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For this episode, author, editor and podcaster Keith Jopling talks about Björk’s 2001 album Vespertine. Keith explains why Vespertine has been one of his favorite albums since its release and why it’s been top-of-mind for him lately. He and Al discuss the themes of domestic bliss and surrender that are prevalent in the album’s lyrics. Keith explains how Vespertine was both a response to and a reaction against the changes in music listening that resulted from streaming. He also talks about his recently-published book Body of Work as well as his podcast The Art of Longevity.

Keith made a couple of references to the My9Albums website and the social media trend it has catalyzed. Al hopped on the trend and posted the nine most impactful albums in his life here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DfC1LipHBSh/. He also wrote about those choices in the You, Me and An Album newsletter here: https://youmealbum.ghost.io/hopping-on-the-my9albums-trend.

If you want to share your nine most important albums, you can start at www.my9albums.com.

You can follow Keith on Instagram at @songsommelier. You can also learn more about his work and explore The Art of Longevity podcast, playlists, articles and artwork on his website www.songsommelier.com.

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 Keith’s introduction

2:02 Keith explains why this interview took place at the Berklee College of Music

3:39 Keith shares why he decided to talk about Vespertine

6:03 Keith recalls why he listened to Vespertine frequently when it came out

8:52 Keith clusters the album’s tracks into three groups

13:08 Al and Keith talk about the opener “Hidden Place”

17:42 Keith explains how Björk foresaw and responded to the shift to streaming music

19:45 Björk bucked many of the emerging trends by making a cohesive album

22:50 Keith focuses on the album’s middle section

24:46 Al talks about Vespertine’s “wholesomeness”

26:58 Keith discusses the theme of surrender in Björk’s songs

30:52 Keith talks about how Björk’s subsequent albums got weirder

34:26 Al makes note of the Björk-Toumani Diabaté connection

36:30 Keith had a chance to see Björk on her Vespertine tour

38:44 Keith explains how albums survived the threats posed by streaming

49:20 Keith and Al talk about listening parties and the social aspect of album listening

51:56 Keith reveals his upcoming plans for The Art of Longevity

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This episode was originally published on the You, Me and An Album Patreon on Dec. 8, 2025.

For this episode, Lee Jennings—frontman of the Atlanta-based emo-hardcore band The Funeral Portrait—continues the My Chemical Romance discussion he began with Al on Ep 194 of You, Me and An Album. Progressing through the MCR discography, they move on from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge to the 2006 follow-up album, The Black Parade. Lee discusses why he wanted to talk about The Black Parade, and he delves into the album’s importance to MCR and to the emo genre more generally. He also revisits his initial experiences with listening to the album and explains how it enhanced his MCR fandom.

Keep up with Lee on Instagram at @leejennings!

Also, you can learn more about The Funeral Portrait at thefuneralportrait.com and follow them in the following places…

TikTok: @tfp_devotion

Instagram and Facebook: @thefuneralportrait

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.

You can listen to excerpts of YMAAA episodes on YouTube. Please consider subscribing to the YMAAA channel there at @youmeandanalbum.

0:00 Lee’s introduction

1:31 Lee explains why he wanted to come back to the show and discuss The Black Parade

6:05 Lee and Al talk about their experiences with listening to albums that followed up albums they fell in love with

8:14 Lee details how My Chemical Romance matured along with their audience

11:41 Lee thinks fans could connect more easily to the themes on The Black Parade

14:55 Lee discusses the background behind Danger Days

16:59 Lee explains why The Black Parade became a sensation

20:16 Lee doesn’t think The Black Parade would have made the same impact without Bullets and Three Cheers coming before it

22:37 Lee talks about The Black Parade’s timeless sound

28:42 Lee lauds the depth of quality songs recorded during the sessions for The Black Parade

30:00 Lee and Al have questions about the album’s sequencing

35:45 Al was surprised by a couple of things he learned in preparation for this episode

36:51 Is the fourth album “the artist’s album” (h/t Jessica Dobson)?

Outro music is from “Stay Weird” by The Funeral Portrait.

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Writer, podcaster, guitarist and voiceover artist Joey Held joins Al to introduce him to The Gaslight Anthem’s 2008 album The ’59 Sound. Joey talks about the experience that led him to become a fan of The Gaslight Album and of The ’59 Sound in particular. He explains what it is about The ’59 Sound that makes it one of his favorite albums, and he and Al explore the many musical references that are captured in the album’s lyrics and sounds. Joey also talks about his recent work, including what’s new for his band Burning Years and why he began his Sports R Dumb podcast.

You can follow Joey on Instagram at @phat_phoodies and check out his work on his websites joeyheld.com and wackytravel.com.

As Joey mentioned, there are many places where you can buy or stream Burning Years’ music. Bandcamp is one of those places, and the band has a page there: burningyearstexas.bandcamp.com.

Listen to Sports R Dumb! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sports-r-dumb/id1614525956

You can also follow the show on Instagram at @sportsrdumb.

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.

1:17 Joey’s introduction

2:36 Joey shares why he chose The ‘59 Sound for this episode

5:06 Joey has a vivid memory of how he first got introduced to The Gaslight Anthem

7:37 Joey and Al talk about The Gaslight Anthem’s connections to Bruce Springsteen

9:39 The Gaslight Anthem evoked other artists and eras for both Joey and Al

13:49 Joey cites a couple of settings where it was especially fun to listen to The ’59 Sound

18:44 Joey speaks to the album’s flow and sequencing

22:46 Joey highlights a couple of his favorite tracks

24:55 Al and Joey react to the many musical references in the lyrics

28:32 Joey explains why he thinks The ’59 Sound is The Gaslight Anthem’s best album

33:39 Joey singles out one thing that could have been improved on The Gaslight Anthem’s albums

35:22 Joey talks about how he started the Sports R Dumb podcast

40:44 Joey updates us on his band Burning Years

44:15 Joey discusses the many places online where he’s posting

Outro music is from “Under Pressure” by Burning Years.

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Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and film director Ben Hozie of the Brooklyn-based indie rock band Bodega visits YMAAA to talk about Milk Dick’s 2014 album It Grows on You. Ben explains how he got acquainted with Milk Dick’s music and why It Grows on You has been his musical companion for more than a decade. He discusses how the band’s theatrical and sometimes serious side co-exists with the humor and silliness inherent to their musical style and band name. Ben also breaks down several of his favorite tracks from the album. He talks about the musical influences that informed Bodega’s new album All Inside Aquarium as well as discussing his ATM: At This Moment podcast and upcoming film Jack London Calling.

