194. Lee Jennings Discusses My Chemical Romance, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Send us a textIMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE YMAAA COMMUNITY: The new YMAAA Patreon—Bonus Tracks—has arrived! Once a month, there will be a new podcast episode exclusively for the Patreon community. In addition to bonus episodes, there will be forums where we can get together as a community.The first Bonus Tracks episode will be published on July 24. If you subscribe anytime before July 31, you can get the first episode for $0.99 instead of the normal $5.99 monthly charge. For this Bonus Tracks Early Bird discount, go to patreon.com/youmealbum and enter the code ALBUM.On this episode of YMAAA, The Funeral Portrait frontman Lee Jennings introduces Al to My Chemical Romance’s 2004 album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Lee talks about how he first got into My Chemical Romance, and how rock radio and videos were instrumental in his discovery process. He highlights parts of the album that are highlights for him and discusses how MCR have been inspirational to him and his Funeral Portrait bandmates. Lee and Al also talk about the latest Funeral Portrait album, Greetings from Suffocate City, the album’s success on rock radio and the band’s tour plans.Be sure to follow Lee on Instagram at @leejennings!You can also keep up with The Funeral Portrait at thefuneralportrait.com and follow them in the following places…Instagram and TikTok: @tfp_devotionFacebook: @thefuneralportraitAl is on Bluesky at @almelchior. This show has an account on Instagram at @youmealbum.2:41 Lee joins the show3:23 Lee talks about the time in his life when he first got obsessed with music6:46 Lee has developed an understanding of how rock radio playlists get made8:27 A video for “I’m Not Okay” was Lee’s gateway into My Chemical Romance11:11 MCR’s theatrical side is a big part of their appeal for Lee17:02 Lee put in effort to seek out information about MCR in the pre-podcast era17:59 Though theatrics are a part of MCR, Lee sees them as a band first and foremost20:22 Is Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge based on a concept or a theme?25:25 “Thank You for the Venom” is one of Lee’s favorite tracks on the album26:42 Lee thinks the album could benefit from a different track sequence32:24 Lee is excited for the new deluxe version of Three Cheers34:23 Lee talks about getting his start booking bands for a venue in Marietta37:37 Lee and Al talk about the sonic variety of the tracks on Greetings from Suffocate City41:09 Lee discusses The Funeral Portrait’s tour and why they’re focusing on cultivating the fans they already have46:23 Lee is excited about a Funeral Portrait song that has yet to be releasedOutro music is from “Dopamine” by The Funeral Portrait.Support the show
--------
52:15
193. Amy Millan Discusses Charlotte Cornfield, The Shape of Your Name
Send us a textCanadian singer-songwriter Amy Millan (solo, Stars, Broken Social Scene) drops in on YMAAA to introduce Al to the music of fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Cornfield, and specifically, her 2019 album The Shape of Your Name. Amy talks about how she first got to know Cornfield’s music and then got to know her personally, and she explains the ways in which The Shape of Your Name showcases her talents. Amy also discusses how some of the songs from her new album, I Went to Find You, were written and what touring plans she has in store in the coming months.Be sure to follow Amy at the following places online!Instagram: @amymillanforrealBluesky: @amymillanYouTube: @amymillanofficialhttps://www.amymillan.com/And you can keep up with Stars, too...Stars on Instagram: @montrealstarsStars on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/youarestarshttps://www.youarestars.com/Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior. This show has an account on Instagram at @youmealbum. You can support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.IMPORTANT UPDATE! You, Me and An Album will soon have additional offerings on Patreon. More information will be coming soon. To sign up, go to patreon.com/youmealbum.1:16 Amy joins the show1:45 Amy got to know Cornfield’s music before getting to know her personally5:50 Amy was surprised to find out that some of her closest friends had performed on The Shape of Your Name7:43 “Silver Civic” is a great showcase for Cornfield’s songwriting11:56 Amy enjoys the soothing qualities of Cornfield’s music14:14 Amy particularly finds the clarity of Cornfield’s arrangements soothing18:57 Cornfield’s straightforward approach extends to her videos and artwork20:41 Amy was impressed by the directness of Cornfield’s lyrics24:00 Amy talks about the Degrassi Junior High-inspired song on The Shape of Your Name27:34 “Andrew” is an example of how Cornfield’s songs are “Taylor Swift Lite”30:47 Amy is drawn to the quality of Cornfield’s voice33:26 Amy likes how “the shape of your name” is a lyrical hook in “June”35:55 Amy gets curious about who Cornfield’s songs are about37:17 Amy talks about how Tamara Lindeman (The Weather Station) influenced I Went to Find You42:38 Amy explains why I Went to Find You ends with an instrumental46:55 Amy discusses how “Murmurations” got written51:01 Amy talks about Jay McCarrol’s contribution to the lyrics of “Untethered” and “Borderline”54:49 Amy wanted I Went to Find You to be a relaxing album57:13 Amy sequenced her album with the vinyl version in mind59:17 “Kiss that summer” gives I Went to Find You a change of mood1:01:40 Amy talks about her upcoming solo and Stars tour plansOutro music is from “Murmurations/Lost River Diamonds” by Amy Millan.Support the show
