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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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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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Former Genesis lead guitarist, prolific solo artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Hackett joins Al — an ardent Genesis fan — to discuss his just-released live album, Foxtrot At Fifty + Hackett Highlights (Live In Brighton). Steve talks about his setlist choices for this album, how the songs differ from their original studio versions, which period of Genesis he thinks was the best and his upcoming studio album and tour plans.

Just about everything Steve Hackett-related can be found on his website, hackettsongs.com.

Also, be sure to follow Steve on Twitter/X and Instagram!

Twitter/X: @HackettOfficial

IG: @stevehackettofficial

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Steve joins the show

2:14 Steve talks about next year’s Lamb Highlights tour and upcoming studio album

6:43 Steve explains the setlist choices for his new live album

9:34 Steve remembers back to Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour

10:53 Steve discusses the importance of playing live versions that are different from the studio originals

14:40 Steve reveals how new versions of his songs typically get created

16:29 Steve talks about his band’s rhythm section

18:30 Steve discusses his band’s English-American-Swedish connection

21:06 Steve explains why Genesis gave up on playing “Can-Utility and the Coastliners” live

23:18 Steve thinks Genesis’ best work was still to come after Foxtrot

26:23 Which part of Foxtrot has Steve’s band improved upon the most?

28:23 Steve recommends an album that he loves

Outro is from Steve Hackett, “Watcher of the Skies (live).”

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Indie rock icon Juliana Hatfield pays YMAAA a visit to talk about the soundtrack album for the 1980 musical motion picture, Xanadu, which features Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra. Juliana talks about being a fan of both artists growing up, her Olivia Newton-John covers album and her upcoming ELO covers album and the difficulties involved in covering other artists’ songs in general.

Juliana made a reference to the How Did This Get Made? podcast. If you want to check it out, you can find it here: https://www.earwolf.com/show/how-did-this-get-made/

Al mentioned an interview with Fee Waybill that he had read in which he discusses The Tubes’ involvement in Xanadu. Here’s the link: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/the-tubes-fee-waybill-recalls-bonkers-xanadu-scene-214128554.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Here are links to the videos for “Dancin’” that Al mentioned.

Clip of the scene from Xanadu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts9GdyGD5e4

Olivia Newton-John and Tubes video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WckwVPVnLyM

Juliana is on Instagram at @julianahatfield.

Also, check out her website, https://www.julianahatfield.com/…

…and her Substack: https://julianahatfield.substack.com/.

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:19 Juliana joins the show

1:36 Juliana’s album choice is the perfect one for her

2:34 Juliana chose the Xanadu soundtrack for a variety of reasons

6:02 John Farrar’s songwriting was important to this album

8:29 Juliana faced some challenges when trying to cover “Suddenly”

14:57 Why didn’t Juliana include a cover of “I’m Alive” on her new ELO covers album?

17:59 Juliana didn’t become familiar with ELO’s deeper cuts until recently

23:18 Al was fascinated by “Dancin’”

30:10 Gene Kelly makes an appearance on the soundtrack

31:16 Juliana didn’t care about Xanadu being perceived as uncool

33:31 Al talks about what he likes about Juliana’s cover of “Magic”

35:50 Juliana and Al get into a discussion of Weezer’s covers

38:22 Juliana explains why she wanted to make an ELO covers album

41:25 Artists borrowing from other artists doesn’t bother Juliana

46:41 Juliana learned a lesson from covering “Don’t Bring Me Down”

50:27 Covering ELO had its own specific challenges

54:26 Did Juliana intend to record a series of covers albums?

Outro is from “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” by Juliana Hatfield.

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Vocalist and guitarist Maura Weaver (Mixtapes, Ogikubo Station) joins Al to introduce him to Elliott Smith’s self-titled album. Maura talks about how she got introduced to Elliott Smith’s music, why this album holds a special place for her and how it has helped to shape her own work. She also talks specifically about the throughlines between this Elliott Smith album and her just-released solo debut, I Was Due For A Heartbreak.

Be sure to keep up with Maura and her work!

@mauraweaver on Instagram and Threads

@everreadyy on Twitter/X

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:12 Maura joins the show

2:08 Al explains why he was glad that Maura chose this album

3:18 Maura talks about the first songs that got her into Elliott Smith

6:38 Maura gives one reason for why this album is special to her

8:08 Al starts to talk about his first reaction to Elliott Smith

9:18 Did it take time for Maura to get used to the sound of Smith’s music?

13:50 Maura discusses the elements of Elliott Smith that are poppy

19:12 Al expands on his experience with the album

23:03 Covers are the gateway to Elliott Smith’s music for some people

26:21 Maura explains what she loves about Smith’s guitar-playing style

28:49 Maura mentions some of Smith’s songs that she sometimes plays

30:51 Maura put her love of indie folk to the side with Mixtapes

33:53 Maura is an Elliott Smith power listener

36:25 Drug addiction is a major theme on Elliott Smith…or is it?

39:38 Al pinpoints what made Elliott Smith hard to access at first

43:24 Maura talks about some ways in which she relates to Smith’s music

48:45 Maura and Al discuss some of the album’s lyrics

52:37 Maura elaborates on how Smith influenced I Was Due For A Heartbreak

55:45 Could Maura draw inspiration from a bee sting?

57:06 Maura cites another example of Smith’s influence on her lyrics

59:53 Good lyrics are important to Maura

1:01:43 Which band is a guilty pleasure for Maura?

1:03:46 Maura talks about the changes in her singing style

1:09:20 Maura discusses her upcoming performances

Outro is from “As If Your Love” by Maura Weaver.

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This week’s episode isn’t about an album, but rather about a particular artist’s legacy. Author and professor Megan Mayhew Bergman makes her return to YMAAA (she had been the show’s guest on Ep 93) to make the case for reexamining the career of Kenny Loggins. Megan also argues that Loggins’ musical career has been marked by audacious decisions, including choices made regarding his arrangements, lyrics, collaborations and music videos. She and Al explore the theme of audacity through a discussion of several of Loggins’ better-known songs that span the various eras of his career.

Al made note of Megan’s recent piece in The Atlantic on this summer’s flooding in Vermont. You can read it here (subscription required): https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/07/climate-change-safe-states-vermont-floods/674780/

1:14 Megan joins the show

1:24 Why are Megan and Al talking about Kenny Loggins?

2:27 Megan and Al put their Kenny Loggins game faces on for this episode

3:47 Megan recounts the moment when she realized Loggins needed a deeper examination

Song-by-song analysis

6:31 Danny’s Song

9:38 Whenever I Call You “Friend”

13:15 Was Loggins a trend-setter or trend-follower?

17:16 Celebrate Me Home

22:34 This Is It/What A Fool Believes, and a discussion of “yacht rock” and “blue-eyed soul”

31:06 I’m Alright

34:26 Don’t Fight It

35:47 Heart to Heart

38:16 Megan reveals another aspect of Kenny Loggins’ audacity

40:54 Footloose/I’m Free

42:41 Danger Zone

49:07 Meet Me Half Way

52:17 Conviction of the Heart

54:16 We’ve lost track of how much of pop music’s foundation Loggins is responsible for

59:04 Megan updates us on her latest projects

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This episode marks a YMAAA first, as it focuses on a band rather than an album. Al talks to each member of the Washington, DC-based alternative rock band Ex Hex — Mary Timony, Betsy Wright and Laura Harris — about the  group's two albums and upcoming live dates. The interview with Timony is an excerpt from an upcoming episode, while the interview with Wright is an excerpt from Ep. 44. Al’s discussion with Harris is a standalone interview (though she will also be on a new episode soon).

Get information on Ex Hex’s live shows and more on Instagram at @exhexband and on their website, https://exhexband.com/shows!

More social media for Ex Hex and its members…

Ex Hex:

@exhexband on Twitter/X

Mary Timony:

@MaryT_Money on Twitter/X

@marytimony on Instagram

Betsy Wright

@betsybooots on Instagram

Laura Harris

@heylisaharris on Instagram

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:18 Al explains why he’s doing a You, Me and a Band episode

2:51 Introducing the members of Ex Hex

Mary Timony interview excerpt

4:11 Mary explains why Ex Hex is playing shows again

6:51 When did Mary first get the idea to form Ex Hex?

9:10 Mary challenged herself to craft catchy pop songs

11:09 Does Mary prefer one Ex Hex album over the other?

Laura Harris interview

13:16 Ex Hex recently played a “warmup” show

17:45 Laura talks about how she joined Ex Hex

21:53 Laura compares the two Ex Hex albums

28:16 Which bands have influenced Ex Hex’s sound?

35:42 Laura’s playing style has varied with different bands she’s been in

39:59 Which Ex Hex songs are Laura’s favorites to play?

Betsy Wright interview excerpt

44:57 Betsy talks about how Ex Hex’s songwriting process evolved

48:02 Betsy compares Rips with It’s Real

50:50 Betsy clears up a misheard lyric for Al

52:52 Al wraps things up

Outro is from “Want It To Be True” by Ex Hex.

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The Atlanta-based country music duo The Waymores makes a return appearance on YMAAA, and this time, Willie Heath Neal and Kira Annalise introduce Al to Willie Nelson’s 1975 breakthrough album, Red Headed Stranger. Willie and Kira talk about the album’s importance to them musically and personally, the concept behind the album and the aspects of the performance and production that they particularly enjoy. They also discuss their just-released album, Greener Pastures, which was produced by the legendary Shel Talmy (The Who, The Kinks).

Be sure to give The Waymores a follow!

@thewaymores on Instagram and Threads

@TWaymores on Twitter/X

Website: thewaymores.com

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:21 Kira and Willie join the show

2:45 Kira has had to overcome some health challenges recently

9:31 Willie and Kira talk about the things that make Red Headed Stranger special

13:57 This album was the first one for which Willie Nelson had complete artistic control

16:56 Al learned a lot about Willie Nelson’s life and career in preparing for the episode

19:20 Willie cites a Willie Nelson cover he actually doesn’t like

21:12 Why was Red Headed Stranger such a big hit?

27:03 Willie, Kira and Al discuss how reprises enhance the storytelling

31:22 Does the story’s action move fast or slow?

33:25 Red Headed Stranger opened Willie up to concept albums (TW // reference to suicide)

39:00 Kira and Willie appreciate Willie Nelson’s choice of covers for the album

42:44 Al found the album surprisingly relaxing

44:49 Kira and Willie talk about working with Shel Talmy on their new album

53:00 Kira and Willie highlight some of the things they did differently for Greener Pastures

1:02:51 One track was particularly tough for Willie to record

1:05:50 Kira and Willie discuss their tour plans

Outro is from “But I Don’t” by The Waymores.