To learn more about Bodega or to check out their music, please visit their website and Bandcamp page, respectively at bodega-band.com and bodegabk.bandcamp.com.

You can also follow the band on Instagram and TikTok at @bodegabk and check out their videos at @bodegaNYC on YouTube.

To hear Ben’s interview with Milk Dick’s Mike Delaney on his ATM: At This Moment podcast, go to https://podcasts.apple.com/bw/podcast/s1-ep17-mike-delaney-cry-when-yr-young/id1759971591?i=1000678578548.

For information on Ben’s latest film project, Jack London Calling, and Pretorius Pictures generally, go to https://pretoriuspictures.tumblr.com/.

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 Ben’s introduction

2:06 Ben explains why he chose It Grows on You for this episode

3:40 Ben and Al address the band’s name

4:43 Ben talks about first getting acquainted with Milk Dick through their live shows

5:20 Ben notes how Milk Dick combines their playful and serious sides

9:44 Ben talks about the theatrical nature of Milk Dick’s music, particularly on “Bathroom Door”

15:22 Ben provides some history on Milk Dick

18:03 Ben highlights “Grey Shapes” as one of his favorite songs on the album

19:50 Ben ponders the meaning of “My BF, Socrates”

21:34 Ben and Al talk about their reactions to “Rhythm Rock”

23:55 Is “Beach Needles (Coney)” in poor taste or ironic?

28:03 Ben reveals which track from It Grows on You is his favorite

30:40 Ben and Al discuss the brevity of the album’s songs

32:27 Ben talks about Delaney’s ability to confront his dark side

34:24 Ben addresses how It Grows on You has continued to be an important part of his life

35:37 Ben explains why he is a musical obsessive (or “cultural consumer”)

40:53 Ben shares which album he has listened to dozens of times this year

42:55 Al and Ben grapple with the definition of post-punk and how it applies to All Inside Aquarium

50:44 Ben talks about Bodega’s ‘60s and ‘90s inspirations

57:16 Ben elaborates on why All Inside Aquarium is so riffy

58:37 Ben explains why he started the ATM: At This Moment podcast

1:02:36 Ben talks about his upcoming film Jack London Calling

Outro music is from “Pick up the Check” by Bodega.

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Los Angeles-based Americana singer-songwriter Paula Fong joins Al to introduce him to Gillian Welch’s 1996 album Revival. Paula explores what made Revival instantly appealing to her, and she explains why it continues to be one of her favorite albums and an important influence on her own music. Paula also discusses her new album A Bird on the Wing and her collaboration with Nickel Creek guitarist Sean Watkins on her cover of “Turn! Turn! Turn!”.

For information on Paula’s music, upcoming live dates and more, visit her website paulafong.com. You can also follow her on Instagram and YouTube at @paulafongmusic.

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.

1:11 Paula’s introduction

2:19 Paula recalls how she first got acquainted with Revival

4:49 Paula explains why she was drawn to the sound of Revival right away

7:40 Paula and Al talk about the authenticity of Welch’s music

9:48 Al had to warm up to the album

10:47 Paula talks about a formative experience she had with Celtic folk music

13:32 Paula and Al talk about the importance of formative experiences in shaping musical tastes

15:18 Paula talks about what she finds particularly striking about the songs on Revival

19:52 Paula and Al have very different reactions to “Paper Wings”

22:42 Paula explains what separates Revival from the rest of Welch’s discography

24:22 Paula notes how influential David Rawlings’ guitar playing has been

25:44 Paula cites the ways in which Welch and Rawlings have influenced her music

30:01 Paula and Al get more clues that they have very different tastes

31:56 Paula and Al talk about the value of repeated listening

33:14 Paula explains how she wound up collaborating with Watkins on her cover of “Turn! Turn! Turn!”

37:46 Paula goes into how her version of “Turn! Turn! Turn!” got arranged

40:30 Paula explains the story behind “What Are We Running From”

44:49 Paula talks about her upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Up and Out” by Paula Fong.

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For this episode, virtuoso drummer Cindy Blackman Santana chose her 2020 album Give the Drummer Some as the focus for this discussion, but she and Al branch out into a wide-ranging conversation about several of her albums. Cindy talks about why she decided to write and sing lyrics for Give the Drummer Some, and she highlights some of the album’s notable tracks. Cindy also discusses her 2010 Tony Williams tribute album Another Lifetime, her recently-released album Coherence and the upcoming self-titled release for the supergroup Power of 3 (with Orianthi and Rhonda Smith).

As Cindy mentions on the episode, she has several live dates with her band over the next few months. Here are the dates for her shows in Baltimore and New York. For more information, go to cindyblackmansantana.com.

Oct. 24-25, Keystone Corner, Baltimore, MD

Dec. 4-6, Blue Note NYC, New York, NY

For more information on Cindy’s recordings and shows, give her a follow on these platforms…

Instagram, TikTok: @cindyblackmansantana

Facebook: @cindyblackmandrummer

The Power of 3 is also on Instagram at @thepowerof3official

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.

1:24 Cindy’s introduction

2:23 Cindy explains why she wanted to talk about Give the Drummer Some

3:45 Cindy talks about the song that led to her making Give the Drummer Some with Narada Michael Walden

6:46 Cindy recalls how she took on the challenge of becoming a vocalist

9:14 Cindy discusses the songwriting process for Give the Drummer Some

15:44 Cindy highlights some of her favorite things about Give the Drummer Some

18:28 Cindy talks about the recording process for Give the Drummer Some

20:05 Cindy revisits her Tony Williams tribute album Another Lifetime

21:48 Cindy explains how her “suite” for “Coherence” came together

28:11 Cindy talks about the formation of the new supergroup The Power of 3

32:04 Cindy discusses the vinyl version of Coherence and her upcoming live dates

Outro music is from “Guitar Love” by Cindy Blackman Santana (feat. John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana).

