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You, Me and An Album
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© 2025 You, Me and An Album
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On each episode, a guest introduces the host, Al Melchior, to an album they love but that he doesn't know.
180 Episodes
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Send us a text On this episode, L.A.-based singer/songwriter/musician Linying gets Al acquainted with Sufjan Stevens’ 2015 album Carrie & Lowell. Linying talks about how the album has impacted her over the last 10 years and how she relates its themes of mortality and grief to her own life experiences. She also explains the ways in which both the music and lyrics of Carrie & Lowell tell a compelling story. Finally, Linying discusses the making of her new album Swim, Swim (to be release...
Send us a text Mike Clark, the guitarist for the L.A.-based progressive metal band Final Gravity, joins Al on this episode to introduce him to King’s X’s 1989 album, Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. Mike talks about roles that an L.A. radio station and MTV played in getting him into King’s X, and he discusses the elements of the album’s sound that have made it one of his favorite albums. He also notes several bands that have been influenced by King’s X and explains why he thinks they did not get as...
Send us a text Sophie Payten, aka Gordi, joins Al from Melbourne, Australia to discuss the phenomenon that is Carole King’s 1971 album Tapestry. Sophie talks about how this album has been an important part of her life since childhood, and how it has influenced her songwriting. She breaks down nearly all of Tapestry's tracks, focusing on how King's vocals, piano playing and songwriting helped to create a pop masterpiece. Sophie also explains why she decided to pursue both a medical career and ...
Send us a text Singer-songwriter Kendall Jane Meade (Mascott, Juicy, Anders and Kendall, solo) pays YMAAA a visit to introduce Al to Joni Mitchell’s 1974 album Court and Spark. Kendall talks about her first impressions of the album and explains why its tracks still resonate with her more than 25 years after first hearing them. She and Al also discuss some of the unique features of the album, such as the Cheech and Chong cameo on “Twisted” and how “Help Me” was especially sophisticated for a h...
Send us a text Singer, songwriter and guitarist Jess Sylvester (Marinero) joins Al and introduces him to Blonde Redhead’s 2004 album Misery Is a Butterfly. Jess talks about why he chose this album for the episode and how he was first exposed to it. Among many aspects of the album he focuses on, Jess observes how Blonde Redhead integrates their classical influences with different musical styles and how they convey the album’s lyrical themes across its 11 tracks. Jess also talks about his brand...
Send us a text Guitarist, improviser and research diver Henry Kaiser visits YMAAA and introduces Al to Captain Beefheart’s 1972 album The Spotlight Kid. Henry talks about his personal connections to Captain Beefheart’s backing ensemble, The Magic Band, and particularly his connection to Elliot Ingber, who passed away just days before this episode was recorded. Henry recalls how seeing a live performance of one of the tracks from The Spotlight Kid led to him taking up the guitar, and how he de...
Send us a text On nearly every previous episode of You, Me and An Album, Al has invited a guest to introduce him to one album he doesn’t know well (or at all), but this week’s guest talks about seven of his favorite albums. Mike Montgomery, who owns Candyland Recording Studio in Dayton, Kentucky, and is a member of R.Ring and Ampline, suggested 11 possible albums to discuss on this episode, but he and Al weren’t able to narrow the list down. So Mike talks about seven of those albums (noted in...
Send us a text On this episode, NPR music critic and correspondent Ann Powers gets Al acquainted with The Roches’ 1979 self-titled debut album. Ann explains how she got to know the album and how it became an important part of her life and the lives of her friends. She also talks about the elements that make The Roches unique, including their harmonies, clever songwriting and misfit style. Ann discusses her 2024 biography of Joni Mitchell, Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, and why she t...
Send us a text On this episode, guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer Dave Alvin (The Blasters, X, The Knitters, The Third Mind, solo) digs deep into the 1969 Underground Blues compilation album. He explains how he became acquainted with the album and why it was such an important part of his introduction to the folk blues tradition. Dave also dissects the work of some of the artists featured on the album, including Lightnin’ Hopkins, Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker. Dave talks about how one of ...
Send us a text Legendary folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon kicks off 2025 on You, Me and An Album by introducing Al to Pete Seeger’s 1963 live album We Shall Overcome. John talks about how it was the first album he had ever bought and how it has shaped life and his work as a musician. He also discusses his personal relationship with Seeger and what made Seeger such an important and unique figure in folk music. John and Al wrap up by discussing John’s new album,...