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Drummer Laura King (Superchunk, Bat Fangs, R. Ring, Speed Stick) talks about her love for the album that kickstarted The Bangles’ run of ‘80s hits, All Over The Place. Laura recounts the event that started her childhood obsession with The Bangles, breaks down what makes the album special and shares her thoughts on the band’s more successful albums. She also provides updates on the many bands she plays with.

As Laura and Al mentioned, R. Ring released a new video for “Cartoon Heart/Build Me a Question” just hours before their conversation. It’s great! Check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG1RGmkPdBo

They also discussed the really cool video for R. Ring’s "Def Sup." Watch it here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovFJidJAO14

It’s also worth your time to check out the video of Speed Stick performing at the North Carolina Museum of Art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gpKgwyzfc

Find Laura and her music online!

@lkbroiler on Instagram

speedstickband.com

Superchunk tour dates: https://www.mergerecords.com/tour

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:07 Laura joins the show

1:11 Laura talks about discovering The Bangles during her childhood

3:44 Laura remembers back to the first instruments she had

6:51 Laura’s Bangles obsession actually started with Different Light

8:40 Laura explains why she wanted to discuss All Over the Place

9:30 Al forgot a lot of things he previously knew about this album

12:19 Laura talks about the elements of the album that make it special

15:24 Laura highlights some of her favorite parts of the album, including the cover art

18:42 Laura and Al talk about the cover songs on the album

25:09 Did commercial success spell the end of The Bangles?

26:48 Al rants against rants about new music

28:51 Laura talks about some of the music she plays while working at a bar

31:53 Al developed an opinion about the attention Susanna Hoffs received

35:12 Laura defends the Bangles’ post-All Over The Place direction

38:19 Laura summarizes her feelings about the album

39:04 Laura talks about the upcoming Superchunk tour

41:06 Updates on Bat Fangs, R. Ring

43:19 Laura talks about collaborating with Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery on “Def Sup”

47:02 Laura is in a band where she plays bass

48:00 Laura discusses the last Speed Stick album and possibly the next one

51:28 Al asks Laura about her sharing a kick drum in Speed Stick

Outro is from “Online Tangle = HiSSS” by Speed Stick.

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Vocalist, bassist, artist and graphic designer Meghan Minior (Longings, Corrode) introduces Al to Naomi Punk’s 2014 album, Television Man. Meghan talks about what makes this an album she returns to over and over again and what makes it a rewarding listen from start to finish, while Al likens Naomi Punk to another band that came out of Olympia, Washington. Meghan also talks about the new Longings album, Dreams In Red, and her upcoming plans musically and otherwise.

Meghan recommended several music venues to check out for anyone who lives in or is visiting Western Massachusetts. These are the ones she mentioned.

Flywheel Arts Collective: puts on shows at various venues

10 Forward in Greenfield: https://www.10forwardartsvenue.org/

Marigold in Easthampton: https://marigoldtheater.com/

The Drake in Amherst: https://www.thedrakeamherst.org/

Tree House Brewing Company in Deerfield: https://treehousebrew.com/visiting-deerfield

Hutghi’s in Westfield: https://hutghis.square.site/

Find/Follow Meghan on the internet!

@mminior and @static_frame_ on Instagram
meghanminior.com
https://longings.bandcamp.com
https://corrodehc.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:19 Meghan joins the show

2:22 Television Man has been a frequent topic of conversation for Meghan

4:12 Meghan discusses her process for picking an album for this episode

5:40 Al talks about his initial reaction to Television Man

8:08 Meghan explains why the album has stuck with her over the years

9:06 Meghan and Al talk about “Firehose Face” as the album’s opening statement

12:03 Meghan describes Naomi Punk’s sound

13:53 Al was surprised by a Naomi Punk live performance video he watched

15:39 Meghan appreciates the uniqueness of Naomi Punk’s sound

17:30 Television Man is a very visual album for Meghan

24:32 Meghan likes the album’s flow and sequencing

30:30 Is this a punk album?

33:53 Meghan is not sure how much her work has been influenced by Naomi Punk

35:07 Television Man moved Naomi Punk towards a more experimental approach

37:20 Al sees parallels between Naomi Punk and Unwound

40:10 The new Longings album was years in the making

42:03 Meghan talks about her future plans, including with Longings and Corrode

44:10 Meghan gives Al some recommendations for music venues to visit in Western Massachusetts

Outro is from “Expensive Graves” by Longings.

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Tiff Hannay, vocalist and guitarist for the Lansing-based band Rodeo Boys, introduces Al to Mitski’s fifth album, Be the Cowboy. Tiff talks about what they love about this album and how they think of it in relation to the other albums in Mitski’s discography. Tiff and Al also share their impressions of various lyrics from the album. Tiff  discusses Rodeo Boys’ latest album, Home Movies, and the band’s upcoming tour.

Tiff recommended watching Mitski’s 2015 NPR Tiny Desk performance. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFHD0lUAQ.

Also, as promised in this episode, here is the link to Miley Cyrus’ performance of “Heart of Glass”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdRLyixJpc.

Follow Tiff and Rodeo Boys!

@rodeoboysofficial on Instagram and YouTube

https://www.rodeoboysofficial.com/

https://rodeoboys.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter/X at @almelchiorBB and on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Tiff joins the show

1:25 Tiff talks about the album title, Be the Cowboy

3:37 Tiff explains why they chose to discuss Be the Cowboy

7:36 Tiff puts Be the Cowboy in the larger context of Mitski’s discography

12:53 What does Tiff pay the most attention to when listening to this album?

17:01 Tiff talks about some of their favorite songs on the album

20:44 Al thinks some of Be the Cowboy goes over his head

24:37 Tiff loves the beefy Stratocaster sound

26:20 Kissing is a repeated theme on Be the Cowboy

28:56 Tiff recommends Crying in H Mart to Al

33:00 Tiff and Al discuss the songs where Mitski is telling a story from an older perspective

41:12 Al is impressed by the economy of Mitski’s songwriting

44:51 Tiff highlights a few other tracks that are among their favorites on the album

48:26 Al makes note of some of his favorite lyrics on Be the Cowboy

51:31 Al tries to explain his reaction to the album

52:56 Mitski had a huge breakout on Tiktok

55:55 Rodeo Boys once played the Masonic Temple in Detroit

57:15 Al asks Tiff about covering Blondie’s “One Way or Another”

1:02:39 Rodeo Boys are opening for Fishbone…and no one told them about it

Outro is from “Sugar” by Rodeo Boys.

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Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Beth Bombara joins Al to introduce him to Hiss Golden Messenger’s 2019 album, Terms of Surrender. Beth talks about her first impressions of the album, what makes it a great album for her and how it has helped to inform her own writing and playing. She also talks about the process of making her new album, It All Goes Up, and her upcoming tour plans.

A couple of notes about some music clips that were included…Al included an excerpt from Talk Talk’s “Ascension Day.” He used it in the context of making some comparisons between Terms of Surrender and Spirit of Eden, but he actually found that this track from Laughing Stock illustrated his point better than any track from the album he was referencing.

Al also included a clip from “My Wing” at 19:44, just after Beth had referenced a part of the album that featured some interplay between two acoustic guitars. The guitars in the clips are electric, so Al’s apologies to Beth if she had another clip in mind!

Follow Beth online! Find her music!

@BethBombara on Twitter/X, Threads and Instagram

https://bethbombara.com/

https://bethbombara.bandcamp.com/

And you can support Beth’s work here:

https://www.patreon.com/bethbombara

1:15 Beth joins the show

3:06 Is Terms of Surrender a good album for the car?

8:50 Beth talks about what she likes about MC Taylor’s vocals

10:31 Beth and Al talk about lyrics on the album that made an impact on them

13:07 Was MC Taylor influenced by Talk Talk?

17:55 Beth identifies the musical features of the album that are so appealing to her

26:01 Beth has enjoyed listening to some of HGM’s live versions of older songs

28:21 Going to see HGM live is on Beth’s bucket list

30:24 Beth and Al find “I Need A Teacher” to be different from the rest of the album

32:33 Beth likes listening to non-traditional vocalists

38:33 Beth talks about how her writing has been influenced by listening to Terms of Surrender

40:13 Beth discusses some of the obstacles she faced with recording parts of It All Goes Up remotely

43:02 Beth acknowledges the importance of receiving outside support for her work

46:58 Beth talks about her album release party and upcoming tour

49:27 Beth is looking forward to making some new videos

Outro is from “Moment” by Beth Bombara.

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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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Earl Cureton, veteran of 12 NBA seasons and author of Earl the Twirl: My Life in Basketball (with Jake Uitti), joins Al to discuss Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1975 double album, Gratitude. Earl talks about what he loves about EWF and about this part-live, part-studio album in particular. He also discusses how music and basketball has been intertwined in his life and in the lives of others he has known, including Julius Erving. Earl also delves into his book and his work as the Detroit Pistons’ Community Ambassador.

As Earl and Al mentioned on the episode, you can pre-order Earl’s book now. Here’s the link! https://www.amazon.com/Earl-Twirl-My-Life-Basketball/dp/1476693838/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QJI8P93F3V0T&keywords=earl+the+twirl&qid=1684467193&sprefix=earl+the+twirl%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1

Also, be sure to keep up with Earl on Twitter: @EarlTheTwirl

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:18 Earl joins the show

2:50 Earth, Wind and Fire was a popular band when Earl was in college

4:54 Gratitude introduced Al to sides of EWF he didn’t know about

7:39 Earl remembers back to listening to Gratitude and other albums in the dorm

11:06 Earl talks about music that evokes memories for him

14:27 Certain tracks from Gratitude bring back memories for Earl

18:31 The early ‘80s were a great time for Philadelphia sports

21:26 Earl explains why he decided to write his book

24:24 Earl talks about his current work with the Detroit Pistons

25:40 Were The Temptations the first group to rap?

28:00 Does Earl focus more on EWF’s lyrics or their music?

29:56 Earl saw Maurice White frequently in the Sixers’ locker room

33:42 Earl has listened to EWF throughout the years

Discussion of specific tracks:

35:03 Reasons

37:30 Shining Star

38:20 Sun Goddess/New World Symphony

40:38 Al thinks he hadn’t appreciated EWF enough after the ‘70s ended

42:28 Earl talks about an Alicia Keys concert he had just attended

44:19 Earl lets readers know what they can expect from his book

54:16 Earl talks about Marvin Gaye and Dave Bing growing up together in Detroit

56:48 Earl recently performed in a lip synch competition

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Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Maia Sharp introduces Al to Lucy Dacus’ second album, Historian. Maia talks about how she wound up getting obsessed with the album and how it has influenced her songwriting and production approach. She also discusses her soon-to-be-released album, Reckless Thoughts, and her upcoming tour and production work.

There’s lots of places to keep up with Maia and to find her work online!

