You, Me and An Album

Al Melchior

Music Music Commentary

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211. Emma Swift Discusses Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (see notes re: TW)
Send us a textOn this episode, Nashville-based, Australian-born singer-songwriter Emma Swift introduces Al to Bon Iver’s 2007 album For Emma, Forever Ago. Emma talks about how she first learned about Bon Iver and this particular album as a DJ in Sydney. She explains what drew her to Justin Vernon’s music and what set him apart from other indie artists of the late 2000s. Emma also highlights some of her favorite aspects and moments from For Emma, Forever Ago. She and Al wind up by discussing her latest album, The Resurrection Game, how it came to have its full, cinematic sound, and what she has planned for the months ahead.TRIGGER WARNING: At 44:47, Emma makes a brief reference to suicidal ideation. Skip ahead to 45:14 to resume with the next topic.Correction: Al says that For Emma, Forever Ago was Justin Vernon’s solo debut. However, prior to that album, Vernon had made two albums under his own name and one as “JD Vernon.”There is no shortage of ways to keep up with Emma, so make sure you visit/follow her on the following platforms!Socials: @emmaswiftsings on Instagram, Facebook and YouTubeWebsite: https://www.emmaswift.com/Blog: https://emmaswiftsings.substack.com/Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.1:31 Emma’s introduction2:10 Emma and Al were not trying to be cute with this episode’s album selection3:00 Emma shares her reasons for picking For Emma, Forever Ago6:47 Emma admires the introspective creative process that Vernon employed for making this album11:40 Al explains why he had a difficult time getting into the album14:04 Should Al have chosen a different album from Emma’s short list?15:51 Emma talks about what distinguishes For Emma, Forever Ago from other late-Aughts folk20:36 Listening to Bon Iver is part of Al’s effort to catch up on music he missed in the 2000s and 2010s24:31 Emma names some artists that she has caught up on recently26:23 Vernon’s honesty about his struggles caught Emma’s attention28:44 Al talks about some of the features of Vernon’s production that he liked31:47 Emma focuses on two of the tracks she enjoys from the album37:09 Emma explains why she thinks this album is “uncoverable”41:03 Emma talks about why she opted for a cinematic approach with The Resurrection Game46:57 Emma notes the ascendancy of a new model of masculinity in indie music52:41 Emma talks about her upcoming touring and recording plans59:02 Emma tells us about the concerts she has recently attended1:00:58 Emma has another covers album coming out1:03:24 Emma talks about some of the music she’s been listening to1:07:27 Emma has a theory about Al’s musical tastes1:10:28 Emma recommends the Michael Shannon/Jason Narducy R.E.M. showsOutro music is from “No Happy Endings” by Emma Swift.Support the show
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210. Andrea Walker Discusses Fleetwood Mac, Tango in the Night
Send us a textAndrea Walker, co-founder, primary songwriter and guitarist for the Portland-based indie rock band Glitterfox, visits YMAAA to talk about Fleetwood Mac’s 1987 album Tango in the Night. Andrea discusses how she got into Fleetwood Mac, and this album in particular, through learning and performing the songs, and how playing Fleetwood Mac covers was instrumental to the development of Glitterfox. She also talks about what she likes about the sound of Tango in the Night, and which songs are her favorites. She and Al break the album down by the clusters of songs written and sung by each of the band’s three primary songwriters—Lindsey Buckingham, the late Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks. They wrap up by discussing Glitterfox’s recently-released album Decoder and the band’s tour plans.You can follow Andrea on Instagram at @andreaplaysguitar.There are several ways to keep up with Glitterfox. On Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, they’re at @glitterfoxband. There’s also their website, https://glitterfoxband.myshopify.com/.Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.1:42 Andrea’s introduction2:33 Andrea talks about Glitterfox’s history of covering Fleetwood Mac songs6:11 Andrean discusses her role as Glitterfox’s main songwriter8:01 Andrea explains why she chose Tango in the Night for this episode11:51 Al explains why he never bought or listened to Tango in the Night16:11 Andrea talks about the production technique that gives Tango in the Night its ethereal feel20:08 The different sound on Tango in the Night extends to the vocals23:02 Andrea pinpoints when she started getting into Tango in the Night25:18 Andrea explains why she didn’t focus much on soloing until recently28:02 Learning Fleetwood Mac covers was instrumental to Glitterfox’s growth as a band28:51 Andrea picks her favorite tracks from the album30:01 Al sees a common link among his favorite songs from Tango in the Night32:29 Al talks about the part of the album he might skip34:04 Andrea and Al discuss the Stevie songs42:30 Andrea and Al are “Team Christine,” but Andrea is also “Team Lindsey”47:20 Andrea is impressed by the struggles and determination needed to complete Tango in the Night48:40 Al is fascinated by the post-TITN era of Fleetwood Mac51:50 Andrea talks about some of the specific ways that Glitterfox and Fleetwood Mac are similar57:00 Andrea pinpoints what makes Glitterfox’s sound distinct1:01:04 Andrea talks about the videos Glitterfox made for Decoder1:03:50 Andrea lays out Glitterfox’s upcoming tour plansOutro music is from “Wildfires” by Glitterfox.Support the show
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209. Leanne Butkovic and Angie Boylan of Freezing Cold Discuss No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom
Send us a textLeanne Butkovic and Angie Boylan, who comprise the rhythm section of the New York-based indie rock trio Freezing Cold, join Al to discuss No Doubt’s 1995 breakthrough album Tragic Kingdom. Leanne and Angie each talk about how the album was formative for them, why they still enjoy it and why being a fan of the band—and of Gwen Stefani in particular—is sometimes challenging. They also talk about Freezing Cold’s latest album, Treasure Pool, and their collaborative songwriting process.You can follow Angie on Instagram at @angie_boylan. Freezing Cold also has an account on Instagram: @freezingcoldband.Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.1:38 Leanne and Angie join the show2:04 Al talks about his preconceptions about Tragic Kingdom3:43 Angie details how she became obsessed with Tragic Kingdom and No Doubt when she was 127:46 Leanne recalls her first concert and her early music listening experiences10:58 Leanne identifies the elements of No Doubt’s sound and image that she found so appealing14:14 Angie talks about Gwen Stefani as a fashion icon15:18 Leanne discusses the complicated nature of being a Gwen Stefani fan20:43 Angie talks about the more politically progressive side of No Doubt23:03 Leanne and Angie have felt betrayed by Stefani at times25:10 Al got over his preconceptions27:31 No Doubt demonstrate their versatility on Tragic Kingdom30:49 Leanne talks about Gwen Stefani as a lyricist32:00 Angie, Leanne and Al discuss how Adrian Young and Gwen Stefani thrived as relatively inexperienced musicians36:13 Angie and Leanne cite some of their favorite tracks from the album39:39 Angie notes the one track that she skips40:27 Leanne thinks No Doubt may have benefited from Interscope needing Tragic Kingdom to be a hit 41:48 Leanne shares her reactions to the album’s final two tracks45:34 Leanne and Angie enjoyed No Doubt’s 2024 reunion performance at Coachella47:08 Leanne explains how she joined Freezing Cold48:52 Leanne discusses how Freezing Cold typically write songs50:40 “The Day” is an outlier on Treasure Pool55:20 Angie talks about how she and Jeff Cunningham have simplified their songwriting for Freezing Cold57:03 Angie explains how she became the touring and studio drummer for Sleater-Kinney58:26 Leanne discusses some of Marissa Paternoster’s contributions to Freezing Cold1:00:12 Angie and Leanne talk about Freezing Cold's upcoming plansOutro music is from “Eclipse” by Freezing Cold.Support the show
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208. Will Paquin Discusses Paulinho Nogueira, O Fino do Violão