Send us a text Georgia-based singer-songwriter Scott Colson—who performs under the name Slaw—visits YMAAA to discuss the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. Scott explains how his love of the blues led him to become a Led Zeppelin fan and why he thinks Led Zeppelin II is their best album. Scott breaks down several of his favorite tracks from the album and tells Al about a game he plays with his friends that further cemented the album’s status as his favorite. He also talks about his debut album,...
Send us a text Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sarah Gargano visits YMAAA to discuss Bright Eyes’ 2000 album Fevers and Mirrors. Sarah talks about the unusual reason that got her to explore Bright Eyes in her early teens and how she was first introduced to Fevers and Mirrors. She explains why this is one of her favorite albums and why she considers some of the material to be both self-indulgent and helpful to her personally. Sarah also talks about her recently-released single, "Halloweekend...
Send us a text Simon Raymonde—bassist for Cocteau Twins and head/co-founder of the Bella Union record label—joins Al to introduce him to the Patti Smith Group’s 1976 album, Radio Ethiopia. Simon talks about his initial reaction to hearing the album when he was 15 and how that differed from his impressions of Smith’s debut Horses. He also talks about why he started listening to the album again in the last few years and how it hits him differently now. Simon discusses his work with artists—incl...
Send us a text Electric violinist Ginny Luke, who has played on sessions for numerous artists including Foo Fighters, Hozier, Britney Spears and Meat Loaf, drops by YMAAA to talk about her first solo album Devil at My Heels, which was released on Nov. 1. Ginny talks about her previous solo work, the process behind recording her first full-length solo album—including collaborations with guitarists Nili Brosh and Orianthi—and how recording her own album differed from her experiences as a sessio...
Send us a text Louisville-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jason Bemis Lawrence drops by YMAAA to talk about Radiohead’s 2000 album Kid A. Jason talks about why Kid A is one of his favorite albums and how his appreciation for Radiohead developed over time. He also discusses Radiohead’s influence on his own music and the difficulty of spending a lot of time with a particular album as one gets older. Jason also talks about the process of making his latest album, The Grand Rout...
Send us a text 3 Pairs of Boots vocalist Laura Arias joins this episode of YMAAA to discuss Cocteau Twins’ 1988 album Blue Bell Knoll. Laura talks about how she was introduced to Cocteau Twins during their early “goth” period and why she is particularly fond of Blue Bell Knoll. She specifies the elements of the band’s music that make it magical for her. Laura also discusses the latest 3 Pairs of Boots album, Boot Scootin’, and how she and her husband/bandmate Andrew Stern manage to blend mult...
Send us a text Veteran English singer-songwriter Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong, solo) stopped by YMAAA during his recent U.S. East Coast tour to talk about Crowded House’s 1991 album, Woodface. Iain delves into his admiration for Neil Finn as a songwriter and performer, and breaks down several of the tracks on the album. He also discusses the album’s sequencing and why it stands out in Crowded House’s discography. Iain talks about why he decided to m...
Send us a text Multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Joe Adragna of The Junior League makes a return visit to YMAAA to talk about Sloan’s 2001 album Pretty Together. (Joe was also the guest on Ep 49, on which he discussed The Monkees’ Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.) Joe explains how he first got into Sloan and why the Canadian band is one of his favorites. He also talks about Sloan’s approach to songwriting and collaboration, and he breaks down what he enjoys about several of the al...
Send us a text British pop/rock vocalist and songwriter Tasmin Archer joins Al to discuss Daniel Lanois’ 2003 album Shine. Tasmin talks about how she became a fan of Lanois’ music, and she breaks down the elements of Shine that make it one of her favorite albums, highlighting some of her favorite tracks along the way. She also revisits the making of her 1992 signature hit “Sleeping Satellite” and reveals which band indirectly influenced its sound. The conversation concludes with Tasmin talkin...
Send us a text For this episode, Will Rigby—drummer for the seminal indie rock band the dB’s—introduces Al to Cheri Knight’s 1998 album, The Northeast Kingdom. Will talks about his experience of playing on the album, breaks down aspects of the recording process and discusses why he loves the album and is proud to have played on it. He also talks about the 2024 reissued versions of the dB’s first two albums, Stands for Decibels and Repercussion, and the band’s upcoming tour. Keep track of al...
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