@maiasharpmusic on Instagram

maiasharpofficial on Facebook

@maiasharp4091 on YouTube

Maia’s Patreon is cool! https://www.patreon.com/maiasharp

Be sure to visit Maia’s website, too: maiasharp.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:15 Maia joins the show

1:26 Why Maia chose Historian over Rickie Lee Jones’ debut album

7:43 Maia talks about the ways she keeps up with new music

12:12 Maia recalls how she introduced herself to Lucy Dacus’ music

14:42 Maia explains how Dacus has influenced her own music

18:33 Dacus is masterful at building up the intensity of her songs

20:23 Hearing Dacus’ vocals gave Maia a different perspective on her own

25:15 Al grappled with understanding Dacus’ music when he listened to Home Movies

28:18 Maia surmises what might make Dacus so popular with so many people

31:43 Maia discusses the elements of Historian that made a particularly big impression on her

36:32 Different parts of “The Shell” made a big impact on Al and Maia

40:04 Maia explains why the lyrics of “Pillar of Truth” are so powerful

44:16 Maia likes the lower, darker tones of the album

48:14 Has Maia completed the Lucy List?

49:53 Maia asks Al which album he is obsessed with now

51:13 Maia has also gone through obsessions with Bon Iver albums

54:21 Maia discusses her soon-to-be released album, Reckless Thoughts, and upcoming tour

59:58 Maia also has some production work in her near future

Outro is from “Kind” by Maia Sharp

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Legendary audio engineer and author Phill Brown, who has worked with The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Talk Talk and countless other prominent artists over the last 50-plus years, comes to YMAAA to talk about one of the more underappreciated albums he has contributed to. He and Al discuss Murray Head’s 1973 debut solo album, Nigel Lived, and Phill talks about what he learned from making the album, why it’s special to him and what made it such an ambitious project for the time in which it was recorded. He also talks about his subsequent work with Talk Talk and Mark Hollis and the recent recordings by Held By Trees, which he has worked on.

Al made reference to a few previous episodes that are related to this one. Be sure to check them out, if you haven’t already!

Ep 92 with Mary Beth Melchior on the Jesus Christ Superstar concept album (featuring Murray Head): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/92-mary-beth-melchior-discusses-jesus-christ-superstar/id1545282273?i=1000586877486

Ep 113 with David Joseph on Mark Hollis' self-titled solo album: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/113-david-joseph-discusses-mark-hollis-self-titled/id1545282273?i=1000611196557

Ep 79 with Tim Friese-Greene on My Bloody Valentine’s Isn’t Anything: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/79-tim-friese-greene-discusses-my-bloody-valentine/id1545282273?i=1000571013242

As mentioned on this episode, Phill has a website where you can order his book, keep up with his ever-growing list of artists he’s worked with and more. It’s tapedemon.net.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:24 Phill joins the show

1:43 Phill explains why he wrote “Are We Still Rolling?”

3:48 Al was thrilled with Phill’s album choice

4:38 Phill found working on Nigel Lived to be inspirational

6:24 The album’s story allowed Murray Head to showcase his versatility

8:16 Making Nigel Lived changed the way Phill worked on albums

10:33 Phill talks about how they used mobile recording on certain tracks

16:38 Phill got some great sounds with hidden mics

20:55 Phill talks about using the mobile studio to record a church organ and choir

24:17 Phill singles out a few of his favorite tracks from Nigel Lived

28:19 Murray thought the timing of the album’s release worked against it

31:15 Having the physical album makes it easier to follow Nigel’s story

32:54 Nigel Lived sounds different from most rock albums of its era

34:53 Was there a larger message in Nigel Lived?

36:51 Phill summarizes what makes the album special to him

37:56 Al finds “Junk” difficult to listen to

41:05 One of the craziest things Phill has ever recorded was on “The Party”

42:20 Phill explains how he got involved with Held By Trees

45:51 Phill revisits the process of making Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock

49:12 Phill talks about a track from Laughing Stock that he couldn’t listen to

54:17 Phill and Al talk about the quietness of Mark Hollis

55:18 Phill mentions an album he’ll be working on

Outro is from “Grow Dark” by Held By Trees from their upcoming EP, Eventide.

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This week, Al takes a break from the usual format to revisit nine previous episodes where the guest changed the way that he thinks about or listens to music. Al groups the excerpted discussions into the two groups: guests who helped him to give artists he had neglected a more careful listen and guests who taught him to think about music in new ways.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:17 Al explains why he is revisiting some past episodes on this episode

Insights into Artists Al Didn’t Get

3:58 Peter Case on Bob Dylan’s self-titled album (Ep. 114)

7:04 Rain Perry on Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska (Ep. 65)

11:33 Sam Coomes on Velvet Underground’s White Light/White Heat (Ep. 98)

18:35 Anita Lee Elliott on Ace Frehley’s self-titled album (Ep. 71)

24:14 Michael Peter Olson on Van Halen’s 1984 (Ep. 111)

The Different Ways We Listen To Music

28:48 Greg Saunier on Atrium Musicae de Madrid’s Music of Ancient Greece (Ep. 103)

38:07 Glen Phillips on Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose (Ep. 64)

44:31 Kristin Hanggi on India.Arie, SongVersation: Medicine (Ep. 87)

49:05 Kelley Deal on Julian Cope, Droolian (Ep. 100)

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YMAAA has never been visited by the head of a record label or proprietor of a record store, but this week’s guest, Isaac Slusarenko, is both! Isaac runs the Jackpot Records label and store, and on this week’s episode, he introduces Al to Texas-based psychedelic rock band Bubble Puppy and their lone album, 1969’s A Gathering of Promises. Isaac talks about how he learned about this band and this album and how it changed the way that he sought out new music to listen to. Isaac also explains how he wound up opening the Jackpot Records store more than 25 years ago and which new releases we can expect from the label,.

Follow Isaac and Jackpot Records on Twitter and Instagram at @jackpotrecords!

Also be sure to visit the store’s website at jackpotrecords.com.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:09 Isaac joins the show

1:52 Isaac talks about why he opened Jackpot Records

3:32 Al remembers learning about Djangos

5:38 Isaac explains why A Gathering of Promises is a special album for him

12:17 Isaac talks about other small label discoveries he made, emboldened by his discovery of Bubble Puppy

15:59 Isaac discusses Bubble Puppy’s second iteration called Demian

17:08 Bubble Puppy inspired Isaac to make a pilgrimage to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

18:03 There is a Bubble Puppy-Funkadelic connection

19:44 How was “Hot Smoke and Sassafras” a top 20 hit??

21:41 Bubble Puppy reminded Al of a lot of other bands

24:30 Bubble Puppy apparently had a following in England

26:13 Mike Mills is a fan of the album

26:52 Al doesn’t know if this is an album he’ll go back to often

28:19 Isaac talks about the importance of an album’s artwork

30:17 Isaac doesn’t find it easy to single out favorite tracks

33:33 Isaac reveals some of his other finds

37:51 Isaac discusses the origins of the Jackpot Records label

40:00 Isaac talks about how he determines what gets published on his label

44:21 Isaac reports on Jackpot Records’ upcoming releases

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Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, Filthy Friends, The Baseball Project, The No Ones, R.E.M.) returns to the show (he first appeared on episode 9) to discuss Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Scott talks about what the album means to him, how Neil Young conveyed a sense of fun on the album despite its tragic themes, and his own experience with hearing the songs performed live. Scott also talks about the new No Ones and Minus 5 albums and the upcoming Baseball Project album, Grand Salami Time.

Scott made a reference to the Neil Young Archives, and they’re definitely worth checking out: https://neilyoungarchives.com/.

Here are just some of the places you can find Scott on social media:

@ScottMcMinus5 on Twitter

@the_minus_5 on Instagram

@BaseballProject on Twitter and  Instagram

The Minus 5 on Facebook

And a couple of places to find Scott’s music:

https://scottthehoople.bandcamp.com/

https://www.yeproc.com/artists/the-minus-5/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:18 Scott joins the show

1:28 It’s hard to keep track of all of Scott’s bands

2:59 Scott has three releases coming out within a few weeks of each other

4:59 Why Scott hasn’t recorded any covers from Tonight’s the Night

6:58 Scott talks about Mike McCready’s contributions to his first Neil Young covers album

11:12 Al has never quite “gotten” Neil Young

13:16 Scott thinks Al’s Genesis fandom explains a lot about his ambivalence about Neil Young

20:00 Scott says Tonight’s the Night is Neil Young’s most emotionally intense album

22:19 Scott can listen to Tonight’s the Night anytime

25:44 Neil Young made a huge impression on Scott when he was a teen

27:27 Scott talks about the career trajectory that led Neil Young to make Tonight’s the Night

31:45 Why are there two versions of the title track on the album?

35:15 Scott talks about the inclusion of the tracks not recorded at SIR

Discussion of other tracks from the album:

41:07 Tired Eyes

46:34 Albuquerque

48:51 Roll Another Number

53:03 Neil Young’s live album from The Roxy exemplifies the fun that he and his band had playing songs from Tonight’s the Night

55:11 Scott and Al note the variety of musical styles on Tonight’s the Night

57:31 Scott references a track with Joni Mitchell posted to Neil Young Archives

58:49 Scott sees the album as ultimately about the importance of friends and music

1:00:44 This episode could have been about Jenny Lewis instead

1:03:26 Scott talks about his upcoming No Ones tour

1:05:03 The new Baseball Project album was several years in the making

1:09:12 Will there be a new Filthy Friends album? (Plus some Sleater-Kinney news)

Outro is from “Hitchhiker” by The Minus 5.

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Guitarist Nili Brosh takes a quick time out from her many gigs (e.g., Danny Elfman, Dethklok, Cirque du Soleil, solo) to introduce Al to Steve Stevens’ 1999 album, Flamenco A Go-Go. Nili talks about her first impressions of the album, why she thinks a lot more people need to know about it and how it has influenced her own work. She also discusses her love of the band Extreme, her experience of playing with Alphonso Johnson and Chester Thompson and her new songs and upcoming tour dates.

There’s a whole bunch of places where you can keep up with Nili!

Instagram: @nilibrosh

YouTube: @nilibrosh

Facebook: NiliBroshMusic

soundcloud.com/nilibrosh

nilibrosh.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:07 Nili joins the show

1:57 Nili talks about her Extreme fandom

5:48 Nili doesn’t really associate Steve Stevens with Billy Idol

7:33 Nili explains why she wanted to discuss Flamenco A Go-Go

8:09 Nili and Al talk about the album’s eclecticism

10:21 Does Flamenco A Go-Go sound like a turn-of-the-millenium album? 

11:59 Nili and Al talk about the vibes they get from the album

13:53 Nili recalls how she first heard about the album

16:28 Nili discusses her first impressions of Flamenco A Go-Go

17:53 Flamenco A Go-Go influenced Nili’s own writing and playing

20:16 How did Steve Stevens pull off blending so many different types of genres?