--------
1:08:54
192. Teedra Moses Discusses D'Angelo, Voodoo
Send us a textSinger-songwriter Teedra Moses, who has written pop and R&B hits for Christina Milian, Trina and herself, visits YMAAA to introduce Al to D’Angelo’s 2000 album Voodoo. Teedra talks about why she has frequently listened to Voodoo since its release 25 years ago, and why the album represents “church” for her. She also discusses how the album has had both an emotional and an intellectual impact on her. Teedra also talks about her debut album Complex Simplicity, which is enjoying its 20th anniversary, and new work that will soon be released.Al mentioned a review of Voodoo written by Questlove. It is still accessible online via the Wayback Machine…you can read it here: https://web.archive.org/web/20080430011914/http://www.okayplayer.com/theroots/viewreview.jsp?rid=6.To keep up with Teedra, including her upcoming live dates and releases, be sure to follower her on social media in the following places.@teedramoses on Instagram@teedramosesmusic on Facebook@teedramosesoffical on TikTok and YouTube Also be sure to check out Teedra’s website! teedramoses.comIf you want to donate to the GoFundMe that Teedra created for her sister Tamia Moses (who was displaced by the fires in Altadena), you can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-restore-family-after-Eaton-Canyon-Wildfire.Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior. This show has an account on Instagram at @youmealbum. You can support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.IMPORTANT UPDATE! You, Me and An Album will soon have additional offerings on Patreon. More information will be coming soon. To sign up, go to patreon.com/youmealbum.1:40 Teedra joins the show2:36 Teedra explains why Voodoo is a comforting album for her5:05 Teedra wants to build on the lineage that was moved forward by Prince and D’Angelo8:07 Teedra talks about how she and Durand Bernarr share a love of the Prince/D’Angelo lineage10:50 Listening to Prince when she was growing up was an eye-opening experience for Teedra13:16 Teedra notes the rebellious nature of the themes presented on Voodoo15:46 An album review by Questlove helped Al to appreciate and enjoy the album even more17:31 Over time, Teedra came to hear Voodoo as a political album22:54 Teedra shares her reactions to the album’s closer “Africa”26:21 Teedra talks about the impact stardom may have had on D’Angelo29:34 Teedra considers how she would respond if she ever met D’Angelo31:07 Teedra explains why “Send It On” is a special song for her33:58 Teedra used to watch the movie Belly on an almost daily basis37:50 Teedra appreciates how cohesive the album is40:22 Al and Teedra share their final thoughts about things they like about Voodoo43:48 Teedra talks about the difficulties she went through at the time her musical career took off48:32 Teedra recalls when the love of making music came back for her51:22 Teedra is able to experience Complex Simplicity more fully as a listener now54:26 Teedra discusses how Complex Simplicity has been finding a new audience56:33 Teedra talks about her upcoming set of EP releases and other projects1:00:17 Teedra discusses her family’s situation in the aftermath of the Altadena firesSupport the show
--------
1:06:03
191. Luke Mallett Discusses Mink DeVille, Cabretta
Send us a textLuke Mallett of the Maine-based roots rock group The Mallett Brothers Band introduces Al to Mink DeVille’s 1977 debut album Cabretta (also known as their self-titled album). Luke talks about the song that first got him fascinated with Mink DeVille and their frontman, Willy DeVille, and why Cabretta is a particularly important album for him. He and Al break down nearly all of the album’s 10 tracks and the various genres that they encompass. Luke also discusses growing up in Nashville and rural Maine, while their father, the late David Mallett, pursued his performing and songwriting career. Lastly, Luke talks about The Mallett Brothers Band’s latest album, Higher Up in the Hills (which is dedicated to their father), and their busy summer tour schedule.Be sure to keep up with The Mallett Brothers Band…there are many ways to do so…Website: https://www.mallettbrothersband.com/@themallettbrothersband