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Jorina Stamm of the Swiss indie pop band Soft Loft joins Al for this week’s album deep dive, and she chose Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend (released on August 14) to discuss. Jorina explains why she wanted to talk about Lost Weekend and shares her early reactions to this highly-anticipated release. She also discusses how listening to Lost Weekend got her thinking more about concept albums. Jorina explains how Soft Loft unintentionally made a concept album with their recent release Throw the Dice, and she talks about the band’s upcoming tour dates and other plans.

Want to know more about Jorina and Soft Loft? You can find them in these places online…

softloftmusic.com (includes newsletter signup)

Instagram: @softloftsoftloft

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.

1:21 Jorina’s introduction

2:04 Jorina explains why she picked Lost Weekend for this episode

4:04 Jorina talks about her initial experience with listening to the album

5:35 Jorina explains how doing research enhanced her listening experience

6:54 Jorina and Al react to the album opening with “The Outside”

10:09 Jorina notes the songs that have stood out to her so far

11:51 Jorina explains what she likes about Bridgers’ songwriting

13:11 Jorina and Al talk about the speculation over how much Bridgers’ lyrics are about her personal relationships

17:30 Jorina highlights the musical aspects of the album she likes

18:47 Jorina explains why her experience with listening to Lost Weekend was not a typical one for her

21:20 Jorina and Al identify their go-to tracks for one-offs

26:49 Jorina talks about why she has recently revisited some of Bridgers’ earlier work

29:36 Jorina and Al discuss Cameron Winter’s involvement with the album

33:57 Al had a failed attempt at listening to Lost Weekend right when it came out

34:57 Jorina explains how the theme of Throw the Dice came together

41:26 Jorina talks about the reaction to “Wednesdays”

44:15 Jorina reveals Soft Loft’s upcoming plans

Outro music is from “What Are The Odds” by Soft Loft.

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Albuquerque-based Americana singer-songwriter Michael Rudd joins Al for a deep-dive analysis of Townes Van Zandt’s 1969 self-titled album. Michael explains why he admires Van Zandt’s songwriting, notes what makes this album a special one in Van Zandt’s discography and breaks down the album’s highlights. He also discusses how he became inspired to create a five-album cycle over the last few years and goes into detail on some of the tracks off his latest release, Midnight at Dawn.

You can find Michael’s music and keep up with him through the following places.

https://www.michaelrudd.com/

https://michaelrudd.bandcamp.com/

@michaelruddmusic on YouTube

@michael.rudd.music on Instagram and 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.

1:16 Michael’s introduction

2:32 Michael talks about his relatively recent introduction to Townes Van Zandt’s music

4:18 Michael explains why Townes Van Zandt is a perfect album

5:15 Michael and Al discuss the emotional nature of “Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel”

7:08 Michael explains why Van Zandt stands out to him among other great songwriters

12:21 Michael hears something about the Southwestern landscape in Van Zandt’s voice

13:25 Al and Michael discuss the spiritual nature of the lyrics in “Just For the Sake of the Song”

19:39 Michael picks out some of the other highlights from the album

25:37 How much does Michael listen to Townes Van Zandt?

26:39 Michael thinks the self-titled album distinguishes itself in Van Zandt’s discography

27:54 Michael explains how he wound up creating a five-album cycle

34:48 Michael talks about the perils of trying to interpret lyrics

37:11 Michael cites the biggest influence that Van Zandt has had on his own work

39:16 Michael discusses the meaning of “Made It Out of Jersey”

47:50 Michael provides an update on Palace of Flames

Outro music is from “Made It Out of Jersey” by Michael Rudd.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Drummer and percussionist Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Pussy 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Manchester-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Jesca Hoop joins Al to introduce him to Joni Mitchell’s 1972 album For the Roses. Jesca talks about how she first discovered For the Roses as well as the earlier albums in Mitchell’s catalog after having minimal exposure to popular artists during much of her childhood. She explains why she connects with this album and why it’s a notable part of Mitchell’s discography. Jesca also discusses her new album Long Wave Home and delves into her experience as the album’s sole producer.

You can find Jesca online in each of the following places:

https://www.jescahoop.co.uk/

@jescahoopster on Instagram

@JescaHoopMusic on Facebook

@JescaHoop 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.

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.

1:28 Jesca’s introduction

2:21 Jesca explains why she chose to talk about For the Roses

5:26 Jesca shares how she first encountered For the Roses and some of the other albums in Mitchell's catalog

8:29 Jesca talks about Mitchell’s progression from her earliest albums to For the Roses

11:49 Jesca explains why the album resonated for her during a lonely period of her life

14:34 Jesca singles out the first track that she felt a connection to

17:03 Jesca identifies a key element that separates Mitchell from many other musicians and songwriters

18:59 Jesca talks about the adventurousness of Mitchell’s poetry on For the Roses

21:35 Jesca discusses the artistry behind Mitchell’s arrangements and pacing

25:53 Did Mitchell make better singles on Court and Spark than on For the Roses?

29:02 Jesca explains why she listened to For the Roses a lot while on tour with Mark Knopfler

32:07 Jesca and Al contrast “For the Roses” with “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire”

38:44 Jesca notes the recent Record Store Day reissue of For the Roses

39:53 Jesca talks about being the sole producer of Long Wave Home

45:48 Jesca explains some of her lyrical choices for “Designer Citizen”

51:48 Jesca discusses the comforting feel of “Long Wave Home”

55:15 Jesca talks about upcoming plans for The Songs of Joni Mitchell and her solo tour

Outro music is from “Big Storm” by Jesca Hoop.

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On this episode, The Builders and The Butchers frontman Ryan Sollee joins Al to introduce him to No Knife’s 1999 album Fire in the City of Automatons. Ryan shares why he chose to talk about this No Knife album for this episode, and he explains what is special to him about this band and this album. He delves into his favorite tracks from Fire in the City of Automatons and talks about the rare encounter he had with another No Knife “mega-fan.” Ryan also talks about the new Builders and The Butchers album, No Tomorrow, the band’s recent performances with the Portland Cello Project and the band’s new board game.

Note: The clip of No Knife performing “Minus One” at The Casbah in San Diego in 2009 comes from the YouTube account for Mvideojukebox.

Ryan talked about The Builders and The Butchers’ Patreon on this episode. You can check it out and join at https://www.patreon.com/TheBuildersandtheButchers. He also mentioned the band’s Bandcamp page. Find their music there at https://thebuildersandthebutchers.bandcamp.com/.