23:03 Nili identifies the most magical parts of the album

25:51 Al wonders if there is a live track on the album…

27:58 …and if Steve Stevens might have contributed vocals

29:06 Al makes his obligatory Genesis reference

31:46 Al asks Nili about her experience of performing with Chester Thompson and Alphonso Johnson

34:15 Nili talks about her two newly-released songs

37:53 Nili discusses her upcoming live dates

Outro is from “Lavender Mountains” by Nili Brosh.

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Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Dunne joins Al for this episode to introduce him to Vampire Weekend’s Father of the Bride. Brian talks about why he loves the album’s frequent shifting of genres, what he admires about Ezra Koenig as a songwriter and the specific time period that the album references. Brian also discusses his new album, Loser On The Ropes, and playing the songs from the album live for the first time.

Al has a previous guest to thank for his being aware of Brian’s music, and ultimately, for Brian joining him for this episode. Joan Holiday, who was Al's guest on ep. 66, played “Rockaway” on her drive time show on WRSI The River.

At 51:46, Al and Mary Beth’s horse Fynn makes his first podcast appearance!

Be sure to follow Brian on Twitter and Instagram at @briandunnemusic!

Brian also has a website, https://www.briandunnemusic.net/…

…and a Bandcamp page: https://briandunne.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:15 Brian joins the show

1:36 Brian explains why he chose to discuss Father of the Bride

3:03 The album’s frequent changes in styles and genres made an immediate impression on Brian

5:47 Brian cites an example of great songwriting on the album

9:30 Father of the Bride has been a polarizing album for Vampire Weekend fans

11:23 Al wonders why he has such a hard time “getting” Vampire Weekend

14:05 Brian places Vampire Weekend in the context of indie rock

17:30 There is a purpose to all of the switching between genres

21:56 Brian talks about growing up with classic rock

24:11 Brian digs into his favorite songs on the album

27:57 Al asks Brian for his interpretation of “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin”

31:49 Brian understands that Father of the Bride is not for everybody

33:04 Al talks about one of his favorite moments on the album

34:50 Brian sees Modern Vampires of the City as a pivotal album

37:07 Father of the Bride takes Brian back to 1994

40:45 Brian makes an analogy between Father of the Bride and Bruce Springsteen’s The River

46:46 Brain explains what he was conveying with the song “Rockaway”

51:58 Brian talks about playing the songs from Loser On The Ropes live

Outro is from “Rockaway” by Brian Dunne.

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Vocalist and songwriter Joe Casey of Protomartyr pays YMAAA a visit and introduces Al to a band with which he is completely unfamiliar. Joe talks about Detroit-based punk band Tyvek and their 2007 album, Fast Metabolism, which is a compilation of some of their earliest singles and EPs. Joe explains why he chose this album for the show and discusses his personal connections to Tyvek and why they have been an inspiration to him. Joe also talks about Protomartyr’s upcoming sixth album, Formal Growth in the Desert, and answers some questions about the tour for the album.

Al referred to a video that Joe did for Amoeba Music’s What’s In My Bag series. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIYyJD24Ppg&t=4s

Joe and Al talked extensively about Protomartyr’s video for “Elimination Dances.” You should definitely check it out. It’s really cool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uf98p7Dsdk

Joe talked about the difficulties that Protomartyr had in scheduling an album release event date in Detroit. Update: They scheduled it, and it happened on May 27…before the Tigers-White Sox game at Comerica Park!

Be sure to follow Protomartyr on Twitter and Instagram: @protomartyrband

They also have a very nice website, http://protomartyrband.com/, and a Bandcamp page: https://protomartyr.bandcamp.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:13 Joe joins the show

2:05 Joe explains how Tyvek inspired him and helped him get Protomartyr started

6:31 Kevin Boyer influenced Joe’s musical tastes and lyric writing

10:34 Joe explains why he picked Fast Metabolism for this episode

11:48 Tyvek received some flak over the cover for their first album

16:39 Joe talks about the specifics of why he loves listening to Fast Metabolism

17:55 Joe discusses his favorite tracks from the album

21:43 What makes “Honda” a blueprint for other punk songs?

25:39 Al talks about some lyrics he enjoyed

28:46 Joe talks about the art of writing about a specific place

31:00 Al sees “Air Conditioner” as being different from the other songs on the compilation

33:20 It’s important to Joe to remind people to listen to overlooked bands like Tyvek

34:39 Joe shares some updates on Tyvek

35:48 Making artwork is a reason why Joe wanted to be in a band

37:10 Joe talks about the development of the concept for Protomartyr’s “Elimination Dances” video

41:45 We have another new Protomartyr video to look forward to 

42:56 Joe explains why Protomartyr recorded Formal Growth in the Desert in West Texas

44:27 Joe answers Al’s questions about Protomartyr’s upcoming tour

Outro is from “Elimination Dances” by Protomartyr.

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Louise Post of Veruca Salt pays YMAAA a visit to talk about Kate Bush’s 1985 album, Hounds of Love. Louise explains why Hounds of Love is one of her favorite albums, how Kate Bush was something of an acquired taste for her and which tracks on the album are the most special to her. The conversation also frequently turns to The Beatles and Post Malone, and Louise talks about how she wound up teaching music in the L.A. public schools. She also discusses the writing and recording process for her upcoming solo album, Sleepwalker, and the band she has assembled for her tour.

Al referenced an interview that Louise and Nina Gordon did for the Women in Rock Oral History Project. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju8QAzTGC-8.

Al’s memory of Kate Bush’s appearance on Saturday Night Live was inaccurate, even though he said he was “99 percent sure” he remembered it correctly. She performed “The Man With the Child In His Eyes” and “Them Heavy People,” and not “Wuthering Heights” and “Babooshka,” as he had remembered. Also, the broadcast was in 1978, and not in 1979 or 1980.

Follow Louise on social media! 

Instagram and Tiktok: @louiselightnerpost

YouTube: @louisepost

Facebook: louisepostmusician

You can find Louise’s music, tour information, VIP package information and merch on louisepost.com.

Keep up with Veruca Salt, too!

Twitter: @verucasalt

Instagram: @verucasaltband

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Louise joins the show

1:26 Louise talks about one of the first albums she ever listened to

5:25 Louise explains why she chose Hounds of Love for this episode

10:28 It took time for Louise to get into Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell and Rickie Lee Jones

15:04 Louise talks about her experience with listening to the album’s two suites

18:43 Louise gives her interpretation of the album’s meaning

23:36 How important are lyrics to Louise when she listens to music?

26:42 Louise taught music in the L.A. public schools

31:03 Al and Louise dig into the lyrics for “Cloudbusting”

37:57 Louise identifies her favorite parts of the album

41:33 Louise singles out “Hello Earth” as an important song

44:58 Al was impressed by Kate Bush’s videos

47:24 Louise relates to the themes and images evoked on Hounds of Love

50:43 Louise talks about how she got started as a songwriter

55:04 Louise explains her songwriting and arranging process for some of her new songs

1:01:37 Louise provides an update on Veruca Salt

1:03:51 Louise talks about the band she has assembled for her solo album and tour

1:05:38 It took Al a while to realize he was reading Louise’s posts on Instagram

Outro is from “Guilty” by Louise Post.

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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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Author, speaker and former professional baseball player Mike Robbins introduces Al to A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 album, The Low End Theory. Mike talks about how he was first introduced to ATCQ in high school, the culture shock he experienced hearing unfamiliar music when he went to college and why The Low End Theory has stood the test of time more than 30 years after its release.

Keep up with Mike’s podcast, blog and publications at his site: mike-robbins.com.

You can also get Mike’s podcast, We’re All In This Together, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/were-all-in-this-together/id1134737783.

Be sure to follow Mike on Twitter and Instagram! @mikedrobbins

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast’s featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Mike joins the show

3:31 Mike talks about what initially appealed to him about A Tribe Called Quest

9:07 Mike alludes to Q-Tip’s affinity for jazz

11:06 Mike talks about the rap community in Oakland

12:36 No one listened to rap when Mike went to Stanford

15:21 Not all rap from the ‘90s holds up for Mike

19:02 Mike distinguishes between the different styles of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg

20:58 Rapping is hard

23:35 Mike talks about the Native Tongues collective

26:00 Hip-hop and basketball were important to Mike growing up, and they were connected

26:43 Al likes how the first two tracks set up the album

29:41 Al and Mike review some of the sports references made on the album

34:21 Mike discusses the different approaches ATCQ took on various tracks

37:31 Mike finds “The Infamous Date Rape” both problematic and nuanced

44:22 Mike thinks The Low End Theory holds up really well

47:17 Al had heard Q-Tip on a guest appearance he made on another band’s album

48:29 Mike enjoys artists with eclectic musical backgrounds

50:45 Al asks Mike to recommend his next ATCQ album to listen to

53:08 Mike’s daughters help keep him current on music

54:05 Mike talks about his current and upcoming work

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Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Peter Case (The Nerves, The Plimsouls, solo) drops by YMAAA to give Al a long-overdue introduction to Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut album. Peter talks about how he got introduced to Dylan’s music during his childhood, his life as a busker in San Francisco prior to his time with The Nerves and what is particularly special about Dylan’s first album. He also talks about his new album, Doctor Moan, and his recent experiences with playing live shows.

Keep up with Peter! @ThePeterCase on Twitter, @petercase111 on Instagram

Peter’s music, tour info, blog and more are on his site, petercase.com. Be sure to pay it a visit!

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:03 Peter joins the show

2:23 Peter played songs from Bob Dylan’s debut album when he was a busker

3:50 Peter talks about his introduction to Dylan’s music

5:10 Peter explains what makes the debut album different from other Dylan albums

8:17 “You’re No Good” exemplifies several things that Peter loves about the album

13:10 Peter notes a similarity between Dylan and early Elvis Presley

15:02 Could a young Dylan sing about death and relationships with authenticity?

22:43 “Talkin’ New York” was not as much about Dylan’s experience as Al thought

25:51 Peter likes the symphonic quality of “In My Time of Dyin’”

27:55 Peter talks about The Animals’ covers of Dylan’s songs

30:17 Peter breaks down the arrangement of “Man of Constant Sorrow”

33:00 Al asks Peter what it was like to hear early Dylan when it was new and fresh

38:25 Peter talks about the mystery of how people decide to let unfamiliar music into their lives

40:44 Al decided to listen to “Murder Most Foul”

44:53 Peter reveals which Dylan album he listens to the most

47:07 Dylan is an inspiration for Peter

51:00 “Baby, Let Me Follow You Down” is another one of Peter’s favorite tracks from the album

54:23 Peter talks about the community that helped shape Dylan’s music

57:28 Peter cites the song that got his kids into Dylan

59:42 Peter recounts his journey over the years as a Dylan fan

1:03:54 Peter talks about his new album and just-completed tour

Outro is from “Have You Ever Been In Trouble?” by Peter Case

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Multi-instrumentalist and composer David Joseph of Held By Trees has played with several of the musicians who performed on the final two Talk Talk albums, so there is no one better to introduce Al to Mark Hollis’ solo album, which featured many of the same people. In addition to talking about what makes Mark Hollis a special album, David discusses how he became a fan of Talk Talk and how the band has inspired his own work. He also chats with Al about his latest recordings with Held By Trees, which were made at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios.

