reggae Woman” by Stevie Wonder. Support the show

    1h 7m

  6. Jun 5

    Robert Deeble Discusses Florist, self-titled

    Send us Fan Mail Seattle-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Robert Deeble joins Al to get him acquainted with Florist’s 2022 self-titled album. Robert talks about how he got introduced to the album and why he connected with it almost immediately. He also discusses the parallels between the album and some of his own music. Al notes some connections between Florist and Robert’s latest album The Space Between Us, and Robert talks about inspirations and meanings of two of the album’s tracks, “Forest From the Tree” and “Not on Your Team.” As Robert mentioned, you can check out his music and learn more about his work on his website, robertdeeble.com, and on his Bandcamp page, robertdeeble.bandcamp.com. You can also follow Robert on Instagram at @rdeeble. 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. 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 Robert’s introduction 2:16 Florist are nearly as new to Robert as they are to Al 4:59 Robert talks about some of the artists who have been influential to his music 7:07 Robert revisits his first impressions of the album 10:12 Robert shares his appreciation for music appreciators 11:51 Al found the album’s pacing and sequencing interesting 15:35 Robert talks about connections he’s discovered between his album’s and Florist’s 20:38 One similarity between Robert’s music and Florist’s was particularly notable 26:34 Robert explains what he likes about Florist’s sound and approach 29:05 Robert talks about Emily Sprague as a lyricist 31:15 Robert and Al discuss the healing quality of Florist 36:39 Robert talks about the album’s dreamlike quality 38:06 Al picks out the one track that stood out for him 40:00 Robert makes note of Sprague’s affinity for synths 43:12 Robert and Al sum up their reactions to Florist 44:15 Robert talks about the origins of his song “Forest From the Tree” 47:42 Robert reveals the conceptual layers of “Not on Your Team” 57:50 Robert talks about his upcoming plans Outro music is from “Orphan Song” by Robert Deeble. Support the show

    1h 3m

  7. May 29

    Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara of Sub*T Discuss Plumtree, Predicts the Future

    Send us Fan Mail Grace Bennett and Jade Alcantara of the Brooklyn-based band Sub*T introduce Al to Plumtree’s 1997 album Predicts the Future (or, as it is alternatively known, Plumtree Predicts the Future). Grace and Jade talk about why the album is an important one for both of them and the influence it has had on their own music. They also discuss favorite tracks from the album and the phenomenon that grew out of the song “Scott Pilgrim.” Grace and Jade talk about the evolution of their friendship and how that led to the formation of Sub*T, and they delve into their recently-released debut album, How My Own Voice Sounds. Here’s where you can learn more about Sub*T… @subtrules on Instagram and YouTube https://www.subtrules.com/ https://subtrules.substack.com/ For information on the June 6 show at AS220 in Providence, go here: https://as220.org/calendar/guppy-subt-stupid-robots. 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. 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. 1:39 Introducing Jade and Grace 2:17 Al barely knew what Scott Pilgrim was 3:11 Al had some confusion over the album’s name 4:16 Grace explains why they chose to talk about Predicts the Future 5:17 Grace and Jade talk about their early impressions of Plumtree 9:18 Jade and Grace point out the features of the album they find so appealing 14:20 Jade shares some interesting details about Plumtree’s members 16:38 Grace, Jade and Al talk about some of their favorite tracks from the album 21:20 Jade and Grace discuss how Plumtree’s sound progressed 24:50 Jade brings up some more of her favorite tracks 26:11 Grace and Jade talk about the album’s middle section 27:56 Jade and Grace discuss the phenomenon of “Scott Pilgrim” 36:31 Grace explains the origins of the album title, How My Own Voice Sounds 39:39 Grace reveals how she came up with the title for “Imaginal Cells” 41:33 Grace and Jade discuss how they determine vocal roles on their songs 46:55 Grace and Jade talk about how they became a band 54:14 What’s next for Sub*T? Outro music is from “Mirror Image” by Sub*T. Support the show

    1 hr

  8. May 21

    Joe Adragna and Mary Beth Melchior Discuss The Monkees, Head (film and soundtrack) - originally published on Bonus Tracks Patreon

    Send us Fan Mail This episode was first published in February 2026 on the You, Me and An Album Bonus Tracks Patreon. Joe Adragna (The Junior League) and Mary Beth Melchior join me for this episode to discuss the Monkees’ film Head, as well as its soundtrack, both released in 1968. We talk about our impressions of the movie, what we liked about the songs from the soundtrack and the ways in which the film and songs were and weren’t a departure for the group. We also discuss why the film, the soundtrack and the Monkees in general have not received more acclaim.’ Joe talks about his new album The Moon Neither Noticed Nor Ignored (out Feb. 6), and Mary Beth delves into her YouTube poetry channel OnThePath88. 0:00 Re-introducing Joe and Mary Beth 1:43 Joe encouraged Mary Beth and Al to watch the Head movie 2:55 Mary Beth explains why she hadn’t yet watched Head 6:10 Joe talks about when he first saw the movie 7:47 Joe and Mary Beth talk about the different way that the Monkees were presented in the film, as opposed to the TV series 14:12 The darkness of the Monkees' new image came more from the story than from the music itself 16:19 Mary Beth talks about the use of “Daddy’s Song” in the film and compares it to “Cuddly Toy” 21:33 Joe and Mary Beth discuss how topical Head was (and still is) 26:44 Joe explains how the movie came together and the degree to which the Monkees were involved 31:56 Joe and Mary Beth talk about how the film exposes the ways the Monkees were trapped in their TV series personas 39:02 Head was a difficult film to market 41:40 Joe relates an encounter he had with Peter Tork regarding the movie 44:18 Can the soundtrack be experienced as separate and distinct from the movie? 46:43 Joe recalls a live performance of “Porpoise Song” that he saw 47:55 Mary Beth ponders the strangeness of being a Monkee after the band’s heyday 48:58 Joe and Mary Beth celebrate the catalog of songs written by the Monkees themselves 54:47 Mary Beth and Joe discuss how Mickey Dolenz continues to build on the Monkees’ legacy 56:31 Is there a scenario where the Monkees could have continued the direction signaled by Head? 59:16 Al is more motivated now to explore more of the Monkees’ discography 1:00:42 Contrary to public perception, the Monkees were real musicians 1:02:20 Could there be another Monkees episode in the future? 1:03:19 Joe talks about his new album The Moon Neither Noticed Nor Ignored 1:06:53 Mary Beth shares the latest developments on her YouTube poetry channel, OnThePath88 Outro music is from “Forget Forget Me Nots” by The Junior League. Support the show

    1h 14m
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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.

Information

  • Creator
    Al Melchior
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    240
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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