You, Me and An Album

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 rec...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Eli...

Send us Fan Mail 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 fir...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 proc...

Send us Fan Mail 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 sh...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 P...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 B...

Send us Fan Mail 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 h...

Send us Fan Mail 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’ Pa...

Send us Fan Mail 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-i...

Send us Fan Mail 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 talk...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 J ohn Entiwistle Oxhumed rarities al...

Send us Fan Mail 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 S...

Send us Fan Mail 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 A...

Send us Fan Mail Mary Beth Melchior returns to You, Me and An Album to discuss the first full-length album she ever listened to -- and just in advance of her and Al's 33-1/3 year wedding anniversary! The original Jesus Christ Superstar concept album has been an important album to Mary Beth for nearly her entire life, and Al finally gets better acquainted with it so they can discuss it for thi...

Send us Fan Mail American Studies professor Jeff Melnick normally teaches at University of Massachusetts Boston, but on this episode, he gives Al an education on Terry Melcher and his 1974 self-titled debut album. Jeff talks about Melcher's connections with Charles Manson (which Jeff also details in his book, Creepy Crawling: Charles Manson and the Many Lives of America’s Most Infamous Family...

Send us Fan Mail Portland indie rock legend Gilly Ann Hanner (Calamity Jane, Starpower, Braille Stars, No. 2, Desír) drops by the show to introduce Al to X's 1983 album, More Fun in the New World . Gilly talks about how she first learned about X, why this album is one of her favorites and how it has influenced her music. She also talks about the recently-released albums by Desír and No. 2, an...