You can also learn more about The Builders and The Butchers at the following places:

https://www.thebuildersandthebutchers.com/

@thebuildersandthebutchers on Instagram and 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.

Though Al mentioned that he has put a pause on publishing new Bonus Tracks episodes, 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 Ryan’s introduction

1:48 Ryan explains why he chose Fire in the City of Automatons and cites some of his other favorite albums

3:51 Ryan revisits his introduction to No Knife, and Al shares his reaction to first hearing them

6:10 Ryan explains what he thinks sets No Knife apart from other emo-adjacent bands

8:51 Ryan shares what he liked about Fire in the City of Automatons right from the first listen

10:30 Al and Ryan really like No Knife’s vocals

11:49 Ryan and Al talk about the No Knife-Mission of Burma connection

14:34 Ryan discusses his favorite tracks from the album

16:55 Al was impressed by the album’s sonic variety

18:41 Ryan found another No Knife superfan while he was on tour

20:03 Ryan and Al try to understand why No Knife didn’t build a larger following

25:18 Ryan recommends another No Knife album

26:09 Ryan gives No Knife’s bassist (Brian Desjean) his props

27:52 Are there connections between No Knife and The Builders and The Butchers?

30:10 Ryan talks about No Tomorrow’s closing track, “A Wall/A Fire”

36:05 Ryan discusses The Builders and The Butchers’ album release shows with the Portland Cello Project

38:37 Ryan talks about the new Builders and The Butchers board game

40:21 Ryan explains how the band commemorated their 20th anniversary

41:28 Ryan discusses how The Builders and The Butchers keep in touch with their fans outside of social media

Outro music is from “Mother Mary” by The Builders and The Butchers.

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L.A.-based singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer James Petralli of White Denim joins Al for this episode to introduce him to Stevie Wonder’s 1972 album Music of My Mind. James talks about the album’s “value system,” and why it appealed to him so much when he first started listening to the record. He also discusses the ways in which Music of My Mind was a departure from Wonder’s previous work and how it foreshadowed his run of critically- and commercially-successful albums in the ‘70s. James talks about White Denim’s new album 13 and explains how the band’s songwriting process works.

You can follow James and White Denim in all of the following places:

Instagram and Facebook: @whitedenimmusic

YouTube: @whitedenim

https://whitedenimmusic.com/

whitedenim.substack.com

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.

1:20 James’ introduction

2:00 There will be a second episode where Music of My Mind will be discussed

2:44 James explains why he likes the “value system” of Music of My Mind

5:38 James and Al talk about how Music of My Mind was a pivotal album for Wonder

6:48 James recalls his initial experiences with the album

8:53 James appreciates the album’s combination of virtuosity and emotional feel

10:23 Al shares what he learned about Bernard Purdie’s involvement with the album, and why he doesn’t appear on it

12:16 James talks about some of the album’s great imperfect moments

15:59 James discusses similarities he hears with other artists’ work (and a disclaimer)

20:13 James explains why Music of My Mind is nostalgic for him

23:30 The songs on Music of My Mind were a precursor to Wonder's future hits

26:04 James recommends one of Wonder’s albums from the ‘80s

30:28 James talks about White Denim’s songwriting process

Outro music is from "(God Created) Lock and Key" by White Denim.

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On this episode, singer/songwriter/guitarist/economist Amelia Fletcher (Heavenly, Swansea Sound, Catenary Wires, Talulah Gosh) introduces Al to Girls at Our Best’s 1981 album Pleasure. Amelia revisits her teenage fandom of Girls at Our Best!, and she explains why they were—and continue to be—one of her favorite bands. She also talks about how their songwriting style has influenced her approach to writing songs and how that is reflected in Heavenly’s work. Amelia discusses several of the songs on Heavenly’s new album, Highway to Heavenly, and talks about how the recent virality of their 1993 song “P.U.N.K. Girl” contributed to the band’s reuniting. Finally, Amelia explains how balancing her careers as a musician and economist can sometimes be challenging.

You can keep up with Amelia, Heavenly and her Skep Wax label in the following places:

Instagram @ameliafletcher56, @heavenlyindie, @skepwax

Facebook @amelia.fletcher.980, @HeavenlyGroupOfficial

Tiktok @heavenlyindie

https://www.skepwax.com/

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.

1:25 Amelia’s introduction

2:30 Amelia explains why she chose Pleasure for this episode

3:57 Amelia recalls how she first got into Girls at Our Best!

8:12 Amelia was not fooled by the band’s name

9:02 Amelia singles out the aspects of the band’s music that initially appealed to her

12:26 Amelia and Al share their observations about the album’s lyrics

17:26 Girls at Our Best! were influential to the sound of Heavenly

18:16 What ever happened to Girls at Our Best!?

23:00 Amelia likes other bands from the Leeds scene

25:29 Amelia and Al talk about their favorite tracks from Pleasure

30:48 Al noticed the connection between the songwriting style on Pleasure and on Highway to Heavenly

32:03 Is “Portland Town” based on Amelia’s experience?

34:20 Amelia talks about the real-life events she wrote about in “The Last Day”

38:11 The songs on Highway to Heavenly cover a wide range of moods

40:18 Amelia discusses Heavenly’s tour plans

41:30 Amelia explains why Heavenly decided to return to touring and recording

45:10 Amelia talks about her dual careers in music and economics

Outro music is from “Deflicted” by Heavenly.

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Austin-based producer, engineer, singer-songwriter and educator Matt Smith joins Al for the second part of their conversation. (You can hear the first part, in which they discuss Robert Plant’s Mighty ReArranger, on the previous episode.) This time around, Matt talks about the features of music that he enjoys listening to, his approach as a music producer and what he aimed to achieve as a songwriter on his latest album …this is not okay…

Learn more about Matt and his work at https://www.mattsmithsworld.net/.

You can also get information on Matt’s studio and music school, Six String Ranch, in the following places.

Website: https://6stringranch.com/

Facebook: @6stringranch

YouTube: @6stringranch148

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.

1:00 Matt shares what he looks for in the music he listens to

3:44 Matt talks about his approach to producing music at his studio

9:57 Matt explains how the focus of his songwriting has changed over time

13:18 Matt talks about how his last three albums reflect his feelings about the political climate over the last decade

23:28 Matt also wrote about the loss of his parents on …this is not okay…

29:52 Matt explains why he consciously tempered the angry tone of the album

33:46 Matt talks about his various educational forums

Outro music is from “Bad Man” by Matt Smith.