Al mentioned and recommended a video of Talk Talk performing at the 1986 Montreux Jazz Festival. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTOYdH6tdSQ

Al also noted some previous interviews David did that go into more detail about how Held By Trees came about. This one from Classic Pop is pretty comprehensive: https://www.classicpopmag.com/2022/07/held-by-trees-interview/.

Follow David and Held by Trees! @heldbytrees on both Twitter and Instagram

And, of course, stream/buy David’s music on Bandcamp: https://heldbytrees.bandcamp.com/

You can pre-order Held By Trees’ upcoming twin EPs here: https://www.innersleeve.com/collections/held-by-trees

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:00 A couple of announcements

2:39 David joins the show

3:23 Why the Mark Hollis album was not a Talk Talk album

4:59 Al makes note of the connection between Talk Talk and Held By Trees

5:34 A Chris Martin interview led David to explore the later period of Talk Talk/Mark Hollis

9:09 Al talks about how he got into Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock

11:10 David explains what distinguishes Mark Hollis from Talk Talk albums

16:51 David and Al talk about Mark’s approach to vocals and lyrics on this album

20:40 David feels that Mark Hollis asks something different of him as a listener

24:43 The songs on Mark Hollis don’t have many hooks

29:14 Al finds a couple of examples of hooks on Mark Hollis

31:31 David talks about the difficulty Mark had in making this album

34:37 David explains how Mark was able to achieve the album’s pure sound

36:24 Al and David comment on the album’s sequencing

40:02 David notes that Mark had co-writers on nearly all of the tracks

44:01 David gives Lee Harris and Paul Webb their due

52:06 David offers suggestions for how to get the most out of listening to Mark Hollis

55:38 David discusses how Held By Trees’ Solace was recorded

1:05:55 David appreciates the reception that Solace has received

1:07:47 David talks about Held By Trees’ upcoming twin EPs

1:09:44 David discusses the experience of meeting Peter Gabriel

Outro is from “In The Trees” (live) by Held By Trees.

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Music and sports writer Jake Uitti visits YMAAA to introduce Al to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ The Heist. Jake talks about why he chose the album for this episode, how it became a breakthrough album and what he loves about it. He also discusses his recent and upcoming projects, including a book he co-authored with former NBA veteran Earl Cureton.

On this episode, Jake talked about his recent cover story for American Songwriter on Macklemore and his new solo album, Ben. Be sure to check it out; you can read it here: https://americansongwriter.com/macklemore-finding-his-purpose/

Jake also mentioned Macklemore’s video for “Maniac,” which features Eva Walker and Narduwar. Great song, great video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrKSgwtVk0

Jake's on Twitter! Follow him at @jakeuitti.
Find Jake's writing at jakeuitti.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:04 Jake joins the show

2:27 Jake is married to a previous guest of YMAAA

3:53 Jake talks about his New Jersey roots

6:15 Jake explains why he chose to discuss The Heist

10:20 Jake and Al appreciate how well The Heist was crafted

13:14 Jake talks about how The Heist was well positioned

22:34 Making the album Seattle-centric was part of the positioning

24:07 Jake summarizes his experience of listening to The Heist

28:41 Jake shares his interpretation of “Jimmy Iovine”

33:36 Jake’s appreciation for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ songcraft has grown over time

36:43 Macklemore’s lyrics can be corny

41:21 Jake and Al take a different approach to hearing lyrics

42:57 Al cites an example of great sequencing on the album

46:11 The Heist can be viewed as a gateway to learning more about the Seattle music scene

47:18 Jake and Al both like “Cowboy Boots” as an album closer

51:30 How well does Jake know Macklemore?

53:17 Jake talks about Macklemore’s new solo album

56:35 Jake discusses his upcoming book with Earl Cureton

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Cellist Michael Peter Olsen joins Al to familiarize him with an album he thought he mostly knew: Van Halen’s 1984. Michael makes the case that a careful listening of the album reveals an experimental side of Van Halen. He also talks about why Van Halen, and this album is particular, is an inspiration to him, his recent experience of meeting Greg Saunier of Deerhoof (who was a recent guest on this show) and what Post-Cello is all about.

1:10 Michael joins the show

1:47 Michael explains why he started playing the cello

2:55 Michael made a strong case for breaking one of Al’s rules

4:31 Hearing 1984 was an ear-opening experience for Michael when he first heard it

10:13 Michael talks about how 1984 is an outlier in the Van Halen discography

11:57 Michael break downs the elements that make 1984 special

14:54 Michael describes the process behind the recording of 1984

19:37 1984 epitomizes Van Halen’s combination of virtuosity and silliness

22:45 “Panama” is a more straightforward Van Halen song

24:05 There’s a lot going on in “Jump”

29:29 Michael gives Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth their props

30:29 Van Halen were always a different type of metal band

32:31 Michael has a theory about the album cover

36:05 Al has questions about “I’ll Wait”

40:06 Michael talks about the lack of overdubs…

41:55 …except for one notable exception

44:11 Michael discusses some of the innovations Eddie Van Halen used on this album

46:33 Al is more interested in exploring the Van Halen discography now

50:41 Michael talks about how he recently got to meet Greg Saunier

57:00 Michael explains what Post-Cello is

1:05:07 Michael talks about his upcoming album

Outro is from “Falling Forward” by Michael Peter Olsen

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Elizabeth Nelson of The Paranoid Style turns the tables on Al for this episode, serving as host and asking Al about why he loves Genesis and their 1983 self-titled album (also known as the “Shapes” album). Al talks about how he became a Genesis superfan, what his first impressions were of the “Shapes” album and  how those impressions have changed over the decades.

You can find Elizabeth and her must-follow Twitter account at @paranoiacs. You can also follow her on Instagram at @paranoid_style (also a must-follow account).

Check out the music of The Paranoid Style! https://theparanoidstyle.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:16 Elizabeth takes over!

2:14 Al joins the show

2:39 Al revisits how this episode came about

4:11 Al explains how he got into Genesis as a teenager

7:39 Al walks Elizabeth through the history of Genesis

11:53 Al identifies a Genesis album that is the best gateway to their proggy side

15:35 Al talks about his initial experience with listening to the “Shapes” album

19:35 Elizabeth shares Al’s opinion of “That’s All”

20:53 Al compares the versions of Genesis with three, four and five members

Discussion of specific tracks

24:06 Mama

29:00 Elizabeth asks Al what he thinks about the drum sounds on the album

32:44 Taking It All Too Hard

34:49 It’s Gonna Get Better

38:48 That’s All

39:20 Just A Job To Do

42:37 Illegal Alien

45:24 Silver Rainbow

47:38 Al recommends three songs from the album and three songs from the entire catalog to listen to as an introduction to each

Outro is from “The Thrill Is Back” by The Paranoid Style.

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Neil Gust, guitarist, songwriter and vocalist for Portland rock trio No. 2 (and previously of Heatmiser) becomes the first YMAAA guest to discuss a compilation. He introduces Al to Nigeria 70, Vol. 1 (Funky Lagos), and in the process, sparks a discussion about several key Afrobeat artists. Neil also talks about No. 2’s recent touring behind their 2022 album, First Love — his first live performances in more than 20 years.

There are three, three, three! places to follow Neil on Instagram: @neilgust, @___numberdeux___, @heatmiser_archv

Check out No. 2’s Bandcamp page…https://no2music.bandcamp.com/

…and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@No-oe3yq

1:09 Neil joins the show

2:12 Neil explains why he chose to discuss this compilation

6:24 Al has yet to learn about the featured artists in depth

7:35 Neil’s listening experience for this album was different from his usual album-listening experience

10:33 Neil talks about the importance of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen to Afrobeat

Discussion of other Afrobeat artists

11:55 Blo

13:45 The Funkees/Osibisa

15:16 William Onyeabor

16:03 Neil talks about the Nigerian Civil War and the Lagos music scene that emerged in its aftermath

19:25 Al and Neil talk about the artists who introduced Western audiences to Afrobeat

20:54 The compilation spans a variety of genres

22:02 Neil and Al talk about the brutal misogyny reflected in “Woman Made The Devil”

24:56 Al talks about artists on the album he wants to learn more about

28:30 Segun Bucknor & His Revolution’s “La La La” is a highlight for Neil

31:01“Jeun Ko Ku” was a springboard into Fela Kuti’s music for Neil

33:25 Neil talks about some of Tony Allen’s various projects

37:22 There are a couple of tracks that Neil doesn’t like as much as the others

39:45 It took Al some time to more fully appreciate the compilation

42:39 Neil expects Al will make more connections between Afrobeat and Western rock over time

44:44 Neil talks about the albums he considered discussing but didn’t

46:44 Neil talks about playing live with No. 2 for the first time in more than 20 years

51:52 Will Neil tour again?

53:55 What was Neil’s favorite part of playing live again?

Outro is from “Model of the Universe” by No. 2.

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Dr. Neal Barnard is a clinical researcher who is the founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and he is also a multi-instrumentalist who founded the band CarbonWorks. Neal joins Al on this episode to discuss Cream’s third album, Wheels of Fire, and along the way, he talks about Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, the good and the bad of Cream’s collaboration and CarbonWorks’ upcoming album, Vanishing Act.

You can find Neal on Twitter and Instagram! @DrNealBarnard

There are also accounts for CarbonWorks on both platforms: @carbonworksband on Twitter, @carbonworksmusic on Instagram.

Neil also mentioned the CarbonWorks YouTube channel, where you can find their videos, including some for their new songs: https://www.youtube.com/@carbonworks1770

Also be sure to visit CarbonWorks’ website: www.carbonworksmusic.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:22 Neal joins the show

2:18 Neal shares his thoughts on Jimi Hendrix’s discography

6:44 Neal explains why he wanted to discuss Wheels of Fire

11:54 Neal expands on some of his thoughts about The Beatles

14:23 Did Al misinterpret “Politician”?

16:27 Neal and Al continue a discussion of lyrics with “Pressed Rat and Warthog”

19:05 Cream took their time making this album

21:28 The various elements of Cream's music work well together

26:17 Neal talks about how he related to Cream’s music when he first listened to them

28:24 Neal and Al discuss their efforts to separate the artists from the art that Cream made

30:24 Neal finds a flaw in Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads” solo

32:56 Neal offers his perspective on criticisms of Clapton’s playing

36:16 Al’s first impression of “Traintime” didn’t last long

37:34 Is a 16-minute drum solo too much drum solo?