Send us a textNashville-based guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Will Paquin joins Al to introduce him to Paulinho Nogueira’s 1965 album O Fino do Violão. Will talks about how he got into Brazilian guitar, why he didn’t tell anyone about the music he discovered and why he has a particular affinity for Nogueira’s music. Will also highlights some of his favorite parts of the album and notes some features that can best be appreciated through active listening. He and Al talk about Will’s recently released debut album Hahaha and his upcoming plans.To find Will’s music, tour schedule and more, visit his site at https://www.willpaquin.com/ or check out his Bandcamp page at https://willpaquin.bandcamp.com/.You can also find Will at @will.paquin on Instagram and TikTok.Be sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.1:19 Will joins the show1:38 Will talks about how he got introduced to Brazilian music and how that influenced his guitar playing5:33 Will explains how Nogueira’s approach is different from other Brazilian guitarists, such as Baden Powell and Luiz Bonfá9:21 Will had second thoughts about discussing this album on this episode11:06 Will explains why Nogueira’s style suits him better than Powell’s14:54 Will and Al talk about the different moods on the album17:13 Will talks about some of the things one may notice when listening actively to O Fino do Violão24:04 Will has found the album comforting in many moments throughout his life31:56 Will explains why “Largo” sounds different from the other tracks on the album34:15 Will identifies his favorite moments on O Fino do Violão35:50 Will gravitates towards the more spontaneous-sounding tracks37:45 Will explains why he prefers to listen to O Fino do Violão rather than Noguiera’s other albums39:54 Will talks about how he and other artists have been influenced by Brazilian music43:17 Al cites some of the other influences that he noted on Hahaha45:30 Does Will want his albums to be cohesive?50:08 Will talks about the decade-long span involved in writing “I Work So Hard”53:19 Will discusses his upcoming tour dates and recording plansOutro music is from “We Really Done It This Time” by Will Paquin.Support the show
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207. Caro Kelley Discusses Jacob Collier, Djesse Vol. 4
Send us a textMunich-based soul-pop artist Caro Kelley joins Al to talk about Jacob Collier’s 2024 album Djesse Vol. 4. Caro revisits her first encounter with the album—and why it led her to go on an extended housecleaning binge—and she explains why she loved the album instantly. Caro also explains why she thinks the album’s eclecticism suits it well. She and Al wrap up by talking about her latest album QUIET, why she had to take a break from recording the album and why that hiatus led to her 1000 Albums project.You can learn more about Caro and her music at https://carokelley.com!Also, you can follow her on the following platforms:Instagram and TikTok: @caro_kelleyFacebook: @carokelleymusicYouTube: @CaroKelleyBe sure to sign up for the YMAAA Newsletter at youmealbum.ghost.io. The first four episodes of Bonus Tracks—YMAAA’s subscriber-only podcast series—are now available at patreon.com/youmealbum. That includes the Bonus Tracks episode with Caro that was published simultaneously with this one. More monthly episodes and other good stuff are soon to come. Please consider subscribing! Your support will make it possible for Al to keep this podcast going.To keep up with You, Me and An Album, please give the show a follow on Instagram at @youmealbum.1:29 Caro joins the show2:12 Djesse Vol. 4 was instrumental in Caro undertaking her 1000 Albums project3:46 Caro recalls the first time she listened to the album5:23 Caro and Al talk about their reactions to “100,000 Voices”10:08 Al explains why he had a hard time warming up to the album13:36 Caro thinks the featured performers make the album even better15:34 Having made a multi-genre album herself helps Caro to appreciate the variety on Djesse Vol. 422:40 Caro explains why “A Rock Somewhere” is a highlight27:58 Caro admires Tori Kelly’s performance on “Bridge Over Troubled Water”31:31 Caro shares her reaction to the album closer, “World O World”34:10 Caro thinks albums should have a clear intro and outro35:49 Caro feels that the “over-the-top” nature of the album is a genuine reflection of Collier as an artist36:33 Caro helped Al to get more comfortable with talking to guests about albums he doesn’t like38:55 Listening to Djesse Vol. 4 prompted Caro to think about how “weird” she wanted QUIET to be45:31 Al hears similarities between Caro’s music and Toto46:56 Caro discusses the setback that led her to start the 1000 Albums projectOutro music is from “On the House” by Caro Kelley.Support the show
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