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Austin-based producer, engineer, singer-songwriter and educator Matt Smith joins Al to talk about Robert Plant’s 2005 album, Mighty ReArranger. Matt discusses why he chose this album for his short list of albums to talk about, and Al explains why he picked Mighty ReArranger from the albums on Matt’s list. Matt talks about the elements that make this album a high point in Plant’s solo discography and the role that members of Portishead played in making the album.

Learn more about Matt and his work at https://www.mattsmithsworld.net/.

You can also get information on Matt’s studio and music school, Six String Ranch, in the following places.

Website: https://6stringranch.com/

Facebook: @6stringranch

YouTube: @6stringranch148

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.

2:35 Matt’s introduction

4:09 Matt and Al talk about how they arrived at deciding to talk about Mighty ReArranger

10:26 Matt explains how Plant incorporated elements of world music into the songs on the album

14:13 Matt makes note of the parts of the album that harken back to Led Zeppelin

18:36 Matt and Al talk about the challenges Plant faced when he began his solo career

23:04 Matt has a theory about why Plant was able to reach new heights as a solo artist on Mighty ReArranger

28:34 Matt discusses how he borrows from music that he admires

33:31 Matt compares the arcs of Plant’s and Jimmy Page’s solo careers

35:02 Matt breaks down various sections of “The Enchanter”

39:31 Matt talks about “Freedom Fries” and the counting trick he learned from Trey Anastasio

42:25 Matt discusses the origins of the guitar pattern and rhythm on “Mighty ReArranger”

46:51 Matt talks about the lengths to which he geeks out on musical analysis

Outro music is from “World Is a Wheel” by Matt Smith.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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This is an excerpt from a Bonus Tracks episode published on the You, Me and An Album Patreon on Sept. 25, 2025. You can hear the entire episode, plus all of the other Bonus Tracks episodes, by joining the YMAAA Patreon at patreon.com/youmealbum.

Dulcimer player Sam Edelston joins Al to talk about listening to albums that are off the beaten path. Whether we're listening to genres we're unfamiliar with or music that we come across unexpectedly, finding the key that allows us to enjoy that music can be a challenge. Sam and Al talk about their experiences with listening to albums on a list that Sam created, which features artists ranging from Tom Lehrer to Bobby Bare to Kazuhito Yamashita. Sam also discusses how he has discovered and reimagined music through the fretted dulcimer—and he and Al chat about his terrific dulcimer rock album Making Waves.

You can keep up with Sam and his music at the following places:

https://www.samthemusicman.com/

@contemporarydulcimer on Instagram and YouTube

@Sam.Edelston.Music 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.

0:17 Introduction: Sharing excerpts from Bonus Tracks

2:55 Sam joins the show

3:08 Al explains how he is approaching this episode

4:36 Sam talks about why he took up fretted dulcimer

7:44 “Mellow Yellow” got Sam started on his exploration of rock songs on dulcimer

9:20 Sam talks about the advantages of playing a three-stringed instrument

11:49 Sam explains how he varies some of the arrangements on his cover songs

16:09 Sam aims to take the integration of dulcimer into rock music to another level

19:33 Al didn’t connect with some of the music on Sam’s list

24:02 Sam found each of the albums on his list in unexpected ways

28:03 Hearing a cappella versions of songs sometimes gets Sam to explore the originals

35:49 Sometimes record store recommendations fill in the gaps that radio listening leaves

37:05 Al highlights some of the music from Sam’s list that he liked the most

39:09 Arranging songs for dulcimer enhances Sam’s enjoyment of songs that are new to him

Outro music is from “Wild Horses” by Edelston & Dulcimer.

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On this episode, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maia Sharp gets Al acquainted with Lord Huron’s 2018 album Vide Noir. (Maia was previously a guest on Ep 124, when she and Al talked about Historian by Lucy Dacus.) Maia explains why Vide Noir is on heavy rotation at her home and how this album—and Lord Huron’s music more generally—has informed her own songwriting. She also discusses the making of her latest album Tomboy, delving into some of the lyrical themes, arrangements and songwriting processes.

Learn more about Maia and her music at https://www.maiasharp.com/! To hear exclusive songs, previews and much more, check out Maia’s Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/maiasharp.

You can also follow Maia on Instagram at @maiasharpmusic and on Facebook at @maiasharpofficial.

At the end of this episode, Al mentioned the song that Maia co-wrote as part of the Songwriting With Soldiers program. To learn more about the making of “Strumming Hand,” see the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhW4szERds. To learn more about Songwriting With Soldiers, visit their website at https://songwritingwithsoldiers.org/.

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

1:19 Maia’s introduction

2:19 Al had heard of Lord Huron before…barely

6:03 Maia explains why she picked Vide Noir for this episode

11:02 Maia talks about songwriting lessons she has learned from Lord Huron

16:04 Al and Maia compare the experiences of listening to Lord Huron and Bon Iver

21:20 Al and Maia talk about the lack of action in Ben Schneider’s story

24:51 Maia loves the slackness of the drums on Vide Noir

30:16 Why doesn’t Maia usually like music that sounds theatrical?

32:18 Maia and Al note the album’s blend of retro and futuristic sounds

34:21 Maia appreciates how listening to Vide Noir is a full experience

39:04 There’s not much suspense as to how the protagonist’s story is going to end

40:13 Maia took a different approach to listening to Vide Noir in preparing for this episode

43:13 Maia talks about the use of percussion on Tomboy

48:08 Maia recounts the process of writing “Better Story” with Matthew Perryman Jones

52:30 Maia talks about her upcoming plans

Outro is from “Strumming Hand” by Maia Sharp.

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For the final YMAAA episode of 2025, music photographer, podcaster, entrepreneur and record collector Scott Dudelson introduces Al to Dillard & Clark’s 1968 debut album The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark. Scott talks about how he first encountered the album, why it had special significance for him during an important time in his life and why it continues to be a favorite album of his. He also discusses how bluegrass legend Doug Dillard and rock icon Gene Clark became a duo and how Bernie Leadon came to be an important contributor to their work. Scott also talks about his Legends podcast, his work as a music photographer and rebuilding his substantial record collection after losing his home in the Palisades Fire.