40:44 Neal delves into Cream’s dysfunctions

43:21 Can Neal and Al separate Clapton’s actions from his music?

47:15 Neal discusses the origins of his CarbonWorks project

50:17 Neal talks about how CarbonWorks’ music comes together

51:31 Neal’s experience as an exchange student in Belgium changed how he listened to music

53:19 Neal brings up a couple of songs on Vanishing Act that exemplify his approach to music

Outro is from “Tout Ira Bien” by CarbonWorks.

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Chris Slusarenko of the Portland-based band Eyelids joins Al to talk about The Fall’s 1983 album, Perverted by Language, and their “Kicker Conspiracy” single, which was released in the same year. Chris explains how he wound up getting up obsessed with The Fall, why he chose to focus on these particular records for this episode and how The Fall has influenced his own creative process. He also talks about Eyelids’ recently-released fourth album, A Colossal Waste of Light, and the experience of being produced by and touring with Peter Buck.

Chris made repeated reference to The Annotated Fall, which lists and, yes, annotates the lyrics to The Fall’s songs. If you’re new to The Fall like Al is (or probably even if you’re not), it’s an indispensable resource. http://annotatedfall.doomby.com/pages/the-annotated-lyrics/

Where’s the cursor?? Where’s the eraser?? Here’s where to find Eyelids on your computer…

Be sure to follow Eyelids on Twitter and Instagram! @musicofeyelids

To follow/visit Eyelids on Bandcamp, go here: https://musicofeyelids.bandcamp.com/

You can get Eyelids merch, tour info and much more at https://musicofeyelids.com/.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:19 Chris joins the show

1:26 Chris talks about the importance of music in his family

3:21 Chris explains the origins of the title of Eyelids’ new album

6:23 Chris discusses how he got obsessed with The Fall

9:29 Chris walks through the various stages of The Fall’s discography

12:29 “Eat Y’self Fitter” exemplifies many of the things Chris loves about Perverted by Language

18:38 There’s a lot one can read about The Fall

20:17 Why was Mark E. Smith singing about computers in 1983?

22:22 The Fall isn’t for everybody

23:17 Chris addresses the similarities between The Fall and Pavement

24:43 Al talks about his initial impressions of Perverted by Language

26:55 Chris sees Perverted by Language as a transitional album

28:51 Chris and Al disagree as to how cohesive the album is

31:36 Chris talks about The Fall’s frequent changes in personnel

34:05 Chris is impressed by the confidence of The Fall on Perverted by Language

37:48 Chris has trouble picking a favorite track

40:49 Al and Chris admire Steve Hanley’s bass playing

43:58 Chris talks about the “Kicker Conspiracy/Wings” single

48:24 Chris doesn’t think The Fall sold out after Perverted by Language

49:56 Chris suggests some other albums by The Fall for Al to explore

52:56 Chris appreciates Mark E. Smith’s lyrics

54:14 Chris clarifies a misheard lyric for Al

57:03 Eyelids took a different approach to songwriting for A Colossal Waste of Light

1:00:55 Chris talks about Peter Buck’s involvement on A Colossal Waste of Light

1:05:41 Chris discusses Eyelids’ current tour

Outro is from “That’s Not Real At All (B. Midweek Pg. 207)” by Eyelids.

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This year, for the first time, Al took part in #MWE — aka Music Writer’s Exercise — listening to and writing about a new album every day throughout the month of February. Al discusses 10 of his favorite albums out of the total of 28, explaining why he chose them for the project and what he liked about them.

Al mentioned the Sara Lund interview on the Tour Stories podcast, where she discussed Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda. You can listen to that episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-check-in-with-sara-lund-unwound/id1482193534?i=1000575099615.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:48 A #MWE primer

2:06 How Al picked his 28 albums

Highlight albums

4:06 Television, Marquee Moon

6:54 Tacocat, Lost Time

9:17 Tool, Lateralus

11:42 Alice Coltrane, Journey in Satchidananda

13:19  Horsegirl, Versions of Modern Performance

15:31 Obey Robots, One In A Thousand

18:38 Quasi, Breaking the Balls of History

20:10 Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

23:21 The Black Tones, Cobain & Cornbread

25:02 Bruce Springsteen, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

28:06 Al sums up his #MWE experience

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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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TV writer, editor and musician Allie Goertz introduces Al to an album that’s been central to her life for the past year — The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. Allie talks about how she first heard the album, why it’s been important to her and how she covered several of the tracks on her upcoming album, NIN, Peeled Back. She also talks about the Nerf Herder song that bears her name.

Correction: Al incorrectly stated that "Closer" was the album's first single. “March of the Pigs” was actually the lead single, though “Closer” was the first track Al had heard on the radio.

It’s ridiculously easy to find and follow Allie online (and you should)!

Twitter, Instagram and YouTube: @alliegoertz

Bandcamp: https://alliegoertz.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:10 Allie joins the show

1:35 Allie achieves a first for You, Me and An Album

2:03 Allie talks about why The Downward Spiral is an important album for her

4:56 Has Allie gotten obsessive about other bands?

9:30 How does The Downward Spiral make Allie feel?

12:08 Al was not prepared for the experience of listening to The Downward Spiral

15:45 Al was more familiar with the NIN version of “Hurt” than he realized

17:16 “Closer” has always given Al the creeps

20:50 Al explains what it is about NIN that makes listening difficult

27:24 Allie sees humor in NIN’s music

30:04 The Downward Spiral reminds Al of another album

33:02 Allie talks about her initial experiences with listening to NIN

35:32 There was only one track on The Downward Spiral that was hard for Allie to hear at first

Discussion of other tracks:

36:50 March of the Pigs

40:27 Hurt (again)

43:07 Does Allie have albums that she appreciates but can’t listen to?

44:13 Piggy/Heresy

47:47 Reptile

51:27 Ruiner

53:13 Big Man with a Gun

55:20 Allie talks about her upcoming NIN covers album

1:00:01 Allie talks about the Nerf Herder song

Outro is from “Nerf Herder Girl” by Allie Goertz

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Elizabeth Nelson does it all…singer/songwriter for The Paranoid Style, journalist, copywriter, educational consultant…and she took some time out to join Al for this episode of YMAAA. Elizabeth discusses Pavement’s debut album, Slanted and Enchanted, and details what she loves about the record and all of the various influences that went into it. She also talks about the upcoming Paranoid Style album, the story behind a Paranoid Style video and her @paranoiacs Twitter account.

The video for The Paranoid Style's "The Thrill Is Back!" is a whole lotta fun. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgyfywASWoE

Elizabeth wrote a great piece for the New York Times Magazine on some recent TV series reboots. It’s just one click away…https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/magazine/night-court-velma-that-90s-show-reboots.html

As noted above, Elizabeth is on Twitter at @paranoiacs, and she is a must-follow for any music fan. You can also follow her on Instagram at @paranoid_style.

Treat yourself to the music of The Paranoid Style! https://theparanoidstyle.bandcamp.com/

To read the bio/essay on The Paranoid Style’s namesake, head on over to the Bar None Records website. http://www.bar-none.com/the-paranoid-style

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:13 Elizabeth joins the show

1:34 Elizabeth provides a timetable for the new Paranoid Style album

2:40 Al asks Elizabeth about her Twitter ambivalence

6:29 Al explains why he is especially embarrassed about his lack of Pavement knowledge

9:13 Al and Elizabeth talk about their experiences with watching Pavement live

11:15 Elizabeth identifies a band she became a fan of after seeing them in concert

14:52 Elizabeth explains why she chose Slanted and Enchanted for this episode

20:10 Al is exploring Stephen Malkmus backwards

21:26 Elizabeth talks about Pavement’s influences

23:22 Elizabeth pieces together the details of how she first heard Slanted and Enchanted

25:57 Elizabeth details what she has liked about Pavement from the first time she listened to them

27:17 Is Pavement a slacker band?

28:59 Al finds Pavement confusing

30:53 Elizabeth enjoys Pavement’s variety of influences

Discussion of specific tracks

33:51 Summer Babe

39:35 In the Mouth a Desert

46:19 Fame Throwa

48:30 Our Singer

50:42 Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era

51:19 Two States

53:35 Conduit for Sale!

1:02:00 Zürich Is Stained

1:03:47 Here

1:08:48 Al feels like he didn’t pay sufficient attention to the lyrics

1:11:22 Elizabeth talks about the making of the video for “The Thrill is Back!”

1:16:24 Elizabeth alerts us to her current projects

1:17:18 Elizabeth suggests a topic for a future episode

Outro is from “The Worst of My Love” by The Paranoid Style,

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Greg Saunier, drummer and founding member of Deerhoof, joins You, Me and An Album for much more than just a discussion of a favorite album. He does talk about one of his favorite albums — Ancient Music of Greece by Atrium Musicae de Madrid — but he also considers what this album can teach us about contemporary music, classical music and Western culture in general. Greg also talks about Deerhoof’s soon-to-be-released album, Miracle-Level, and the band’s 2021 cover of Sleater-Kinney’s “Don’t Talk Like.”

Follow Greg and Deerhoof on Twitter and Instagram at @deerhoof!

You can get information on Miracle-Level and Deerhoof tour dates at https://deerhoof.website/ or https://deerhoof.bandcamp.com/.

Also, Greg mentioned Deerhoof’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GregFromDeerhoof.

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:06 Greg joins the show

1:44 Greg and Al talk about their research on the album’s backstory

3:18 Greg recounts how he first learned about the album

4:18 Greg explains what the premise of Music of Ancient Greece is

6:27 Greg identifies modern Western musical conventions that can be linked to ancient Greece

13:55 Greg explains why he wanted to explore music from such a distant time

21:46 Why does some of the album sound modern?

24:30 Greg outlines several of the ways the musicians chose to interpret an incomplete score

31:50 Greg thinks the musicians made a conscious decision to make the music ugly

38:00 Are recent technology trends in music democratizing?

49:19 Do the features of Music of Ancient Greece work their way into Deerhoof’s music?

51:50 Al sees a connection between Music of Ancient Greece and a Deerhoof cover of a Sleater-Kinney song

56:40 Greg argues that today’s music technology codifies elite values

1:00:19 Greg finds Music of Ancient Greece’s mix of scholarship and amateurism charming

1:05:57 Deerhoof made a point of bringing their upcoming tour to Western Massachusetts

1:08:43 Greg talks about Miracle-Level being Deerhoof’s first album with all Japanese lyrics

1:12:23 Greg discusses the fragmentary nature of Deerhoof’s songwriting

1:17:44 Greg argues that artists don’t know what their art means

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Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Eva Walker of The Black Tones — who is also a DJ for Seattle’s KEXP — joins Al to talk about Funkadelic’s 1971 album, Maggot Brain. Eva delves into how she first discovered Maggot Brain, the elements of the album that make it a great listen and other albums she also considered discussing on this episode. She also talks about the status of The Black Tones’ second album and the band’s video game, They Want Us Dead!

