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

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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
    243
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 You, Me and An Album
  • Show Website
    You, Me and An Album

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