You can check out Scott’s interviews on his @alldayvinyl YouTube channel or at the home for his Legends podcast, https://musiclegendspodcast.com/.

Scott mentioned his Instagram account, and you can follow him there at @alldayvinyl. He also has an IG account for his photography at @photos_by_the_dude.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first five 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 Scott’s introduction

2:08 Scott explains why he picked this Dillard & Clark album for this episode

3:40 Learning about Dillard & Clark helped both Scott and Al to better see the connections between country and rock

5:24 Scott revisits his experience of buying The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

9:08 Scott recalls what impressed him about the album initially

10:33 Scott talks about Bernie Leadon’s role on the album

13:10 Scott discusses some of the details regarding the album that he learned from interviewing Leadon

17:21 Scott explains why this album resonates for him personally

22:35 Scott spotlights the songs that stand out for him

25:58 “Train Leaves Here This Morning” sent Al on a musical exploration

27:44 "The Radio Song” reminded Scott and Al of other songs

30:41 The Dillard & Clark album inspired Scott to explore other music

33:35 Scott talks about starting All Day Vinyl and interviewing Leadon

35:30 Scott discusses the process of rebuilding his record collection with help from donations

39:44 Scott doesn’t just listen to music on vinyl

41:33 Scott mentions some interviews he has done for his Legends podcast

43:02 Scott explains how he got started as a music photographer

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Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter-guitarist Madison Cunningham joins Al to introduce him to the 1968 debut album by Silver Apples, Madison talks about how she became acquainted with the album, the unusual way the album was made and why it has become a meaningful album for her personally. She and Al highlight their favorite tracks and discuss how they relate to the album’s lyrics. Madison also discusses the making of her latest album, Ace, and the process of selecting its three singles.

For Madison’s tour info, merch, newsletter and more, go to her website at https://www.madisoncunningham.com/.

You can also follow Madison on the following platforms:

Instagram: @madicunningham

Facebook: @madisoncunninghammusic

Tiktok: @madisoncunningham_

YouTube: @madisoncunningham

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first five 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

1:26 Madison’s introduction

2:21 Madison explains what makes Silver Apples special for her

4:49 Madison shares how she first discovered this album

5:52 Madison talks about her initial experiences with listening to the album

9:08 Al describes his listening experience

11:35 Madison got some songwriting insights from listening to Silver Apples

13:39 Sliver Apples reminded Al of another artist covered on YMAAA

16:19 Madison and Al talk about the surprisingly human quality of the music, even though it’s electronic

19:09 Madison talks about Silver Apples' performance in Central Park for the moon landing

21:29 Madison recounts how Silver Apples disbanded after the release of their second album

23:57 Al explains why he finds “Oscillations” amusing

25:51 Madison and Al discuss their favorite tracks from the album

31:07 “Dancing Gods” left both Madison and Al confused

34:09 Madison appreciates Danny Taylor’s approach to drumming

36:39 Madison talks about her reactions to the album’s lyrics

41:52 Madison sees bands like Silver Apples as an antidote to the negative side of the singer-songwriter scene

43:46 Is there a common link between Silver Apples and Madison’s work?

47:36 Madison talks about her mindset during the time of making Ace

50:58 Do the singles from Ace feel like singles?

54:51 Madison explains why she recorded new live versions of songs for music videos

59:28 Madison talks about her upcoming tour and plugs one of her favorite albums of 2025

Outro music is from “Goodwill” by Madison Cunningham

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On this episode, UK-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Jack Cooper of Modern Nature introduces Al to the 1997 Michael Head Introducing The Strands album The Magical World of the Strands. Jack talks about how and when he first learned about Head’s work and how he eventually became familiar with The Magical World of the Strands. He explains why he thinks this particular album stands out in Head’s discography and why it has a timeless quality. Jack also discusses Modern Nature’s latest album, The Heat Warps, and the ways in which it is a departure from the band’s prior releases.

To learn more about Modern Nature, their music and tour schedule, visit their website at modernnature.band. Also, you can follow the band on Instagram at @m0dernnature and on Facebook at @modernnatureuk.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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.

1:18 Jack’s introduction

2:11 Jack was first introduced to Head’s music through Shack

6:58 Head’s music was never heavily marketed

8:54 Jack recalls how he wound up exploring The Magical World of the Strands

15:06 Jack explains what makes The Magical World of the Strands stand out among Head’s albums

17:32 Al shares his initial reactions to the album

20:33 Jack theorizes how Head and the Strands were able to make an album that sounded like it was from a different time

23:02 Jack and Al talk about the album’s “horizontal” nature

25:42 Al discusses the circumstance in which he did most of his listening to the album

27:49 Jack is a fan of Head’s more recent work with the Red Elastic Band

33:33 Jack shares his final thoughts about the album

36:13 Al sees a link between a comment made by Miki Berenyi and the themes on The Heat Warps

38:45 Jack talks about his perception of the U.S. based on his tour experiences

41:16 Jack stresses the importance of artists showing solidarity with those who resist the rise of fascism

43:37 Al explains why he finds The Heat Warps to be a rewarding listen

45:16 Jack talks about the importance of making albums sound cohesive

48:39 Jack explains why he referenced a line from “Stairway to Heaven” in “Jetty”

54:54 Jack shares the upcoming plans for Modern Nature

Outro music is from “Pharaoh” by Modern Nature.

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On this episode, English alternative rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and engineer Wreckless Eric talks to Al about Tom Petty’s 1989 multi-Platinum solo debut Full Moon Fever. Eric explains how he was belatedly introduced to the album, and what he loves and doesn’t love about it. He also makes the case for Full Moon Fever being the original Dad Rock album. Eric talks about his new solo album, England Screaming, which is a remaking of A Roomful of Monkeys, the lone album released by his mid-‘80s project Captains of Industry.

You can find all things Wreckless Eric-related on his website, wrecklesseric.com. You can also follow Eric on Instagram at @thewrecklesseric. For Eric’s videos, check out his YouTube channel at @wrecklessericericgoulden6001.