Be sure to follow Eva and The Black Tones!

Twitter: @The_Black_Tones

Instagram: @theblacktones

And visit The Black Tones’ website!

https://theblacktones.bandcamp.com/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

0:59 Eva joins the show

1:43 Eva had a difficult time choosing an album to discuss

3:49 Eva first listened to Maggot Brain because of the album artwork

6:28 Al never understood why Parliament-Funkadlelic was hyphenated

7:44 Eva talks about listening to her mother’s records growing up

10:12 Seattle didn’t always embrace Jimi Hendrix

13:18 Maggot Brain completely defied Al’s expectations

18:29 Is there funk on Maggot Brain?

Observations about specific tracks

20:18 Hit It And Quit It

24:31 Wars of Armageddon (and a discussion of upbeat sad songs)

31:12 Maggot Brain

33:03 Can You Get To That (and a discussion of misheard lyrics)

36:37 You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks

41:45 The link between You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks and The Black Tones’ Blue Matrimony

44:39 Super Stupid

47:29 Back In Our Minds

50:42 Eva talks about her musical influences

53:39 Eva discusses The Black Tones’ current plans

56:24 One of the early reviews of Cobain and Cornbread had an issue with song structure

57:17 Eva explains the lyrics to “Plaid Pants” and “Welcome Mr. Pink”

1:01:32 Eva talks about The Black Tones’ video game

Outro is from “Welcome Mr. Pink” by The Black Tones

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Rat — the guitarist for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and Obey Robots — makes a return visit to YMAAA, and with a connection to his first visit. On Ep 29, he introduced Al to Public Service Broadcasting’s The Race for Space. Recently, Rat saw PSB live, and he was impressed by the support band, Pale Blue Eyes. He immediately went out and bought PBE’s debut album, Souvenirs, and now he is here to let us know why we should know this album, too. In addition to discussing Souvenirs, Rat talks about Obey Robots’ soon-to-be-released debut album, One In A Thousand, and upcoming plans for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin.

Rat and Al talked about Obey Robots’ video for “Let It Snow,” and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb734Q9HuK4

Be sure to follow Rat for all Ned’s and Obey Robots developments...

Twitter: @Rat_Ned

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rat.ned/

And check out his weekly playlist, as discussed on this episode:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/ratned?si=b9000f6ea2944018

And while you’re at it, keep up with Rat’s OR bandmate, Laura Kidd, too!

Twitter and Instagram: @penfriendrocks

Facebook: search for Laura Kidd or Penfriend

Website: https://penfriend.rocks/

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:07 Rat joins the show

1:45 Rat talks about how he first learned about Pale Blue Eyes

4:34 Rat explains what makes Pale Blue Eyes a great live act

7:52 Rat encourages us to support the support bands

9:44 Souvenirs’ sequencing adds to the listening experience for Rat

Observations about specific tracks

12:41 Chelsea

16:53 Honeybear

20:59 Little Gem

24:29 Champagne (and a discussion of ‘80s music)

30:36 TV Flicker

31:52 Globe

33:04 Dr Pong

35:29 Neither Rat nor Al bothered much with listening to the lyrics

37:19 Sing It Like We Used To

38:52 Under Northern Sky

41:21 Rat and Al talk about the new Obey Robots album and videos

45:25 What’s next for Obey Robots?

47:25 What’s coming up for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin?

50:44 Rat talks about his new weekly playlists

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YMAAA winds up its first 100 episodes with a great last splash! Kelley Deal of The Breeders and R. Ring joins Al to discuss Julian Cope’s 1990 lo-fi album, Droolian. Kelley talks about the unusual circumstance in which she first listened to Droolian, the narratives she has created around the album and what she loves about it. She also talks about her involvement with The Amps’ Pacer album and what a busy 2023 has in store for her and The Breeders.

R. Ring’s brand-new album, War Poems, We Rested, is out, and it’s great! https://rring.bandcamp.com/album/war-poems-we-rested

Kelley had mentioned a cover of a Guided By Voices song, “Scalding Creek,” that she recorded with Buffalo Killers. It’s worth your time to check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZAOwdXhYc

Al made a couple of error in his discussion with Kelley:

He said Kelley was listed on the Pacer Wikipedia page, but what he was thinking of was her inclusion on The Amps’ Wikipedia page.

He mentioned a piano melody on R.E.M.’s “Why Not Smile,” but it’s actually played on a marimba (he thinks).

Be sure to follow Kelley on Twitter and Instagram! @kelleydeal…

…and check out her online store: store.kelleydeal.com

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:10 Kelley joins the show

1:51 Al singles out a great Kelley Deal lyric

4:06 Kelley talks about her involvement with The Amps’ Pacer album

7:28 Al’s previous exposure to Julian Cope was almost exclusively through The Teardrop Explodes

8:03 Kelley was first exposed to Droolian in an unusual way

14:13 Kelley and Al consider how the nature of fandom has changed

15:57 Kelley talks about her deep dive into Cope’s catalog

17:32 Kelley compares Droolian with its predecessor, Skellington

20:30 Kelley also listened to some of Cope’s more polished albums

21:28 Droolian was love at first listen for Kelley

Discussion of specific tracks

23:49 Look After Your Leathers

28:30 Commin Down

31:00 Yeah Yeah Yeah

32:15 Jellypop Perky Jean/Louis 14th

34:34 …Atonement of Wasp

36:00 Gentleman Dude

37:45 Kelly

41:12 Kelley wants to borrow a harmony from a Teardrop Explodes song

42:33 Church of England 1991/Sqwubbsy

46:46 Kelley explains why her favorite Droolian lyrics are her favorites

50:16 Al wants to try listening to an album the way Kelley first listened to Droolian

51:02 Kelley talks about some of her other CD discoveries

53:13 Kelley discusses R. Ring’s origins

57:18 Kelley previews her 2023 plans with R. Ring, The Breeders and Protomartyr

1:00:09 Is Kelley a competitive knitter?

Outro is from "Def Sup" by R. Ring.

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Singer/songwriter/poet Caleb Nichols (Port O’Brien, Soft People) gets Al acquainted with Blur’s 1997 self-titled album, and they also discuss the album’s significance in Blur’s discography as well as to them personally. Caleb talks about how Blur has influenced their own music and the important role that The Beatles have played in their life. Caleb also delves into their Beatles-inspired solo debut album, Ramon, and a couple of current projects.

Be sure to follow Caleb on Twitter and Instagram at @seanickels!

Caleb is also on TikTok: @theecalebnichols

Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @youmealbum@mas.to.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:02 Caleb joins the show

1:28 Caleb recalls when they first got into The Beatles

3:15 Caleb talks about other artists they listened to growing up

7:22 The Blur album was a launchpad into indie rock for Caleb

9:36 Caleb and Al talk about the Blur-Oasis rivalry

15:16 Caleb explains why they chose to discuss Blur on this episode

17:10 Caleb zeroes in on Graham Coxon’s contributions to the album

23:55 Al was surprised by his initial reaction to the album

24:51 Caleb and Al talk about the benefits of listening to an album multiple times

30:02 Caleb likes the blending of random noises with pop elements

34:53 Caleb identifies their favorite parts of the album

37:42 Caleb appreciates how Blur put themselves into a conversation with David Bowie

38:45 How is Blur a dangerous album?

44:41 Al talks about his favorite parts of the album

47:20 Caleb notes Blur’s use of older synth sounds

50:16 Something in “Essex Dogs/Interlude” shocked Al

54:41 Caleb mentions an athletic feat from Graham Coxon that they witnessed

56:02 Caleb comments on a few more tracks

58:44 Some confusion over Supertramp

59:58 Caleb talks about their upcoming album and book of poems

Outro is from “Run Rabbit Run” by Caleb Nichols.

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Portland-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Sam Coomes (Quasi, Jon Spencer and the HITmakers, Heatmiser, The Donner Party) takes a break from a busy 2023 to get Al up to speed on the Velvet Underground. Specifically, he introduces our host to VU’s second album, White Light/White Heat. Sam goes in depth on the album’s 17-minute closer, “Sister Ray,” and also talks about the tracks that were his favorites when he first starting listening to the album. He also talks about Quasi’s soon-to-be-released (Feb. 10) album, Breaking the Balls of History, and their upcoming tour.

On this episode, Al made reference to an appearance Sam made on Joe Wong’s podcast, The Trap Set. You can listen to that episode here: http://www.thetrapset.net/290-sam-coomes-quasi/.

Sam mentioned that Quasi would be releasing a third single from Breaking the Balls of History shortly after the recording of this episode. In fact, that single — “Nowheresville” — is out now, and there’s a great video for it, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODVN6LoNL5g&list=RDODVN6LoNL5g&start_radio=1

Be sure to follow Sam on Instagram! @theecoomes

Quasi are worth a follow, too! @thee.quasi on Instagram and @TheeQuasi on Twitter

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @youmealbum@mas.to.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:21 Sam joins the show

2:09 The Velvet Underground’s first album was Sam’s introduction to the band

4:29 Sam talks about the group that inspired him to play in a band

8:03 Sam and Al wax nostalgic about record stores

9:10 Sam explains why he chose White Light/White Heat

10:17 Is “Sister Ray” prog?

13:27 Sam hears “Sister Ray” as a discussion

16:29 “Sister Ray” was the last song on the album that Sam got into

18:19 The Velvet Underground add unconventional elements to conventional rock songs

21:23 Sam identifies the elements of White Light/White Heat that made him love the album initially

26:33 Al had trouble with some of the more grisly lyrics

27:23 Sam used to focus more on the music than the lyrics in “The Gift”

29:16 Sam talks about the paradox of Lou Reed’s lyrics

31:59 The Velvet Underground got tighter as a band on White Light/White Heat

33:47 Al asks Sam if he models his own sounds on those of Velvet Underground

35:48 Al asks Sam about his hypothetical prog rock podcast

43:08 Sam talks about the soon-to-be-released Quasi album

46:33 Sam discusses his near-term touring plans

Outro is from "Doomscrollers" by Quasi.

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Music journalist and sportswriter Natalie Weiner kicks off the 2023 episodes of YMAAA on a jazzy note, as she introduces Al to the 1962 album, Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley. Natalie talks about how she got into jazz when she was in high school, why she selected this album for this episode and what she loves about both Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley. She also delves into what’s been different about music in the 2020s and the projects she will be working on in the coming year.

Natalie mentioned an essay by Nicholas Payton about why jazz “died” in 1959. You can read it here: https://nicholaspayton.com/on-why-jazz-isnt-cool-anymore/

Be sure to follow Natalie on TwItter (@natalieweiner) and Instagram (@natalieweinerwrites)...