on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok@TheMallettBrosBand on YouTubeAl is on Bluesky at @almelchior. This show has an account on Instagram at @youmealbum. You can support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.IMPORTANT UPDATE! You, Me and An Album will soon have additional offerings on Patreon. More information will be coming soon. To sign up, go to patreon.com/youmealbum.1:13 Luke joins the show1:48 Luke explains why he wanted to talk about Cabretta2:20 Luke singles out the song that was his introduction to Willy DeVille4:36 Luke hears the essence of punk in Mink DeVille’s music6:22 Mink DeVille’s sound went far beyond punk8:55 Some of the tracks on Cabretta are among Luke’s all-time favorites11:45 The sequencing enhanced Al’s enjoyment of the album12:58 A couple of the tracks sound like obvious odes to well-known classic rock artists19:06 Luke talks about the settings in which he often listens to Cabretta21:07 Luke enjoys the guitar sounds on the album, as well as the quality of DeVille’s vocals22:32 Al finds it strange that Mink Deville was influential for several prominent ‘80s pop bands26:19 “Little Girl” is an outlier on the album29:55 Luke thinks the guitar work on Cabretta was ahead of its time33:13 Luke discusses the important role his father, David Mallett, played in his music career38:16 Luke recounts when his family left Nashville for rural Maine during his childhood39:39 Luke talks about some of the prominent musicians that have come out of Maine43:11 The Mallett Brothers Band stays busy touring the Northeast45:31 Luke explains how Chuck Leavell wound up playing on “Dogs and Horses”48:23 Luke talks about the making of the video for “Dogs and Horses”52:52 Luke updates us on The Mallett Brothers Band’s packed summer scheduleOutro music is from “Dogs and Horses” by the Mallett Brothers Band.Support the show
--------
58:27
190. Paul Rappaport Discusses Pink Floyd, The Division Bell
Send us a textFormer label executive, guitarist and author Paul Rappaport joins Al to introduce him to Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell. Paul talks about how he became a part of the Pink Floyd “family” while working with them in his capacity as senior VP of rock promotion for Columbia Records. He shares his initial reactions to The Division Bell, which he had heard in bits and pieces while working on promotions for the album, and he explains why the album is still a favorite of his more than 30 years later. Paul also talks about how he came up with the idea for the Pink Floyd airship, which was a central part of the promotion plan for The Division Bell, and how he wound up playing guitar alongside David Gilmour during a Pink Floyd show in London. Finally, Paul discusses his book Gliders Over Hollywood, which recounts his experiences working with numerous revered rock artists over the course of his career.Gliders Over Hollywood is a highly entertaining read! Learn more about it at glidersoverhollywood.com.Al is on Bluesky at @almelchior. This show has an account on Instagram at @youmealbum. You can support the show on Buzzsprout at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542814/episodes or at the link at the bottom of these show notes.IMPORTANT UPDATE! You, Me and An Album will soon have additional offerings on Patreon. More information will be coming soon. To sign up, go to patreon.com/youmealbum.1:36 Paul joins the show2:05 When Paul left Columbia Records, his timing couldn’t have been more perfect3:00 Paul explains how he made a strong connection with the members of Pink Floyd6:47 Paul talks about why he chose to discuss The Division Bell9:30 Paul views Richard Wright's playing as the most critical part of Pink Floyd’s musical identity15:03 Paul cites his four favorite tracks from the album19:09 Al partially agreed with Paul in terms of his favorite tracks27:15 Is it fair to compare a venerable artist’s later albums with those that established their reputation?31:25 Al names his four favorite tracks from The Division Bell32:26 Paul discusses the elements that make certain tracks his favorites34:57 It often makes more sense to think about Pink Floyd albums as one cohesive piece instead of as a collection of tracks40:08 Paul talks about the perspective he took when writing about Pink Floyd and other artists in Gliders Over Hollywood42:38 Paul discusses the role Bob Ezrin played as the band’s producer44:17 Don Ienner put Paul on the spot over The Division Bell’s sales potential45:56 Paul discusses his reaction when he heard the entirety of The Division Bell for the first time46:44 Paul talks about how he got the idea to promote The Division Bell with an airship53:47 Paul recounts the night he played guitar with Pink Floyd for one of their shows1:01:23 Paul talks about the experience of having written Gliders Over Hollywood1:04:15 Are there albums that Paul doesn’t know that he wants to get to know?Outro music is from “Let’s Roll” by Paul Rappaport.Support the show
Australia