You can buy or stream England Screaming—and some of Eric’s other work—on Bandcamp at https://wrecklesseric.bandcamp.com/.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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 Eric’s introduction

2:11 Eric explains why he chose Full Moon Fever for this episode

5:10 Eric talks about the homemade nature of the Full Moon Fever recording

9:24 Eric was not listening to Petty around the time that Full Moon Fever came out

12:47 Eric recalls what impressed him about the album when he first listened to it

15:28 Eric talks about the unique way the drums were recorded

20:40 Eric thinks Full Moon Fever could be the first Dad Rock album

28:06 Does “Free Fallin’” fit the theme of the album?

33:52 Eric explains how the bright acoustic guitar sound was created on “Free Fallin’”

36:41 Eric recalls an encounter with producer Denny Cordell

41:17 Eric has a theory for why Petty included a cover of “Feel a Whole Lot Better” on the album

45:28 Eric talks about how Full Moon Fever was initially going to have fewer tracks

47:28 Al didn’t realize Full Moon Fever preceded The Traveling Wilburys

49:16 Eric explains why the album wasn’t called Songs from the Garage

52:32 Eric discusses what makes Full Moon Fever a complicated listening experience for him

1:04:17 Eric and Al talk about features of “Runnin’ Down a Dream” they like

1:07:14 Eric recommends that the “haters” listen to the whole album

1:08:13 Eric explains why he remade A Roomful of Monkeys as England Screaming

1:14:33 Eric talks about recording England Screaming with drummer Sam Shepherd

1:21:43 Eric extols the virtues of playing slow

1:25:09 Eric explains why A Roomful of Monkeys didn’t turn out the way he envisioned

1:28:09 Eric talks about his upcoming live events

1:29:29 Eric discusses the importance of the arts

Outro music is from “Land Of The Faint At Heart” by Wreckless Eric.

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On this episode, Nashville-based, Australian-born singer-songwriter Emma Swift introduces Al to Bon Iver’s 2007 album For Emma, Forever Ago. Emma talks about how she first learned about Bon Iver and this particular album as a DJ in Sydney. She explains what drew her to Justin Vernon’s music and what set him apart from other indie artists of the late 2000s. Emma also highlights some of her favorite aspects and moments from For Emma, Forever Ago. She and Al wind up by discussing her latest album, The Resurrection Game, how it came to have its full, cinematic sound, and what she has planned for the months ahead.

TRIGGER WARNING: At 44:47, Emma makes a brief reference to suicidal ideation. Skip ahead to 45:14 to resume with the next topic.

Correction: Al says that For Emma, Forever Ago was Justin Vernon’s solo debut. However, prior to that album, Vernon had made two albums under his own name and one as “JD Vernon.”

There is no shortage of ways to keep up with Emma, so make sure you visit/follow her on the following platforms!

Socials: @emmaswiftsings on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Website: https://www.emmaswift.com/

Blog: https://emmaswiftsings.substack.com/

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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.

1:31 Emma’s introduction

2:10 Emma and Al were not trying to be cute with this episode’s album selection

3:00 Emma shares her reasons for picking For Emma, Forever Ago

6:47 Emma admires the introspective creative process that Vernon employed for making this album

11:40 Al explains why he had a difficult time getting into the album

14:04 Should Al have chosen a different album from Emma’s short list?

15:51 Emma talks about what distinguishes For Emma, Forever Ago from other late-Aughts folk

20:36 Listening to Bon Iver is part of Al’s effort to catch up on music he missed in the 2000s and 2010s

24:31 Emma names some artists that she has caught up on recently

26:23 Vernon’s honesty about his struggles caught Emma’s attention

28:44 Al talks about some of the features of Vernon’s production that he liked

31:47 Emma focuses on two of the tracks she enjoys from the album

37:09 Emma explains why she thinks this album is “uncoverable”

41:03 Emma talks about why she opted for a cinematic approach with The Resurrection Game

46:57 Emma notes the ascendancy of a new model of masculinity in indie music

52:41 Emma talks about her upcoming touring and recording plans

59:02 Emma tells us about the concerts she has recently attended

1:00:58 Emma has another covers album coming out

1:03:24 Emma talks about some of the music she’s been listening to

1:07:27 Emma has a theory about Al’s musical tastes

1:10:28 Emma recommends the Michael Shannon/Jason Narducy R.E.M. shows

Outro music is from “No Happy Endings” by Emma Swift.

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Andrea Walker, co-founder, primary songwriter and guitarist for the Portland-based indie rock band Glitterfox, visits YMAAA to talk about Fleetwood Mac’s 1987 album Tango in the Night. Andrea discusses how she got into Fleetwood Mac, and this album in particular, through learning and performing the songs, and how playing Fleetwood Mac covers was instrumental to the development of Glitterfox. She also talks about what she likes about the sound of Tango in the Night, and which songs are her favorites. She and Al break the album down by the clusters of songs written and sung by each of the band’s three primary songwriters—Lindsey Buckingham, the late Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks. They wrap up by discussing Glitterfox’s recently-released album Decoder and the band’s tour plans.

You can follow Andrea on Instagram at @andreaplaysguitar.

There are several ways to keep up with Glitterfox. On Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, they’re at @glitterfoxband. There’s also their website, https://glitterfoxband.myshopify.com/.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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.

1:42 Andrea’s introduction

2:33 Andrea talks about Glitterfox’s history of covering Fleetwood Mac songs

6:11 Andrean discusses her role as Glitterfox’s main songwriter

8:01 Andrea explains why she chose Tango in the Night for this episode

11:51 Al explains why he never bought or listened to Tango in the Night

16:11 Andrea talks about the production technique that gives Tango in the Night its ethereal feel

20:08 The different sound on Tango in the Night extends to the vocals

23:02 Andrea pinpoints when she started getting into Tango in the Night

25:18 Andrea explains why she didn’t focus much on soloing until recently

28:02 Learning Fleetwood Mac covers was instrumental to Glitterfox’s growth as a band

28:51 Andrea picks her favorite tracks from the album

30:01 Al sees a common link among his favorite songs from Tango in the Night

32:29 Al talks about the part of the album he might skip

34:04 Andrea and Al discuss the Stevie songs

42:30 Andrea and Al are “Team Christine,” but Andrea is also “Team Lindsey”

47:20 Andrea is impressed by the struggles and determination needed to complete Tango in the Night

48:40 Al is fascinated by the post-TITN era of Fleetwood Mac

51:50 Andrea talks about some of the specific ways that Glitterfox and Fleetwood Mac are similar

57:00 Andrea pinpoints what makes Glitterfox’s sound distinct

1:01:04 Andrea talks about the videos Glitterfox made for Decoder

1:03:50 Andrea lays out Glitterfox’s upcoming tour plans

Outro music is from “Wildfires” by Glitterfox.