...and check out her website: natalieweiner.com!

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show also has an account on Mastodon: @youmealbum@mas.to.

You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter is now free to all subscribers! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

If you are interested in supporting this podcast, please check out the show’s new Patreon site, https://www.patreon.com/youmealbum. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and keep this show going.

1:20 Natalie joins the show

1:57 Playing bass was Natalie’s gateway to getting deeper into music

5:24 Natalie’s jazz band teacher was instrumental to expanding her jazz knowledge

9:06 Natalie talks about the first piece of music writing she got paid to do

11:02 Learning to play “So What” was a turning point for Natalie

12:37 Natalie explains why she chose this album for this episode

15:49 Al found listening to the album relaxing

17:16 Al looks to Natalie to help him hear Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley in a different context

21:51 Al really enjoyed Nancy Wilson’s vocals

22:40 Natalie highlights some of the aspects that make the album special

26:51 Natalie talks about what she loves about Cannonball Adderley’s style of playing

28:49 Natalie appreciates the relative simplicity of the sound on this album

30:29 Natalie and Al talk about the album’s dynamics

32:30 Natalie gets into the particulars of Nancy Wilson’s performance

34:35 Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley came out in the aftermath of what many consider to be jazz’s peak

37:31 Nalalie credits the producers with the album’s high-quality sound

39:33 Al asks Natalie about the sequencing on the different versions of the album

40:30 The song arrangements are part of the album’s appeal for Natalie

46:53 Natalie recommends the album as an introduction to other work by Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley

50:45 Natalie’s music listening habits have changed in the 2020s

54:17 Natalie talks about her current and upcoming projects

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Musician, songwriter and producer D.K. Lyons makes his second appearance on YMAAA, and just as with The 1975's I Like It When You Sleep..., he chooses an album that's a real challenge for Al. For the first time ever on this show, Al and his guest discuss an album from the current year, as D.K. picked Charli XCX’s Crash for this episode. D.K. talks about how he first got acquainted with Charli XCX’s music, why he chose Crash for this episode, what he likes musically and lyrically about the album and what releases we can expect from him in 2023.

Keep up with D.K. on Instagram at @d.k.lyonsmusic.

Also be sure to check out the D.K. Lyons YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@user-sk4wz2tf1d, and his website, https://dklyonsmusic.com/.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show now has an account on Mastodon: @youmealbum@mas.to.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:05 D.K. (re)joins the show

2:03 D.K. talks about his reaction to The 1975’s Being Funny in a Foreign Language

5:01 D.K. explains how he started listening to Charli XCX and why he chose to discuss Crash

7:24 Al heard Crash differently after doing some research on the album

9:18 D.K. and Al talk about Charli XCX’s experimental side

11:56 Al found a particular spot to listen to Crash that helped him to appreciate it more

14:32 D.K. and Al identify aspects of the album’s production that they don’t like

17:54 Crash doesn’t lack for memorable hooks

21:44 D.K. and Al talk about Charli XCX’s collaborators on “New Shapes”

23:41 D.K. talks about the connection between a song from The Goofy Movie and “New Shapes”

24:53 The title track is a standout song for D.K.

26:25 D.K. and Al hear some similarities between Charli XCX and The 1975

27:50 “Good Ones” and “Constant Repeat” are earworms for both D.K. and Al

33:09 Al has a hard time thinking of songs from Crash where he really likes the lyrics

34:50 D.K. noted a few songs where he appreciates the lyrics

37:18 D.K. has a theory about why Charli XCX processes her vocals as much as she does

39:55 D.K. talks about the album’s four bonus tracks

44:56 D.K. sums up what he enjoys about Crash

46:50 D.K. gives Al a recommendation for where to continue his Charli XCX exploration

49:56 D.K. talks about his recent and upcoming releases

Outro is from “The Sadness” by D.K. Lyons

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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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Drummer, producer, visual artist and designer Steve Luongo (Rat Race Choir, TorQue) takes the guest seat on this week’s You, Me and An Album to discuss Jethro Tull’s Thick as a Brick. Steve talks about why this album is special to him, which parts are his favorites and whether he considers Jethro Tull to be a prog band. He also delves into the John Entiwistle Oxhumed rarities albums he has been working on.

Al talked about some other prog rock suites that were released around the same time as Thick as a Brick, and in doing so, he incorrectly stated that “Supper’s Ready” comprises the second side of Foxtrot by Genesis. Al is mortified at this error, as he is a fan of Steve Hackett’s instrumental, “Horizons,” which kicks off Side 2 before “Supper’s Ready” embarks on its 23-minute run.

Steve mentioned a video of West Side Story’s “America” that includes performances from both the 1961 and 2021 versions. Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0jVQT0Brzw

Keep up with Steve and his many projects!
Twitter: @drumcrusher
Instagram: @steveluongo4real
Website: steveluongo.com

For more information on John Entwistle Rarities Oxhumed, go to johnentwistle.com.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @youmealbum@mas.to.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:24 Steve joins the show

2:35 Is Jethro Tull a prog band?

4:02 Steve recalls how he got introduced to Jethro Tull’s music

6:19 Steve explains why Jethro Tull resonated for him more than some other bands

7:19 Steve details why he chose Thick as a Brick for this episode

8:50 Al compares Thick as a Brick with other early ‘70s prog suites

10:51 Steve gives an example of how Jethro Tull is “orchestral”

14:41 Is Thick as a Brick a parody of prog rock?

16:06 Steve and Al agree on their favorite part of the album

17:40 Why aren’t rock flautists more of a thing?

19:49 Steve learned a lot of lessons about drumming from Thick as a Brick

23:34 Steve would still love the album even if he weren’t a drummer

26:22 Steve wonders how the various parts all came together

28:36 The drum solo…too much or just right?

31:29 Steve singles out the key difference between Thick as a Brick and Aqualung

35:05 Steve talks about some music that he appreciates as a listener (as opposed to as a drummer)

43:11 Steve discusses a couple more standout sections of the album

47:24 Would Steve rather listen to a remixed version of this album?

49:34 Steve talks about current projects, including the John Entwistle rarities albums

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Economics and finance writer/editor Heidi Moore introduces Al to singer-songwriter Joe Pug and his 2010 album, Messenger. Heidi talks about other artists who are a part of Pug’s “cinematic universe,” why the songs of Messenger resonate with her and why she didn’t choose to discuss a Bastille album instead.

Heidi mentioned Pug’s weekly Sunday livestreams and his podcast, Working Songwriter. Find them via the following links…

Livestream: https://joepugmusic.com/livestream

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-working-songwriter/id1079001185

Al talked about how an essay he wrote for Bandcamp Daily earlier this year relates to some of themes covered on Messenger. You can read that essay here: https://daily.bandcamp.com/resonance/quasi-seal-the-deal-essay.

As Heidi mentioned, she has accounts on multiple social media platforms, but you are most likely to find her on Twitter. She is at @moorehn.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @youmealbum@mas.to.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:00 Heidi joins the show

1:38 Why didn’t Heidi choose a Bastille album?

4:24 Al and Heidi talk about shows they’ve attended during the pandemic

6:23 Heidi explains why she chose Messenger for this episode

8:33 Heidi names some other artists she considered discussing

11:36 Heidi talks about the song that started her Joe Pug fandom

16:17 Pug was prescient about how society would change with social media

18:22 The lyrics of Messenger made a huge impression on Al

21:05 Al related to “How Good You Are” in particular

23:16 Heidi compares Pug to Joni Mitchell

29:01 Themes that Pug raises provide lessons that were relevant for the Trump era

39:56 “Disguised as Someone Else” is a meaningful track for both Heidi and Al

44:26 Al sees the opening and closing tracks as outliers on the album

47:01 Heidi explains why she can’t listen to “Unsophisticated Heart” often

52:54 Is songwriting magic?

54:08 Heidi and Al see contrasts between Messenger and Fiona Apple’s Tidal

57:53 Heidi and Al revisit a line from “Unsophisticated Heart” they like

1:00:06 Heidi talks about Pug’s training as a playwright

1:01:50 “The First Time I Saw You” is another of Heidi’s favorite tracks from the album

1:05:44 Heidi talks about a couple of albums she’s been listening to lately

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Author and Middlebury College English and American Literatures professor Megan Mayhew Bergman pays a visit to YMAAA to talk about Fiona Apple’s debut album, Tidal. She revisits the time in her life when she first heard the album, why it was important then and continues to be important to her now, and which songs are her favorites (and which ones she is liable to skip).

Megan and Al got into a little bit of a discussion about Genesis as well, and Al stated that he thought Tony Banks wrote “In Too Deep.” Phil Collins is credited with the lyrics, so he was at least partly wrong about this.

Al also alluded to a series of Genesis interviews conducted in 2014. You can find them on YouTube in four installments. The first one is here — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeGVDk0mSY8 — and links to the others are in the notes for that video.

One last Genesis-related note: Megan mentioned a baby Jesus statue in Mexico that resembles Phil Collins. Here is one of many stories regarding said statue. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jesus-statue-phil-collins-trnd/index.html

Follow Megan on Twitter and Instagram at @mayhewbergman! Also be sure to keep up with her many, many projects at http://www.mayhewbergman.com/.

For the time being, Al is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.

The show is also now on Mastodon. @youmealbum@mas.to.

Al launched You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter earlier this year and has brought it back after a hiatus. You can subscribe for free to get Al’s monthly posts, but paid subscriptions give you access to weekly posts. Please consider trying a paid subscription as it also helps to support this podcast! https://youmealbum.substack.com/

1:14 Megan joins the show

2:18 Megan has an awesome Genesis t-shirt

3:07 Megan first heard Tidal during a difficult and lonely period of her life

4:38 Megan and Al are impressed by the maturity and sophistication Apple showed on this album

6:47 Megan discusses the specific ways that Tidal helped her get through a difficult time

10:03 Megan breaks down how the drums and percussion amplify the emotional impact of “Sleep to Dream”

11:28 “Criminal” and “Never Is a Promise” also evoke strong emotions

13:54 Megan has a different relationship with Tidal now than when she was in her teens…

18:46 …but some of the messages carry just as much weight now as then

20:30 Megan and Al marvel at how Apple was able to create such an influential album in her teens

25:06 Megan highlights her favorite musical moments on Tidal

28:23 There are songs on the album that Megan will skip

32:28 Megan and Al discuss Tidal’s sequencing

34:32 Megan reveals which song from the album is her favorite now

36:28 Megan likes the “big character energy” of “Criminal”

38:36 Megan appreciates the videos Apple made for this album

41:19 A bonus Genesis discussion!

50:14 Megan talks about her upcoming book on the International Sweethearts of Rhythm

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