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Leanne Butkovic and Angie Boylan, who comprise the rhythm section of the New York-based indie rock trio Freezing Cold, join Al to discuss No Doubt’s 1995 breakthrough album Tragic Kingdom. Leanne and Angie each talk about how the album was formative for them, why they still enjoy it and why being a fan of the band—and of Gwen Stefani in particular—is sometimes challenging. They also talk about Freezing Cold’s latest album, Treasure Pool, and their collaborative songwriting process.

You can follow Angie on Instagram at @angie_boylan. Freezing Cold also has an account on Instagram: @freezingcoldband.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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.

1:38 Leanne and Angie join the show

2:04 Al talks about his preconceptions about Tragic Kingdom

3:43 Angie details how she became obsessed with Tragic Kingdom and No Doubt when she was 12

7:46 Leanne recalls her first concert and her early music listening experiences

10:58 Leanne identifies the elements of No Doubt’s sound and image that she found so appealing

14:14 Angie talks about Gwen Stefani as a fashion icon

15:18 Leanne discusses the complicated nature of being a Gwen Stefani fan

20:43 Angie talks about the more politically progressive side of No Doubt

23:03 Leanne and Angie have felt betrayed by Stefani at times

25:10 Al got over his preconceptions

27:31 No Doubt demonstrate their versatility on Tragic Kingdom

30:49 Leanne talks about Gwen Stefani as a lyricist

32:00 Angie, Leanne and Al discuss how Adrian Young and Gwen Stefani thrived as relatively inexperienced musicians

36:13 Angie and Leanne cite some of their favorite tracks from the album

39:39 Angie notes the one track that she skips

40:27 Leanne thinks No Doubt may have benefited from Interscope needing Tragic Kingdom to be a hit 

41:48 Leanne shares her reactions to the album’s final two tracks

45:34 Leanne and Angie enjoyed No Doubt’s 2024 reunion performance at Coachella

47:08 Leanne explains how she joined Freezing Cold

48:52 Leanne discusses how Freezing Cold typically write songs

50:40 “The Day” is an outlier on Treasure Pool

55:20 Angie talks about how she and Jeff Cunningham have simplified their songwriting for Freezing Cold

57:03 Angie explains how she became the touring and studio drummer for Sleater-Kinney

58:26 Leanne discusses some of Marissa Paternoster’s contributions to Freezing Cold

1:00:12 Angie and Leanne talk about Freezing Cold's upcoming plans

Outro music is from “Eclipse” by Freezing Cold.

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Nashville-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Will Paquin joins Al to introduce him to Paulinho Nogueira’s 1965 album O Fino do Violão. Will talks about how he got into Brazilian guitar, why he didn’t tell anyone about the music he discovered and why he has a particular affinity for Nogueira’s music. Will also highlights some of his favorite parts of the album and notes some features that can best be appreciated through active listening. He and Al talk about Will’s recently released debut album Hahaha and his upcoming plans.

To find Will’s music, tour schedule and more, visit his site at https://www.willpaquin.com/ or check out his Bandcamp page at https://willpaquin.bandcamp.com/.

You can also find Will at @will.paquin on Instagram and TikTok.

Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. 

The first four 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 Will joins the show

1:38 Will talks about how he got introduced to Brazilian music and how that influenced his guitar playing

5:33 Will explains how Nogueira’s approach is different from other Brazilian guitarists, such as Baden Powell and Luiz Bonfá

9:21 Will had second thoughts about discussing this album on this episode

11:06 Will explains why Nogueira’s style suits him better than Powell’s

14:54 Will and Al talk about the different moods on the album

17:13 Will talks about some of the things one may notice when listening actively to O Fino do Violão

24:04 Will has found the album comforting in many moments throughout his life

31:56 Will explains why “Largo” sounds different from the other tracks on the album

34:15 Will identifies his favorite moments on O Fino do Violão

35:50 Will gravitates towards the more spontaneous-sounding tracks

37:45 Will explains why he prefers to listen to O Fino do Violão rather than Noguiera’s other albums

39:54 Will talks about how he and other artists have been influenced by Brazilian music

43:17 Al cites some of the other influences that he noted on Hahaha

45:30 Does Will want his albums to be cohesive?

50:08 Will talks about the decade-long span involved in writing “I Work So Hard”

53:19 Will discusses his upcoming tour dates and recording plans

Outro music is from “We Really Done It This Time” by Will Paquin.

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Munich-based soul-pop artist Caro Kelley joins Al to talk about Jacob Collier’s 2024 album Djesse Vol. 4. Caro revisits her first encounter with the album—and why it led her to go on an extended housecleaning binge—and she explains why she loved the album instantly. Caro also explains why she thinks the album’s eclecticism suits it well. She and Al wrap up by talking about her latest album QUIET, why she had to take a break from recording the album and why that hiatus led to her 1000 Albums project.

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. 

The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. That includes the Bonus Tracks episode with Caro that was published simultaneously with this one. 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.

1:29 Caro joins the show

2:12 Djesse Vol. 4 was instrumental in Caro undertaking her 1000 Albums project

3:46 Caro recalls the first time she listened to the album

5:23 Caro and Al talk about their reactions to “100,000 Voices”

10:08 Al explains why he had a hard time warming up to the album

13:36 Caro thinks the featured performers make the album even better

15:34 Having made a multi-genre album herself helps Caro to appreciate the variety on Djesse Vol. 4

22:40 Caro explains why “A Rock Somewhere” is a highlight

27:58 Caro admires Tori Kelly’s performance on “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

31:31 Caro shares her reaction to the album closer, “World O World”

34:10 Caro thinks albums should have a clear intro and outro

35:49 Caro feels that the “over-the-top” nature of the album is a genuine reflection of Collier as an artist

36:33 Caro helped Al to get more comfortable with talking to guests about albums he doesn’t like

38:55 Listening to Djesse Vol. 4 prompted Caro to think about how “weird” she wanted QUIET to be

45:31 Al hears similarities between Caro’s music and Toto

46:56 Caro discusses the setback that led her to start the 1000 Albums project

Outro music is from “On the House” by Caro Kelley.

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